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.
Paulu jẹ́ oníwàásù sí àwọn aláìkọlà
1Nítorí èyí náà ni èmi Paulu ṣe di òǹdè Jesu Kristi nítorí ẹ̀yin aláìkọlà.
23.2: Kl 1.25.Lóòtítọ́ ẹ̀yin tilẹ̀ ti gbọ́ ti iṣẹ́ ìríjú oore-ọ̀fẹ́ Ọlọ́run, tí a fi fún mi fún yín; 3bí ó ti ṣe pé nípa ìfihàn ni ó ti fi ohun ìjìnlẹ̀ hàn fún mi gẹ́gẹ́ bí mo ti kọ ṣáájú ni ṣókí, 4Nígbà tí ẹ̀yin bá kà á, nípa èyí tí ẹ̀yin o fi lè mọ òye mi nínú ìjìnlẹ̀ Kristi. 5Èyí tí a kò í tí ì fihàn àwọn ọmọ ènìyàn rí nínú ìran mìíràn gbogbo, bí a ti fi wọ́n hàn nísinsin yìí fún àwọn aposteli rẹ̀ mímọ́ àti àwọn wòlíì nípa Ẹ̀mí; 63.6: Kl 1.27.pé, àwọn aláìkọlà jẹ́ àjùmọ̀jogún àti ẹ̀yà ara kan náà, àti alábápín ìlérí nínú Kristi Jesu nípa ìhìnrere.
7Ìránṣẹ́ èyí tí a fi mi ṣe gẹ́gẹ́ bí ẹ̀bùn oore-ọ̀fẹ́ Ọlọ́run tí a fi fún mi, gẹ́gẹ́ bí iṣẹ́ agbára rẹ̀. 8Fún èmi tí o kéré jùlọ nínú gbogbo àwọn ènìyàn mímọ́, ní a fi oore-ọ̀fẹ́ yìí fún, láti wàásù àwámárídìí ọ̀rọ̀ Kristi fún àwọn aláìkọlà; 93.9: Kl 1.26.àti láti mú kí gbogbo ènìyàn rí ohun tí iṣẹ́ ìríjú ohun ìjìnlẹ̀ náà jásí, èyí tí a ti fi pamọ́ láti ìgbà àtijọ́ nínú Ọlọ́run, ẹni tí ó dá ohun gbogbo nípa Jesu Kristi: 10Kí a bá à lè fi ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ onírúurú ọgbọ́n Ọlọ́run hàn nísinsin yìí fún àwọn ìjòyè àti àwọn alágbára nínú àwọn ọ̀run, nípasẹ̀ ìjọ, 11gẹ́gẹ́ bí ìpinnu ayérayé tí ó ti pinnu nínú Kristi Jesu Olúwa wa: 12Nínú ẹni tí àwa ní ìgboyà, àti ọ̀nà pẹ̀lú ìgbẹ́kẹ̀lé nípa ìgbàgbọ́ wa nínú rẹ̀. 13Nítorí náà, mo bẹ̀ yín kí àárẹ̀ má ṣe mú yín ni gbogbo wàhálà mi nítorí yín, èyí tí ṣe ògo yín.
Àdúrà fún àwọn ará Efesu
14Nítorí ìdí èyí ni mo ṣe ń fi eékún mi kúnlẹ̀ fún Baba Olúwa wa Jesu Kristi. 15Orúkọ ẹni tí a fi ń pe gbogbo ìdílé tí ń bẹ ni ọ̀run àti ní ayé. 16Kí òun kí ó lè fi agbára rẹ̀ fún ẹni inú yín ní okun, nípasẹ̀ Ẹ̀mí Mímọ́. 17Kí Kristi lè máa gbé inú ọkàn yín nípa ìgbàgbọ́; pé bí ẹ ti ń fi gbòǹgbò múlẹ̀ tí ẹ sì ń fi ẹsẹ̀ múlẹ̀ nínú ìfẹ́; 18kí ẹ̀yin lè ní agbára láti mọ̀ pẹ̀lú gbogbo àwọn ènìyàn mímọ́, ohun tí ìbú, àti gígùn, àti jíjìn, àti gíga ìfẹ́ Kristi jẹ́. 19Àti láti mọ̀ ìfẹ́ Kristi yìí tí ó ta ìmọ̀ yọ, kí a lè fi gbogbo ẹ̀kúnrẹ́rẹ́ Ọlọ́run kún yín.
20Ǹjẹ́ ẹni tí o lè ṣe lọ́pọ̀lọpọ̀ ju gbogbo èyí tí a ń béèrè tàbí tí a ń rò lọ, gẹ́gẹ́ bí agbára tí ń ṣiṣẹ́ nínú wa. 21Òun ni kí a máa fi ògo fún nínú ìjọ àti nínú Kristi Jesu láti ìrandíran gbogbo àní, ayé àìnípẹ̀kun, Àmín.
