1 F or this reason '> because I preached that you are thus built up together], I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus the Christ for the sake and on behalf of you Gentiles—

I, Paul, am in prison because I am a missionary for Jesus Christ to you who are not Jews.

2 A ssuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace (His unmerited favor) that was entrusted to me for your benefit,

I am sure you have heard that God trusted me with His loving-favor.

3 t hat the mystery (secret) was made known to me and I was allowed to comprehend it by direct revelation, as I already briefly wrote you.

I wrote a little about this to you before. In a special way, God showed me His secret plan.

4 W hen you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.

When you read this, you will understand how I know about the things that are not easy to understand about Christ.

5 w as never disclosed to human beings in past generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles (consecrated messengers) and prophets by the Spirit.

Long ago men did not know these things. But now they have been shown to His missionaries and to the early preachers by the Holy Spirit.

6 t hat the Gentiles are now to be fellow heirs, members of the same body and joint partakers in the same divine promise in Christ through the glad tidings (the Gospel).

Let me tell you that the Good News is for the people who are not Jews also. They are able to have life that lasts forever. They are to be a part of His church and family, together with the Jews. And together they are to receive all that God has promised through Christ.

7 O f this I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s free grace (undeserved favor) which was bestowed on me by the exercise (the working in all its effectiveness) of His power.

God asked me to preach this Good News. He gave me the gift of His loving-favor. He gave me His power to preach it.

8 T o me, though I am the very least of all the saints (God’s consecrated people), this grace (favor, privilege) was granted and graciously entrusted: to proclaim to the Gentiles the unending (boundless, fathomless, incalculable, and exhaustless) riches of Christ,

Of all those who belong to Christ, I am the least important. But this loving-favor was given to me to preach to the people who are not Jews. I was to tell them of the great riches in Christ which do not come to an end.

9 A lso to enlighten all men and make plain to them what is the plan of the mystery kept hidden through the ages and concealed until now in God Who created all things by Christ Jesus.

I was to make all men understand the meaning of this secret. God kept this secret to Himself from the beginning of the world. And He is the One Who made all things.

10 t hat through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere.

This was done so the great wisdom of God might be shown now to the leaders and powers in the heavenly places. It is being done through the church.

11 T his is in accordance with the terms of the eternal and timeless purpose which He has realized and carried into effect in Christ Jesus our Lord,

This was the plan God had for all time. He did this through Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 I n Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).

We can come to God without fear because we have put our trust in Christ.

13 S o I ask you not to lose heart at what I am suffering in your behalf. for it is an honor to you.

So I ask you not to lose heart because of my suffering for you. It is to help you. Paul’s Prayer for the Church

14 F or this reason '> seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

For this reason, I bow my knees and pray to the Father.

15 F or Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.

It is from Him that every family in heaven and on earth has its name.

16 M ay He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Spirit.

I pray that because of the riches of His shining-greatness, He will make you strong with power in your hearts through the Holy Spirit.

17 M ay Christ through your faith dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,

I pray that Christ may live in your hearts by faith. I pray that you will be filled with love.

18 T hat you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth;

I pray that you will be able to understand how wide and how long and how high and how deep His love is.

19 t o know '> through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge; that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God '> become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

I pray that you will know the love of Christ. His love goes beyond anything we can understand. I pray that you will be filled with God Himself.

20 N ow to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the power that is at work within us, is able to do superabundantly, far over and above all that we ask or think —

God is able to do much more than we ask or think through His power working in us.

21 T o Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

May we see His shining-greatness in the church. May all people in all time honor Christ Jesus. Let it be so.