Ephesians 3
1 For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you the nations,
This is why, I, Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ for the sake of you foreigners,
2 if, indeed, ye did hear of the dispensation of the grace of God that was given to me in regard to you,
(well, I'm assuming you've heard that God gave me the specific responsibility of sharing God's grace with you),
3 that by revelation He made known to me the secret, according as I wrote before in few [words] —
how, by what God showed me, made clear the mystery that was previously hidden. I wrote to you briefly before about this,
4 in regard to which ye are able, reading [it], to understand my knowledge in the secret of the Christ,
and when you read this you'll be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.
5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit —
In past generations this wasn't made clear to anyone, but now it's been revealed to God's holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit
6 that the nations be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in the Christ, through the good news,
that foreigners are joint heirs, part of the same body, and in Christ Jesus share together in the promise through the good news.
7 of which I became a ministrant, according to the gift of the grace of God that was given to me, according to the working of His power;
I became a minister of this good news through the gift of God's grace that I was given by his power that was at work in me.
8 to me — the less than the least of all the saints — was given this grace, among the nations to proclaim good news — the untraceable riches of the Christ,
This grace was given to me, the least important of all Christians, in order to share with the foreigners the incredible value of Christ,
9 and to cause all to see what [is] the fellowship of the secret that hath been hid from the ages in God, who the all things did create by Jesus Christ, (aiōn g165)
and to help everyone see the purpose of the mystery which from the very beginning was hidden in God who made everything. (aiōn g165)
10 that there might be made known now to the principalities and the authorities in the heavenly [places], through the assembly, the manifold wisdom of God,
God's plan was that the various aspects of his wisdom would be revealed through the church to the rulers and authorities in heaven.
This was in accordance with God's eternal purpose that he carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord. (aiōn g165)
12 in whom we have the freedom and the access in confidence through the faith of him,
Because of him and our trust in him we can come to God in total freedom and confidence.
13 wherefore, I ask [you] not to faint in my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
So I'm asking that you don't get discouraged that I'm suffering—it's for you and you should value that!
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
This is why I kneel before the Father
15 of whom the whole family in the heavens and on earth is named,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its nature and character,
16 that He may give to you, according to the riches of His glory, with might to be strengthened through His Spirit, in regard to the inner man,
asking him that out of his wealth of glory he may strengthen you in your innermost being with power through his Spirit.
17 that the Christ may dwell through the faith in your hearts, in love having been rooted and founded,
May Christ live in you as you trust in him, so that as you are planted deep in love,
18 that ye may be in strength to comprehend, with all the saints, what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height,
you may have the power to comprehend with all God's people the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ's love.
19 to know also the love of the Christ that is exceeding the knowledge, that ye may be filled — to all the fulness of God;
May you know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you're made full and complete by the fullness of God.
20 and to Him who is able above all things to do exceeding abundantly what we ask or think, according to the power that is working in us,
Now may he who—through his power working in us—can do infinitely more than we ever ask for or even think about,
