Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles
1For this reason, I, Paul, the prisonera of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles — 2you have heard, haven’t you, about the administration of God’s grace that He gave to me for you? 3The •mystery was made known to me by revelation,b as I have briefly written above. 4By reading this you are able to understand my insight about the mystery of the •Messiah.c 5This was not made known to peopled in other generations as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophetse by the Spirit: 6The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners of the promisef in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of His power.g
8This grace was given to me — the least of all the •saints — to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable richesh of the Messiah, 9and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who createdi all things. 10This is so God’s multi-faceted wisdomj may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.k 11This is according to His eternal purposel accomplished in the Messiah, Jesus our Lord. 12In Him we have boldness and confident accessm through faith in Him.n 13So then I ask you not to be discouragedo over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.p
Prayer for Spiritual Power
14For this reason I kneelq before the Fatherr 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16I pray that He may grant you, according to the richess of His glory,t to be strengthened with poweru in the inner manv through His Spirit, 17and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,w 19and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20Now to Him who is ablex to do above and beyond all that we ask or thinky according to the powerz that works in us — 21to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. •Amen.aa
Footnotes:
a. 3:1 2Tm 1:8
b. 3:3 1Pt 4:13
c. 3:4 Col 4:3
d. 3:5 Lit to the sons of men
e. 3:5 1Co 12:28-29; Eph 2:20
f. 3:6 Gn 12:7
g. 3:7 Mk 5:30; Lk 1:35; 6:19; Ac 19:11; 2Co 13:4; Rv 11:17
h. 3:8 Rm 1:15; 10:12; 11:12; 1Pt 1:12
i. 3:9 Mk 13:19
j. 3:10 Pr 3:19; Rm 11:33; 1Co 1:21,24; Rv 7:12
k. 3:10 Eph 1:3,20; 2:6; 6:12; Php 2:10
l. 3:11 Pr 19:21
m. 3:12 Rm 5:2
n. 3:12 Or through His faithfulness
o. 3:13 2Th 3:13
p. 3:13 Jn 5:44; 7:18; Rm 2:7; 1Pt 5:4
q. 3:14 Php 2:10
r. 3:14 Other mss add of our Lord Jesus Christ
s. 3:16 Lk 8:14; 2Co 8:9
t. 3:16 Lk 9:32; Jn 17:24; 2Co 3:18; 2Pt 3:18
u. 3:16 2Tm 1:7
v. 3:16 Rm 7:22; Php 4:13
w. 3:18 Jb 11:7-9; Ps 103:11-14
x. 3:20 Rm 16:25; 2Co 9:8; Jd 24
y. 3:20 Mk 14:36
z. 3:20 Rm 15:13; 16:25; 2Tm 1:7; Jd 24
aa. 3:21 Php 4:20
