Ephesians 3
New American Standard Bible
Paul’s Stewardship
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.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 3:4 Lit To which, when you read
- Ephesians 3:4 Lit in
- Ephesians 3:5 Lit the sons of man
- Ephesians 3:5 Or by
- Ephesians 3:8 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Ephesians 3:9 One early ms bring to light what
- Ephesians 3:11 Lit purpose of the ages
- Ephesians 3:11 Or formed
- Ephesians 3:12 Lit access in confidence
- Ephesians 3:12 Lit of Him
- Ephesians 3:13 Or that I may not lose
- Ephesians 3:13 Lit which are
- Ephesians 3:15 Or the whole
- Ephesians 3:16 Lit person
- Ephesians 3:18 See note v 8
- Ephesians 3:21 Lit of the age of the ages
Ephesians 3
The Message
The Secret Plan of God
3 1-3 This is why I, Paul, am in jail for Christ, having taken up the cause of you outsiders, so-called. I take it that you’re familiar with the part I was given in God’s plan for including everybody. I got the inside story on this from God himself, as I just wrote you in brief.
4-6 As you read over what I have written to you, you’ll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery of Christ. None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our time has it been made clear by God’s Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this new order. The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I’ve been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board.
7-8 This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God’s way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities.
8-10 And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!
11-13 All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus. When we trust in him, we’re free to say whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever we need to go. So don’t let my present trouble on your behalf get you down. Be proud!
* * *
14-19 My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!
Ephesians 3
Contemporary English Version
Paul's Mission to the Gentiles
3 Christ Jesus made me his prisoner, so I could help you Gentiles. 2 You have surely heard about God's gift of undeserved grace in choosing me to help you. 3 In fact, this letter tells you a little about how God has shown me his mysterious ways. 4 (A) As you read the letter, you will also find out how well I really do understand the mystery about Christ. 5 No one knew about this mystery until God's Spirit told it to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 And the mystery is this: Because of Christ Jesus, the good news has given the Gentiles a share in the promises God gave to the Jews. God has also let the Gentiles be part of the same body.
7 God treated me with kindness. His power worked in me, and it became my job to spread the good news. 8 I am the least important of all God's people. But God was kind and chose me to tell the Gentiles that because of Christ there are blessings that cannot be measured. 9 (B) God, who created everything, wanted me to help everyone understand the mysterious plan that had always been hidden in his mind. 10 Then God would use the church to show the powers and authorities in the spiritual world that he has many different kinds of wisdom.
11 God did this according to his eternal plan. And he was able to do what he had planned because of all Christ Jesus our Lord had done. 12 Christ now gives us courage and confidence, so we can come to God by faith. 13 This is why you should not be discouraged when I suffer for you. After all, it will bring honor to you.
Christ's Love for Us
14 I kneel in prayer to the Father. 15 All beings in heaven and on earth receive their life from him.[a] 16 God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers 17 and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love. 18 (C) I pray that you and all God's people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep.[b] 19 I want you to know all about Christ's love, although it is too wonderful to be measured. Then your lives will be filled with all that God is.
20-21 I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will forever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen.
Efesios 3
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
El ministerio de Pablo a los gentiles
3 Por esta causa yo, Pablo, prisionero(A) de Cristo Jesús(B) por amor de ustedes(C) los gentiles(D) 2 si en verdad han oído de la dispensación[a] de la gracia de Dios que me fue dada para ustedes(E); 3 que por revelación(F) me fue dado a conocer(G) el misterio(H), tal como antes les escribí brevemente(I).
4 En vista de lo cual, leyendo[b], podrán[c] entender mi comprensión(J) del[d] misterio de Cristo(K), 5 que en otras generaciones no se dio a conocer a los hijos de los hombres, como ahora ha sido revelado a Sus santos apóstoles y profetas(L) por[e] el Espíritu; 6 a saber, que los gentiles son coherederos(M) y miembros del mismo cuerpo(N), participando igualmente[f](O) de la promesa en Cristo Jesús(P) mediante el evangelio.
7 Es de este evangelio que fui hecho ministro(Q), conforme al don de la gracia de Dios que se me ha concedido(R) según la eficacia de Su poder(S). 8 A mí, que soy menos que el más pequeño de todos los santos(T), se me concedió esta gracia: anunciar a los gentiles(U) las inescrutables riquezas de Cristo(V), 9 y sacar a la luz cuál es la dispensación[g] del misterio(W) que por los siglos ha estado oculto en Dios(X), creador de todas las cosas(Y).
10 De este modo, la infinita sabiduría de Dios(Z) puede ser dada a conocer(AA) ahora por medio de la iglesia a los principados y potestades(AB) en los lugares celestiales(AC), 11 conforme al propósito eterno[h](AD) que llevó a cabo[i] en Cristo Jesús nuestro Señor(AE), 12 en quien tenemos libertad y acceso(AF) a Dios con confianza(AG) por medio de la fe en Él[j]. 13 Ruego, por tanto, que no desmayen[k](AH) a causa de mis tribulaciones por ustedes(AI), porque son su gloria[l].
Pablo ora otra vez por los efesios
14 Por esta causa, pues, doblo mis rodillas(AJ) ante el Padre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo[m], 15 de quien recibe nombre toda familia[n] en el cielo y en la tierra. 16 Le ruego que Él les conceda a ustedes, conforme a las riquezas de Su gloria(AK), el ser fortalecidos(AL) con poder por Su Espíritu en el hombre interior(AM);
17 de manera que Cristo habite por la fe en sus corazones(AN). También ruego que arraigados(AO) y cimentados(AP) en amor, 18 ustedes sean capaces de comprender con todos los santos(AQ) cuál es la anchura, la longitud, la altura y la profundidad(AR), 19 y de conocer el amor de Cristo(AS) que sobrepasa el conocimiento(AT), para que sean llenos(AU) hasta la medida de toda la plenitud de Dios(AV).
Doxología
20 Y a Aquel que es poderoso(AW) para hacer todo mucho más abundantemente(AX) de lo que pedimos o entendemos[o], según el poder que obra en nosotros(AY), 21 a Él sea la gloria en la iglesia y en Cristo Jesús por todas las generaciones, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén(AZ).
Footnotes
- Efesios 3:2 O administración.
- Efesios 3:4 Lit. A lo cual, cuando lean.
- Efesios 3:4 O pueden.
- Efesios 3:4 Lit. en el.
- Efesios 3:5 O en.
- Efesios 3:6 Lit. y copartícipes.
- Efesios 3:9 O administración.
- Efesios 3:11 Lit. de los siglos.
- Efesios 3:11 O formó.
- Efesios 3:12 Lit. de Él.
- Efesios 3:13 O que yo no desmaye.
- Efesios 3:13 Los vers. 2 al 13 constituyen un paréntesis intencional de Pablo para manifestar su ministerio a los gentiles.
- Efesios 3:14 Los mss. más antiguos no incluyen: de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.
- Efesios 3:15 O la familia entera.
- Efesios 3:20 Lit. pensamos.
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