3 That is why I pray for you. I, Paul, am in prison because I serve Christ Jesus. He has sent me to help you Gentiles. 2 You must have heard that God has chosen me to do that. He has been very kind to give me this work to help you. 3 God has clearly shown to me his true purpose. That was a secret before, but God has helped me to know it. I have written a few words about this already. [ a ] 4 When you read those words, you will be able to understand. I have come to know God's true message about Christ. 5 God did not tell this secret message to the people who lived before us. But now the Holy Spirit has shown it to God's apostles and prophets. 6 This is the message of God's good news: Gentiles, as well as Jews, may receive the good things that God has prepared for his children. We may all belong to the same group of God's people, like we are his body. Everyone who is united with Christ Jesus receives the good things that God has promised.
7 I tell that good news to other people, because God chose me to serve him in that way. That was God's gift to me, because he is so kind. God uses his great power to help me in that work. 8 I am the least important of all God's people. But God has given this special work to me because he is so kind. He has sent me to tell his good news to the Gentiles. Then they know about the many valuable things that Christ has prepared for us.
9 I help everyone to know how God makes his purpose happen. God himself created all things, and he has hidden this secret during past times. 10 But now God wants the people of his church to show everyone how wise he is in every way. He wants the spiritual rulers and everything that has authority in the heavens to know this. 11 This had always been God's purpose, from the beginning of all things. And it was our Lord Christ Jesus who made it happen.
12 Because we are united with Christ, we can come near to God. We are not afraid to do that. We can be sure that God will accept us, because we trust in Christ. 13 So do not become weak or afraid. I am now suffering so that I can help you. So you should be strong, so that God will bless you.
14 Yes, that is why I pray for you. I go down on my knees to pray to God, our Father. 15 Every family, those in heaven and those on earth, receives its true name from him. 16 I pray that God will cause you to be strong in your spirits. God has great and valuable things in heaven to help you. I pray that God's Spirit will help you with God's own power. 17 I pray that Christ will make his home in you, as you believe in him. Then you will know God's love very well. You will be like trees that have roots which go down deep into God's love. That will make you strong. 18 Then you will understand, with all God's people, how much Christ loves us. That love is very wide and long and high and deep! 19 Christ's love for us is so great that nobody can ever completely know it. As you understand this more and more, God's own nature will completely fill you.
20 We praise God, who causes his power to work in us. In that way, he is able to do much more than we could ever ask for. He can do much more than we could even think about. 21 We want all God's people to know that God is great! Everyone who belongs to his church and who trusts in Christ Jesus should praise him! We should praise him always and for ever. Amen. That is true!
3 So I, Paul, am a prisoner because I serve Christ Jesus for you who are not Jews. 2 Surely you know that God gave me this work through his grace to help you. 3 God let me know his secret plan by showing it to me. I have already written a little about this. 4 And if you read what I wrote, you can see that I understand the secret truth about Christ. 5 People who lived in other times were not told that secret truth. But now, through the Spirit, God has made it known to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 And this is the secret truth: that by hearing the Good News, those who are not Jews will share with the Jews in the blessings God has for his people. They are part of the same body, and they share in the promise God made through Christ Jesus.
7 By God’s special gift of grace, I became a servant to tell that Good News. He gave me that grace by using his power. 8 I am the least important of all God’s people. But he gave me this gift—to tell the non-Jewish people the Good News about the riches Christ has. These riches are too great to understand fully. 9 And God gave me the work of telling all people about the plan for his secret truth. That secret truth has been hidden in him since the beginning of time. He is the one who created everything. 10 His purpose was that all the rulers and powers in the heavenly places will now know the many different ways he shows his wisdom. They will know this because of the church. 11 This agrees with the plan God had since the beginning of time. He did what he planned, and he did it through Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In Christ we come before God with freedom and without fear. We can do this because of our faith in Christ. 13 So I ask you not to be discouraged because of what is happening to me. My sufferings are for your benefit—for your honor and glory.
