Ephesians 3

The Mystery of Christ Revealed

1 Because of all this, I, Paul, am locked up as a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you all Gentiles.

2 Surely you have heard about the assignment God gave me through His grace to serve you.

3 God revealed this mystery to me directly, and I have already written about it briefly before.

4 When you read what I wrote, you will understand the insight God gave me into the mystery of Christ.

5 In previous generations this mystery was not made known to people the way it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets.

6 Here is the mystery: through the Gospel, Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of thesame body, and partakers of the same promise in Christ Jesus.

7 I became a servant of this Gospel because of God’s grace, given to me through the working of His power.

8 Even though I consider myself the least of all God’s people, this grace was given to me so I could preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

9 My assignment is to make plain to everybody how this mystery works, the mystery that for ages was hidden in God, who created all things.

10 God’s purpose is that now, through the church, His manifold wisdom would be made known to rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.

11 This was according to His eternal purpose that He accomplished through Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 Because we are in Christ and trust in Him, we can come before God boldly and confidently without fear.

13 So do not lose heart because of my sufferings for your sake. What I am going through is actually for your glory.

Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Strength

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

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

16 I am praying that out of the riches of His glory He would strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being.

17 That Christ would dwell in your hearts through faith and that you would be rooted and grounded in love.

18 I am praying that together with all God’s people you will have the strength to comprehend how wide, how long, how high, and how deep the love of Christ really is.

19 And that you will know this love that surpasses human understanding, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above everything we ask, think, or imagine, according to His power that is working in us,

21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.