Ephesians 3 - English Standard Version (ESV)

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

3 For this reason I, Paul, (A)a prisoner of Christ Jesus (B)on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of (C)the stewardship of (D)God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 (E)how the mystery was made known to me (F)by revelation, (G)as I have written briefly. 4 (H)When you read this, you can perceive my insight into (I)the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is[a] that the Gentiles are (J)fellow heirs, (K)members of the same body, and (L)partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

7 (M)Of this gospel I was made (N)a minister according to the gift of (O)God's grace, which was given me (P)by the working of his power. 8 To me, (Q)though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, (R)to preach to the Gentiles the (S)unsearchable (T)riches of Christ, 9 and (U)to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery (V)hidden for ages in[b] God, (W)who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold (X)wisdom of God (Y)might now be made known to (Z)the rulers and authorities (AA)in the heavenly places. 11 This was (AB)according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have (AC)boldness and (AD)access with (AE)confidence through our (AF)faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering (AG)for you, (AH)which is your glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom (AI)every family[c] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to (AJ)the riches of his glory (AK)he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit (AL)in your inner being, 17 (AM)so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being (AN)rooted and (AO)grounded in love, 18 may have strength to (AP)comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and (AQ)height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ (AR)that surpasses knowledge, that (AS)you may be filled with all (AT)the fullness of God.

20 (AU)Now to (AV)him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, (AW)according to the power at work within us, 21 (AX)to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 3:6 The words This mystery is are inferred from verse 4
  2. Ephesians 3:9 Or by
  3. Ephesians 3:15 Or from whom all fatherhood; the Greek word patria in verse 15 is closely related to the word for Father in verse 14

Cross references

  1. Ephesians 3:1 : ch. 4:1; Acts 23:18; Phil. 1:7; [ch. 6:20]
  2. Ephesians 3:1 : ver. 13; Col. 1:24
  3. Ephesians 3:2 : ch. 1:10; Col. 1:25; 1 Tim. 1:4
  4. Ephesians 3:2 : ver. 7; ch. 4:7; See Acts 11:23; Rom. 1:5
  5. Ephesians 3:3 : Acts 22:17, 21; 26:16-18
  6. Ephesians 3:3 : [Dan. 2:29]; See Rom. 16:25; 2 Cor. 12:1
  7. Ephesians 3:3 : [ch. 1:9, 10]
  8. Ephesians 3:4 : [2 Cor. 11:6]
  9. Ephesians 3:4 : Col. 4:3
  10. Ephesians 3:6 : See Gal. 3:29
  11. Ephesians 3:6 : ch. 2:16
  12. Ephesians 3:6 : ch. 5:7
  13. Ephesians 3:7 : Col. 1:23, 25
  14. Ephesians 3:7 : See 2 Cor. 3:6
  15. Ephesians 3:7 : See ver. 2
  16. Ephesians 3:7 : [ver. 20]; See ch. 1:19
  17. Ephesians 3:8 : See 1 Cor. 15:9
  18. Ephesians 3:8 : See Acts 9:15
  19. Ephesians 3:8 : [Job 5:9; Rom. 11:33]
  20. Ephesians 3:8 : See ch. 1:18; Rom. 2:4
  21. Ephesians 3:9 : See ver. 2, 3
  22. Ephesians 3:9 : Col. 1:26
  23. Ephesians 3:9 : Rev. 4:11; [ch. 2:10]
  24. Ephesians 3:10 : Rom. 11:33
  25. Ephesians 3:10 : [1 Pet. 1:12]
  26. Ephesians 3:10 : ch. 1:21; [ch. 6:12]
  27. Ephesians 3:10 : See ch. 1:3
  28. Ephesians 3:11 : See ch. 1:11
  29. Ephesians 3:12 : Heb. 4:16; 10:19
  30. Ephesians 3:12 : See ch. 2:18
  31. Ephesians 3:12 : 2 Cor. 3:4
  32. Ephesians 3:12 : Mark 11:22; Phil. 3:9
  33. Ephesians 3:13 : ver. 1
  34. Ephesians 3:13 : [2 Cor. 1:6]
  35. Ephesians 3:15 : See ch. 1:10, 21
  36. Ephesians 3:16 : See ver. 8
  37. Ephesians 3:16 : 1 Cor. 16:13; [ch. 6:10; Phil. 4:13; Col. 1:11]
  38. Ephesians 3:16 : See Rom. 7:22
  39. Ephesians 3:17 : [ch. 2:22]
  40. Ephesians 3:17 : Col. 2:7
  41. Ephesians 3:17 : Col. 1:23
  42. Ephesians 3:18 : [John 1:5]
  43. Ephesians 3:18 : Rom. 8:39; [Job 11:8, 9]
  44. Ephesians 3:19 : [Phil. 4:7]
  45. Ephesians 3:19 : Col. 2:10
  46. Ephesians 3:19 : ch. 1:23
  47. Ephesians 3:20 : Rom. 16:25; Jude 24
  48. Ephesians 3:20 : [2 Cor. 9:8]
  49. Ephesians 3:20 : [ver. 7]
  50. Ephesians 3:21 : See Rom. 11:36

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