Ephesians 3
1 For this cause, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you the nations: —
For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles, bow my knees in prayer.
2 If at least ye have heard of the administration of the favour of God which hath been given unto me for you,
Surely you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you,
3 [How that], by way of revelation, was made known unto me the sacred secret, —even as I before wrote in brief, —
how God made the mystery known to me by revelation, just as I have written above in a few words.
4 Respecting which ye can, by reading, perceive my discernment in the sacred secret of the Christ, —
When you read what I have written, you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
5 Which, in other generations, had not been made known unto the sons of men, as it hath, now, been revealed by his holy apostles and prophets, in Spirit; —
which in previous generations was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets.
6 That they who are of the nations should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through means of the glad-message, —
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of God's promise in Christ through the gospel.
7 Of which I was made a minister, according to the free-gift of the favour of God which was given unto me, according to the energy of his power:
I became a servant of this gospel according to the gift of God's grace that was given to me by the working of his power.
8 Unto me—the less than least of all saints, was given this favour, unto the nations, to announce the glad-message of the untraceable riches of the Christ,
This grace was given to me, the very least of all the saints, to preach among the Gentiles the good news of the boundless riches of Christ,
9 And to bring to light—what is the administration of the sacred secret which had been hidden away from the ages in God, who did all things create: (aiōn g165)
and to bring to light for everyone the plan of the mystery that has been hidden for ages in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ. (aiōn g165)
10 In order that now, unto the principalities and the authorities in the heavenlies, might be made known, through means of the assembly, the manifold wisdom of God, —
The purpose of bringing this to light is that, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms,
according to the eternal purpose that God has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord. (aiōn g165)
12 In whom we have our freedom of speech and introduction with assurance, through the faith of him; —
Because of Christ and our faith in him, we have boldness and confident access to God.
13 Wherefore I request, that there be no fainting in my tribulations in your behalf, the which is your glory; —
Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, which will bring you glory.
14 For this cause, I bow my knees unto the Father, —
For this reason I bow my knees in prayer before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 From whom every fatherhood in [the] heavens and upon the earth is named, —
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.
16 In order that he may give unto you—according to his glorious riches, with power, to be strengthened, through his Spirit, in the inner man,
I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he would grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 That the Christ may dwell, through means of your faith, in your hearts, in love, having become rooted and founded,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith,
18 In order that ye may be mighty enough to grasp firmly, with all the saints, —what is the breadth and length and depth and height,
as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may be able to fully comprehend, together with all the saints, how wide and long and deep and high
19 To get to know, also, the knowledge-surpassing, love of the Christ, —in order that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God:
is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now, unto him who is able to do, above all things, exceeding abundantly above the things which we ask or conceive, —according to the power which doth energise itself within us, —
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine, according to the power at work within us—
