God’s Wonderful Plan for the Gentiles
1I, Paul, am a prisoner because of Christ Jesus. I am in prison because of my work among you who are Gentiles.
2I am sure you have heard that God appointed me to share his grace with you. 3I’m talking about the mystery God showed me. I have already written a little about it. 4By reading about this mystery, you will be able to understand what I know. You will know about the mystery of Christ. 5The mystery was not made known to people of other times. But now the Holy Spirit has made this mystery known to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6Here is the mystery. Because of the good news, God’s promises are for Gentiles as well as for Jews. Both groups are parts of one body. They share in the promise. It belongs to them because they belong to Christ Jesus.
7I now serve the good news because God gave me his grace. His power is at work in me. 8I am by far the least important of all the Lord’s holy people. But he gave me the grace to preach to the Gentiles about the unlimited riches that Christ gives. 9God told me to make clear to everyone how the mystery came about. In times past it was kept hidden in the mind of God, who created all things. 10He wanted the rulers and authorities in the heavenly world to come to know his great wisdom. The church would make it known to them. 11That was God’s plan from the beginning. He has fulfilled his plan through Christ Jesus our Lord. 12Through him and through faith in him we can approach God. We can come to him freely. We can come without fear. 13So here is what I’m asking you to do. Don’t lose hope because I am suffering for you. It will lead to the time when God will give you his glory.
Paul Prays for the Ephesians
14I bow in prayer to the Father because of my work among you. 15From the Father every family in heaven and on earth gets its name. 16I pray that he will use his glorious riches to make you strong. May his Holy Spirit give you his power deep down inside you. 17Then Christ will live in your hearts because you believe in him. And I pray that your love will have deep roots. I pray that it will have a strong foundation. 18May you have power together with all the Lord’s holy people to understand Christ’s love. May you know how wide and long and high and deep it is. 19And may you know his love, even though it can’t be known completely. Then you will be filled with everything God has for you.
20God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine. He does everything by his power that is working in us. 21Give him glory in the church and in Christ Jesus. Give him glory through all time and for ever and ever. Amen.
外族人的福音使者
1为此，我保罗为了把基督耶稣传给你们外族人而做了囚犯。 2相信你们已经听说了，上帝委派我将祂的恩典传给你们。 3祂借着启示让我明白福音的奥秘，正如我前面简要提过的。 4你们读过之后，就能明白我对基督的奥秘有深刻的认识。 5自古以来，上帝没有让人知道这奥秘，如今祂借着圣灵将这奥秘启示给祂的圣使徒和先知。 6这奥秘就是外族人能够在基督耶稣里借着福音与以色列人同做后嗣，同为一体，同享应许。
7上帝运用大能赐给我恩典，叫我成为这福音的使者。 8我本来比最卑微的圣徒还卑微，却蒙上帝赐我这恩典，让我把基督那测不透的丰富传给外族人， 9让全人类都明白世代隐藏在创造万物的上帝里面的奥秘， 10目的是为了透过教会让天上的执政者和掌权者现在可以看出上帝丰富的智慧。 11这是上帝万世以前在我们主基督耶稣里定好的计划。 12我们靠着基督、借着信祂可以坦然无惧、毫无疑虑地来到上帝面前。 13所以，我请求各位不要因我为你们受苦而沮丧，这其实是你们的荣耀。
基督的爱
14-15为此，我跪在天地万物的本源——天父面前， 16祈求祂按照自己丰富的荣耀，借着祂的灵，以大能使你们内在的生命刚强起来， 17使基督借着你们的信心住在你们心里，使你们在爱中扎根、坚立， 18以便能够与众圣徒一同领悟基督的爱是多么长阔高深， 19并知道基督的爱是远超过人所能理解的爱，好叫上帝无限的丰富充满你们。
20上帝的能力运行在我们里面，能够丰丰富富地成就一切，超过我们所求所想的。 21愿祂在教会中，在基督耶稣里得到荣耀，直到世世代代，永永远远。阿们！
