Ephesians 3 GNV
Summary: Paul identifies himself as a prisoner for the sake of the Gentiles and explains the mystery made known to him by revelation: that Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus, a mystery hidden for ages but now disclosed through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. He describes his ministry to make this plan plain to everyone, and that believers may approach God with boldness and confidence through faith in Christ. The chapter closes with Paul's prayer that they be strengthened with power through the Spirit, that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith, and that they grasp the breadth, length, height, and depth of Christ's love, ending in a doxology: "to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think" (v. 20).
1For this cause, I Paul am the prisoner of Iesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2If ye haue heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is giuen me to you warde,
3That is, that God by reuelation hath shewed this mysterie vnto me (as I wrote aboue in fewe wordes,
4Whereby when ye reade, ye may knowe mine vnderstanding in the mysterie of Christ)
5Which in other ages was not opened vnto the sonnes of men, as it is nowe reueiled vnto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit,
6That the Gentiles should be inheriters also, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel,
7Whereof I am made a minister by the gift of the grace of God giuen vnto me through the effectuall working of his power.
8Euen vnto me the least of all Saints is this grace giuen, that I should preach among the Gentiles the vnsearchable riches of Christ,
9And to make cleare vnto all men what the fellowship of the mysterie is, which from the beginning of the world hath bene hid in God, who hath created all things by Iesus Christ,
10To the intent, that nowe vnto principalities and powers in heauenly places, might be knowen by the Church the manifolde wisedome of God,
11According to the eternall purpose, which he wrought in Christ Iesus our Lord:
12By whom we haue boldenes and entrance with confidence, by faith in him.
13Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for your sakes, which is your glory.
14For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ,
15(Of whom is named the whole familie in heauen and in earth)
16That he might graunt you according to the riches of his glorie, that ye may be strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man,
17That Christ may dwell in your heartes by faith:
18That ye, being rooted and grounded in loue, may be able to comprehend with al Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height:
19And to knowe the loue of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all fulnesse of God.
20Vnto him therefore that is able to do exceeding aboundantly aboue all that we aske or thinke, according to the power that worketh in vs,
21Be praise in the Church by Christ Iesus, throughout all generations for euer, Amen.
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