1 F or this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—

2 i f indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you;

if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,

3 t hat by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.

how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,

4 B y referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),

5 w hich in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;

which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:

6 t o 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,

that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

7 o f 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.

of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. Purpose of the Mystery

8 T o me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9 a nd to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;

and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

10 s o that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

11 T his was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

12 i n whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

13 T herefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Appreciation of the Mystery

14 F or this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 f rom whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,

from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16 t hat He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

17 s o that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 m ay be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—

19 a nd to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 N ow 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,

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

21 t o Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.