¹ For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles...¹

1. This train of thought is continued in verse 14.

² Surely you have heard about the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you,

³ that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.

⁴ In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

⁵ which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

⁶ This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.

⁷ I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power.

⁸ Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

⁹ and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship¹ of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

1. NE and WH and to illuminate the stewardship; TR and to illuminate for everyone the fellowship

¹⁰ His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

¹¹ according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

¹² In Him and through faith in Him¹ we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.

1. Or through His faithfulness

¹³ So I ask you not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians

¹⁴ ... for this reason I bow my knees before the Father,¹

1. BYZ and TR before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

¹⁶ I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,

¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love,

¹⁸ will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth

¹⁹ of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,

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