Ephesians, 3

1. It is because of this that I, Paul, a prisoner of the Lord Jesus on behalf of you gentiles. . .

1. For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles --

2. You have surely heard the way in which God entrusted me with the grace he gave me for your sake;

2. assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you,

3. he made known to me by a revelation the mystery I have just described briefly-

3. how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.

4. a reading of it will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ.

4. When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,

5. This mystery, as it is now revealed in the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets, was unknown to humanity in previous generations:

5. which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

6. that the gentiles now have the same inheritance and form the same Body and enjoy the same promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

6. that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

7. I have been made the servant of that gospel by a gift of grace from God who gave it to me by the workings of his power.

7. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace which was given me by the working of his power.

8. I, who am less than the least of all God's holy people, have been entrusted with this special grace, of proclaiming to the gentiles the unfathomable treasure of Christ

8. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9. and of throwing light on the inner workings of the mystery kept hidden through all the ages in God, the Creator of everything.

9. and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things;

10. The purpose of this was, that now, through the Church, the principalities and ruling forces should learn how many-sided God's wisdom is,

10. that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.

11. according to the plan which he had formed from all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord.

11. This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,

12. In him we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him;

12. in whom we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in him.

13. so, I beg you, do not let the hardships I go through on your account make you waver; they are your glory.

13. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

14. This, then, is what I pray, kneeling before the Father,

14. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

15. from whom every fatherhood, in heaven or on earth, takes its name.

15. from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

16. In the abundance of his glory may he, through his Spirit, enable you to grow firm in power with regard to your inner self,

16. that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man,

17. so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, and then, planted in love and built on love,

17. and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18. with all God's holy people you will have the strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth;

18. may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

19. so that, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond knowledge, you may be filled with the utter fullness of God.

19. and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God.

20. Glory be to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine;

20. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,

21. glory be to him from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.

21. to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.