14 So I bow in prayer before the Father. 15 Every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name from him. 16 I ask the Father with his great glory to give you the power to be strong in your spirits. He will give you that strength through his Spirit. 17 I pray that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. I pray that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. 18 And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. 19 Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you.
20 With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of. 21 To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen.
3 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
3 For this reason I, Paul, ( A ) the prisoner of ( B ) Christ Jesus ( C ) for the sake of you ( D ) Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the ( E ) administration of God’s grace which was given to me for you; 3 ( F ) that ( G ) by revelation there was ( H ) made known to me ( I ) the mystery, ( J ) as I wrote before briefly. 4 [ a ] By referring to this, when you read you can understand ( K ) my insight [ b ] into the ( L ) mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to [ c ] mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy ( M ) apostles and prophets [ d ] in the Spirit; 6 to be specific , that the Gentiles are ( N ) fellow heirs and ( O ) fellow members of the body, and ( P ) fellow partakers of the promise in ( Q ) Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 ( R ) of which I was made a ( S ) minister, according to the gift of ( T ) God’s grace which was given to me ( U ) according to the working of His power. 8 To me, ( V ) the very least of all [ e ] saints, this grace was given, to ( W ) preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable ( X ) riches of Christ, 9 and to [ f ] enlighten all people as to what the plan of the ( Y ) mystery is which for ages has been ( Z ) hidden in God, ( AA ) who created all things; 10 so that the multifaceted ( AB ) wisdom of God might now be ( AC ) made known through the church to the ( AD ) rulers and the authorities in ( AE ) the heavenly places . 11 This was in ( AF ) accordance with the [ g ] eternal purpose which He [ h ] carried out in ( AG ) Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and [ i ] ( AH ) confident ( AI ) access through faith [ j ] in Him. 13 Therefore I ask [ k ] you not ( AJ ) to become discouraged about my tribulations ( AK ) in your behalf, [ l ] since they are your glory.
14 For this reason I ( AL ) bend my knees before the Father, 15 from whom [ m ] every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to ( AM ) the riches of His glory, to be ( AN ) strengthened with power through His Spirit in ( AO ) the inner [ n ] self, 17 so that ( AP ) Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being ( AQ ) rooted and ( AR ) grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with ( AS ) all the [ o ] saints what is ( AT ) the width and length and height and depth, 19 and to know ( AU ) the love of Christ which ( AV ) surpasses knowledge, that you may be ( AW ) filled to all the ( AX ) fullness of God.
20 ( AY ) Now to Him who is ( AZ ) able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, ( BA ) according to the power that works within us, 21 ( BB ) to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations [ p ] forever and ever. Amen.
3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner ( A ) of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me ( B ) for you, 3 that is, the mystery ( C ) made known to me by revelation, ( D ) as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight ( E ) into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. ( F ) 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs ( G ) together with Israel, members together of one body, ( H ) and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. ( I )
7 I became a servant of this gospel ( J ) by the gift of God’s grace given me ( K ) through the working of his power. ( L ) 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, ( M ) this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles ( N ) the boundless riches of Christ, ( O ) 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, ( P ) which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God ( Q ) should be made known ( R ) to the rulers and authorities ( S ) in the heavenly realms, ( T ) 11 according to his eternal purpose ( U ) that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God ( V ) with freedom and confidence. ( W ) 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
14 For this reason I kneel ( X ) before the Father, 15 from whom every family [ a ] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches ( Y ) he may strengthen you with power ( Z ) through his Spirit in your inner being, ( AA ) 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts ( AB ) through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted ( AC ) and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, ( AD ) to grasp how wide and long and high and deep ( AE ) is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge ( AF ) —that you may be filled ( AG ) to the measure of all the fullness of God. ( AH )
20 Now to him who is able ( AI ) to do immeasurably more than all we ask ( AJ ) or imagine, according to his power ( AK ) that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. ( AL )
