Ephesians 3:18

Amplified Bible

be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God's people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love];

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
And I pray that you and all God's holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is.

Revised Standard Version
may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
myght be able to comprehende with all sayntes what ys that bredth aud length deepth and heyth:

Hebrew Names Version
may be strengthened to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

New American Standard Bible
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,

New Century Version
And I pray that you and all God's holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love—how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is.

Update Bible Version
may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,

Webster's Bible Translation
May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and highth.

English Standard Version
may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

World English Bible
may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
ye may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge,

Weymouth's New Testament
as it is grasped by all God's people, of the breadth and length, the height and depth--

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
moun comprehende with alle seyntis, which is the breede, and the lengthe, and the hiynesse, and the depnesse;

English Revised Version
may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Berean Standard Bible
will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of His love,

Contemporary English Version
I pray that you and all of God's people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep.

American Standard Version
may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Bible in Basic English
May have strength to see with all the saints how wide and long and high and deep it is,

Complete Jewish Bible
so that you, with all God's people, will be given strength to grasp the breadth, length, height and depth of the Messiah's love,

Darby Translation
in order that ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints what [is] the breadth and length and depth and height;

International Standard Version
you will be able to understand, along with all the saints, what is wide, long, high, and deepRomans 10:3,11-12; Ephesians 1:18;">[xr] -

Etheridge Translation
that you may be able to follow out with all the saints, what the height, and depth, and the length, and breadth;

Murdock Translation
and that ye may be able to explore, with all the saints, what is the height and depth, and length and breadth,

King James Version (1611)
May be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height:

New Living Translation
And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

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

New Revised Standard
I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Geneva Bible (1587)
That ye, being rooted and grounded in loue, may be able to comprehend with al Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height:

George Lamsa Translation
So that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the height and depth and length and breadth;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In order that ye may be mighty enough to grasp firmly, with all the saints, - what is the breadth and length and depth and height,

Douay-Rheims Bible
You may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Myght be able to comprehende with al saintes, what is the breadth, & length, and deapth, and heygth:

Good News Translation
so that you, together with all God's people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ's love.

Christian Standard Bible®
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,

King James Version
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

Lexham English Bible
in order that you may be strong enough to grasp together with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth,

Literal Translation
that you may be given strength to grasp, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and depth and height,

Young's Literal Translation
that ye may be in strength to comprehend, with all the saints, what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
maye be able to coprehende with all sayntes, what is the bredth, and the length, and the deepth, and the heyth:

Mace New Testament (1729)
Be ye rooted and grounded in social virtue, that you may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of this mystery:

New English Translation
you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

New King James Version
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--

Simplified Cowboy Version
As you ride with him every day, you will become a strong top hand. A top hand has the power to understand just how much God loves us.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Legacy Standard Bible
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Contextual Overview

¹⁴For this reason [grasping the greatness of this plan by which Jews and Gentiles are joined together in Christ] I bow my knees [in reverence] before the Father [of our Lord Jesus Christ], ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name [God—the first and ultimate Father]. ¹⁶May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, ¹⁸be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God's people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love];¹⁹and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God's presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself]. ²⁰Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, ²¹to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

able: Ephesians 3:19, Ephesians 1:18-23, Job 11:7-9, Psalms 103:11, Psalms 103:12, Psalms 103:17, Psalms 139:6, Isaiah 55:9, John 15:13, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 3:13, Philippians 2:5-8, Philippians 3:8-10, 1 Timothy 1:14-16, 1 Timothy 3:16, Titus 2:13, Titus 2:14, Revelation 3:21

with: Ephesians 1:10, Ephesians 1:15, Deuteronomy 33:2, Deuteronomy 33:3, 2 Chronicles 6:41, Psalms 116:15, Psalms 132:9, Psalms 145:10, Zechariah 14:5, 2 Corinthians 13:13, Colossians 1:4

what: Romans 10:3, Romans 10:11, Romans 10:12

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:29 - coupled 1 Kings 6:31 - doors Job 11:8 - deeper Psalms 106:2 - utter Psalms 107:43 - they shall understand Proverbs 30:3 - nor Song of Solomon 3:10 - the midst Song of Solomon 7:4 - thine eyes Zechariah 9:17 - how great is his goodness Matthew 16:17 - but Luke 10:37 - He that John 1:14 - full John 15:9 - the Father Romans 8:39 - Nor Romans 11:33 - the depth 1 Corinthians 13:9 - General 2 Corinthians 5:14 - the love Ephesians 1:17 - in the knowledge Ephesians 6:18 - supplication 1 John 3:1 - what 1 John 5:20 - and hath

Cross-References

Genesis 3:14
The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all the cattle, And more than any animal of the field; On your belly you shall go, And dust you shall eat All the days of your life.

Genesis 3:15
"And I will put enmity (open hostility) Between you and the woman, And between your seed (offspring) and her Seed; He shall [fatally] bruise your head, And you shall [only] bruise His heel."

Joshua 23:13
know and understand with certainty that the LORD your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the LORD your God has given you.

Job 1:21
He said, "Naked (without possessions) I came [into this world] from my mother's womb, And naked I will return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD."

Job 5:5
"The hungry devour his harvest And take it even [when it grows] among the thorns; The trap opens for [his] wealth.

