3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
3:2 if indeed you have heard of the administration of God’s grace which was given to me for you;
3:3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before briefly.
3:4 ①By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight ②into the mystery of Christ,
▷ ①Lit To which, when you read ②Lit in
3:5 which in other generations was not made known to ①mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets ②in the Spirit;
▷ ①Lit the sons of man ②Or by
3:6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
3:7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
3:8 To me, the very least of all ①saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,
▷ ①Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
3:9 and to ①enlighten all people as to what the plan of the mystery is which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things;
▷ ①One early ms bring to light what
3:10 so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
3:11 This was in accordance with the ①eternal purpose which He ②carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,
▷ ①Lit purpose of the ages ②Or formed
3:12 in whom we have boldness and ①confident access through faith ②in Him.
▷ ①Lit access in confidence ②Lit of Him
3:13 Therefore I ask ①you not to become discouraged about my tribulations in your behalf, ②since they are your glory.
▷ ①Or that I may not lose ②Lit which are
3:14 For this reason I bend my knees before the Father,
3:15 from whom ①every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
▷ ①Or the whole
3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner ①self,
▷ ①Lit person
3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
3:18 may be able to comprehend with all the ①saints what is the width and length and height and depth,
▷ ①See note v 8
3:19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.
3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
3:21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations ①forever and ever. Amen.
▷ ①Lit of the age of the ages