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.
1For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. 13Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 14For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