Job 31:40
Let thorns grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed and cockleburs instead of barley." So the words of Job [with his friends] are finished.

Psalms 90:3
You turn man back to dust, And say, "Return [to the earth], O children of [mortal] men!"

Psalms 104:2
[You are the One] who covers Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretches out the heavens like a tent curtain,

Proverbs 22:5
Thorns and snares are in the way of the obstinate [for their lack of honor and their wrong-doing traps them]; He who guards himself [with godly wisdom] will be far from them and avoid the consequences they suffer.

Proverbs 24:31
And, behold, it was all overgrown with thorns, And nettles were covering its surface, And its stone wall was broken down.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

May be able to comprehend with all saints,.... This is the end of their being rooted and grounded in love, that they, together with the rest of the saints interested in it, might have a larger and more comprehensive view of

what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; not of God himself, who is incomprehensible by finite minds, and is not to be found out to perfection; see Job 11:7 but either of the great mystery of salvation, particularly the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles mentioned in the beginning of the chapter; or of the spiritual building, the church, the dimensions of which are given,

Revelation 21:15 or rather of the love of God, which in its length reaches from one eternity to another; in its breadth to all the elect, in all ages, places, and nations; and in its depth to saints in the lowest state of life; and in its height to bring them to an exalted state in glory.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

May be able to comprehend with all saints - That all others with you may be able to understand this. It was his desire that others, as well as they, might appreciate the wonders of redemption.

What is the breadth, and length, ... - It has been doubted to what this refers. Locke says it refers to the mystery of calling the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Chandler supposes there is an allusion in all this to the temple at Ephesus. It was one of the wonders of the world - exciting admiration by its length, and height, and dimensions in every way, as well as by its extraordinary riches and splendor. In allusion to this, the object of so much admiration and pride to the Ephesians, he supposes that Paul desires that they should become fully acquainted with the extent and beauty of the spiritual temple. But I do not see that there is clear evidence that there is allusion here to the temple at Ephesus. It seems rather to be the language of a heart that was full of the subject, and impressed with its greatness; and the words are employed to denote the “dimensions” of that love, and are similar to what would be meant if he had said, “that you may know how “large,” or how “great” is that love.” The apostle evidently meant to express the strongest sense of the greatness of the love of the Redeemer, and to show in the most emphatic manner how much he wished that they should fully understand it. On the phrase “depth and height,” compare notes on Romans 8:39.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 18. May be able to comprehend with all saints — ινα εξισχυσητε καταλαβεσθαι. These words are so exceedingly nervous and full of meaning, that it is almost impossible to translate them. The first word, εξισχυσητε, from εξ, intensive, and ισχυω, to be strong, signifies that they might be thoroughly able, by having been strengthened with might, by God's power. The second word καταλαβεσθαι, from κατα, intensive, and λαμβανω, to take, catch, or seize on, may be translated, that ye may fully catch, take in, and comprehend this wonderful mystery of God. The mind must be rendered apt, and the soul invigorated, to take in and comprehend these mysteries.

What is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height — Here the apostle still keeps up the metaphor, comparing the Church of God to a building; and as, in order to rear a proper building, formed on scientific principles, a ground plan and specification must be previously made, according to which the building is to be constructed, the apostle refers to this; for this must be thoroughly understood, without which the building could not be formed. They were to be builded up a heavenly house, a habitation of God through the Spirit; and this must have its latitude or breadth, its longitude or length, its altitude or height, and its profundity or depth.

It is supposed by some that the apostle is here alluding to the famous temple of Diana at Ephesus, which, as I have already had occasion to remark, was reputed one of the wonders of the world, being in length 425 feet, in breadth 220; it was supported by 127 pillars, each 60 feet high; was builded at the expense of all Asia; and was 220 years in being completed. I cannot, however, allow of this allusion while the apostle had a nobler model at hand, and one every way more worthy of being brought into the comparison. The temple at Jerusalem was that alone which he had in view; that alone could be fitly compared here; for that was built to be a habitation of God; that was his house, and that the place of his rest: so the Christian temple, and the believing heart, are to be the constant, the endless residence of God; and how august must that edifice be in which the eternal Trinity dwells!

But what can the apostle mean by the breadth, length, depth, and height, of the love of God? Imagination can scarcely frame any satisfactory answer to this question. It takes in the eternity of God. GOD is LOVE; and in that, an infinity of breadth, length, depth, and height, is included; or rather all breadth, length, depth, and height, are lost in this immensity. It comprehends all that is above, all that is below, all that is past, and all that is to come. In reference to human beings, the love of God, in its BREADTH, is a girdle that encompasses the globe; its LENGTH reaches from the eternal purpose of the mission of Christ, to the eternity of blessedness which is to be spent in his ineffable glories; its DEPTH reaches to the lowest fallen of the sons of Adam, and to the deepest depravity of the human heart; and its HEIGHT to the infinite dignities of the throne of Christ. He that overcometh will I give to sit dawn with me upon my throne, as I have overcome and sat down with the Father upon his throne. Thus we see that the Father, the Son, and all true believers in him, are to be seated on the same throne! This is the height of the love of God, and the height to which that love raises the souls that believe in Christ Jesus!