1. For this reason I, Paul, came to be the prisoner of Christ for you, the non-Jews.

2. You may have heard of the graces God bestowed on me for your sake.

3. By a revelation he gave me the knowledge of his mysterious design, as I have explained in a few words.

4. On reading them you will have some idea of how I understand the mystery of Christ.

5. This mystery was not made known to past generations but only now, through revelations given to holy apostles and prophets.

6. Now the non-Jewish people share the Inheritance; in Christ Jesus the non-Jews are incorporated and are to enjoy the Promise. This is the Good News

7. of which I have become minister by a gift of God, a grace he gave me, when his power worked in me.

8. This grace was given to me, the least among all the holy ones: to announce to the pagan nations the immeasurable riches of Christ

9. and to make clear to all how the mystery, hidden from the beginning in God, the Creator of all things, is to be fulfilled.

10. Even the heavenly forces and powers will now discover through the Church the wisdom of God in its manifold expression, as the plan is being fulfilled

11. which God designed from the beginning in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

12. In him we receive boldness and confidence to approach God.

13. So I ask you not to be discouraged at seeing the trials I endure for you, but rather to feel proud because of them.

14. And now I kneel in the presence of the Father

15. from whom every family in heaven and on earth has received its name.

16. May he strengthen in you the inner self through his Spirit, according to the riches of his glory;

17. may Christ dwell in your hearts through faith; may you be rooted and founded in love.

18. All of this so that you may understand with all the holy ones the width, the length, the height and the depth - in a word,

19. that you may know the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge, that you may be filled and reach the fullness of God.

20. Glory to God who shows his power in us and can do much more than we could ask or imagine;

21. glory to him in the Church and in Christ Jesus through all generations for ever and ever. Amen.





“Cuide de estar sempre em estado de graça.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina