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Paul's Stewardship

¹ For this reason because I preach that you and believing Jews are joint heirs I, Paul, am ^(C1)the prisoner of ^(C2)Christ Jesus ^(C3)on behalf of you ^(C4)Gentiles—² assuming that you have heard of the ^(C1)stewardship of God's grace that was entrusted to me to share with you for your benefit;³ and ^(C1)that ^(C2)by divine revelation ^(C3)the mystery was ^(C4)made known to me, ^(C5)as I have already written in brief. ^(VR1)4 By referring to this, when you read it you can understand ^(C1)my insight into the ^(C2)mystery of Christ,⁵ which in other generations was not disclosed to mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy ^(C1)apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit;⁶ it is this: that the Gentiles are now ^(C1)joint heirs with the Jews and ^(C2)members of the same body, and ^(C3)joint partakers sharing in the same divine promise in ^(C4)Christ Jesus through their faith in the good news of salvation.^7 (C1)Of this gospel I was made a ^(C2)minister by the gift of ^(C3)God's grace given me ^(C4)through the working of His power.⁸ To me, though I am ^(C1)the very least of all the saints (God's people), this grace which is undeserved was graciously given, to ^(C2)proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the incomprehensible ^(C3)riches of Christ that spiritual wealth which no one can fully understand,⁹ and to make plain to everyone the plan of the ^(C1)mystery regarding the uniting of believing Jews and Gentiles into one body which until now was kept ^(C2)hidden through the ages in the mind of God ^(C3)who created all things.¹⁰ So now through the church the multifaceted ^(C1)wisdom of God in all its countless aspects might now be ^(C2)made known revealing the mystery to the angelic ^(C3)rulers and authorities in ^(C4)the heavenly places.¹¹ This is in ^(C1)accordance with the terms of the eternal purpose which He carried out in ^(C2)Christ Jesus our Lord,¹² in whom we have boldness and ^(C1)confident ^(C2)access through faith in Him that is, our faith gives us sufficient courage to freely and openly approach God through Christ.¹³ So I ask you not ^(C1)to lose heart at my sufferings ^(C2)on your behalf, for they are your glory and honor.

¹⁴ For this reason grasping the greatness of this plan by which Jews and Gentiles are joined together in Christ I ^(C1)bow my knees in reverence before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth ^(F1)derives its name God—the first and ultimate Father.¹⁶ May He grant you out of ^(C1)the riches of His glory, to be ^(C2)strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in ^(C3)your inner self, indwelling your innermost being and personality,¹⁷ so that ^(C1)Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been deeply ^(C2)rooted and securely ^(C3)grounded in love,¹⁸ be fully capable of comprehending with ^(C1)all the saints (God's people) ^(C2)the width and length and height and depth of His love fully experiencing that amazing, endless love;¹⁹ and that you may come to know practically, through personal experience ^(C1)the love of Christ which far ^(C2)surpasses mere knowledge without experience, that you may be ^(C3)filled up throughout your being to all the ^(C4)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.

^20 (C1)Now to Him who is ^(C2)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, ^(C3)according to His power that is at work within us,^21 (C1)to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.