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The Mystery of the Gospel

¹ For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles...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 stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was hidden in God, who created all things.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 Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.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^(a),¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,¹⁶ 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 of His love,¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do infinitely 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.