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 3,8 Eph 3,8
Surely I am more brutish than any man,And have not the understanding of a man;
Then David the king went in, and sat before Jehovah; and he said, Who am I, O Jehovah God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?
if so be that ye have heard of the {Or, stewardship}dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to you-ward;
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;
And I have not learned wisdom, {Or, That I should have the knowledge &c.}Neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.
But who am I, and what is my people, that we should {Hebrew: retain strength.}be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and {Hebrew: of thy hand.}of thine own have we given thee.
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:
and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.
In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another;
For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as all our fathers were: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no {Hebrew: hope.}abiding.
(for he that wrought for Peter unto the apostleship of the circumcision wrought for me also unto the Gentiles);
in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.
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.
{Or, wherewith he abounded}which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;
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.
I have therefore my glorying in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.
whereunto I was appointed a {Greek: herald.}preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher.
that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus:
though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief;
Oh how great is thy goodness,Which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee,Which thou hast wrought for them that take refuge in thee,Before the sons of men!
Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:
For of his fulness we all received, and {Or, grace upon grace.}grace for grace.
{Or, Likewise...elder; yea, all of you one to another. Gird yourselves with humility}Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
O the depth {Or, of the riches and the wisdom & c.}of the riches {Or, both of wisdom & c.}both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, {Or, both rightousness and sanctification and redemption}and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:
but as it is written, {Isaiah 64:4; 65:17.}Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not,And which entered not into the heart of man,Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.
And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
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:
For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the {Or, fulness}full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, {The ancient authorities vary much in the text of this passage.}even Christ,
in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.
I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see.