For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles,—
if so be that ye have heard of the {Or, stewardship}dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to you-ward;
how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words,
whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;
which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
to wit, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the {Or, good tidings. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel,
whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to {Greek: bring good tidings of the &c. Compare chapter 2:17.}preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
and to {Some ancient authorities read bring to light what is.}make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things;
to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God,
according to the {Or, purpose of the ages}eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through {Or, the faith of him}our faith in him.
Wherefore I ask that {Or, I}ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which {Or, is}are your glory.
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father,
from whom every {Greek: fatherhood.}family in heaven and on earth is named,
that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto {Greek: all generations of the age of the ages.}all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
Querverweise zu Epheser 3,2 Eph 3,2
if so be that ye heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to {Greek: bring good tidings of the &c. Compare chapter 2:17.}preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
For ye have heard of my manner of life in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and made havoc of it:
But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints,
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a {Greek: vessel of election.}chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel:
which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
whereunto I was appointed a {Greek: herald.}preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher.
And Paul and Barnabas spake out boldly, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles.
delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee,
to open their eyes, {Or, to turn them}that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.
through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience {Or, to the faith}of faith among all the {Or, Gentiles}nations, for his name's sake;
But I speak to you that are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;
For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.
But I write the more boldly unto you in some measure, as putting you again in remembrance, because of the grace that was given me of God,
that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus unto the {Greek: nations. Compare Matthew 4.15.}Gentiles, {Greek: ministering in sacrifice.}ministering the {See marginal note on chapter 1:1}gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.
What then is my reward? That, when I {See marginal note on chapter 1:17.}preach the gospel, I may make the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel.
For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother's womb, and called me through his grace,
to reveal his Son in me, that I might {See marginal note on Matthew 11:5.}preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood:
(for he that wrought for Peter unto the apostleship of the circumcision wrought for me also unto the Gentiles);
and when they perceived the grace that was given unto me, {Or, Jacob}James and Cephas and John, they who {Or, are}were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision;
whereof I was made a minister, according to the {Or, stewardship See 1 Corinthians 9:17}dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God,
even the mystery which hath been hid for {Or, from all the ages &c. Greek: from the ages and from the generations.}ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints,
to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
according to the {Or, good tidings. See Matthew 4:23 margin}gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
whereunto I was appointed a {Greek: herald.}preacher and an apostle (I speak the truth, I lie not), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
whereunto I was appointed a {Greek: herald.}preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher.