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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Ephesians 3:3

In fact, this letter tells you a little about how God has shown me his mysterious ways.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Gentiles;   Mysteries;   Salvation;   Word of God;   Scofield Reference Index - Grace;   Inspiration;   The Topic Concordance - Disciples/apostles;   Gentiles/heathen;   Holy Spirit;   Knowledge;   Mystery;   Partaking;   Resurrection;   Witness;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mystery;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Paul;   Revelation;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mission;   Mystery;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Calvinists;   Faith;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Inspiration;   Luke, the Gospel According to;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Church;   Ephesians, Book of;   God;   Mystery;   Paul;   Sacrament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Church;   Love, Lover, Lovely, Beloved;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Acts of the Apostles (Apocryphal);   Apocalypse;   Christian Life;   Dependence;   Ear (2);   Ephesians Epistle to the;   Mystery ;   Pre-Eminence ;   Revelation (2);   Winter ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Dispensation,;   Mystery;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Priest;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Almost;   Ephesians, Epistle to the;   Epistle;   Mystery;   Paul, the Apostle;   Pauline Theology;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for May 23;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above.
King James Version (1611)
How that by reuelation hee made knowen vnto me the mysterie, (as I wrote afore in few words,
King James Version
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
English Standard Version
how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
New American Standard Bible
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before briefly.
New Century Version
He let me know his secret by showing it to me. I have already written a little about this.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
Legacy Standard Bible
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
Berean Standard Bible
that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.
Complete Jewish Bible
and that it was by a revelation that this secret plan was made known to me. I have already written about it briefly,
Darby Translation
that by revelation the mystery has been made known to me, (according as I have written before briefly,
Easy-to-Read Version
God let me know his secret plan by showing it to me. I have already written a little about this.
Geneva Bible (1587)
That is, that God by reuelation hath shewed this mysterie vnto me (as I wrote aboue in fewe wordes,
George Lamsa Translation
For the mystery was made known to me by a revelation; as I have briefly written you before,
Good News Translation
God revealed his secret plan and made it known to me. (I have written briefly about this,
Lexham English Bible
According to revelation the mystery was made known to me, just as I wrote beforehand in brief,
Literal Translation
that by revelation He made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief,
Amplified Bible
and that by [divine] revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I have already written in brief.
American Standard Version
how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words,
Bible in Basic English
How by revelation the secret was made clear to me, as I said before in a short letter,
Hebrew Names Version
how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words,
International Standard Version
and how this secret was made known to me through a revelation, just as I wrote about briefly in the past.Acts 22:17,21; 26:17-18; Romans 16:25; Galatians 1:12; Ephesians 1:9-10; Colossians 1:26-27;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
that by revelation he made known to me the mystery, as I have written to you in few (words);
Murdock Translation
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, (as I have [fn] written to you in brief,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For by reuelation shewed he the misterie vnto me (as I wrote afore in fewe wordes:
English Revised Version
how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words,
World English Bible
how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
as I wrote before in few words,
Weymouth's New Testament
and that by a revelation the truth hitherto kept secret was made known to me as I have already briefly explained it to you.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For bi reuelacioun the sacrament is maad knowun to me, as Y aboue wroot in schort thing,
Update Bible Version
how that by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words,
Webster's Bible Translation
That by revelation he made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words;
New English Translation
that by revelation the divine secret was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly.
New King James Version
how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
New Living Translation
As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me.
New Life Bible
I wrote a little about this to you before. In a special way, God showed me His secret plan.
New Revised Standard
and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
How that, by way of revelation, was made known unto me the sacred secret, - even as I before wrote in brief, -
Douay-Rheims Bible
How that, according to revelation, the mystery has been made known to me, as I have written above in a few words:
Revised Standard Version
how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For by revelacion shewed he this mistery vnto me as I wrote above in feawe wordes
Young's Literal Translation
that by revelation He made known to me the secret, according as I wrote before in few [words] --
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For by reuelacion was this mystery shewed vnto me, as I wrote aboue in fewe wordes:
Mace New Testament (1729)
having revealed to me the secret, I now mention'd in short,
Simplified Cowboy Version
As I've written before, God yanked me out of the saddle and showed me his crazy plan.

Contextual Overview

1 Christ Jesus made me his prisoner, so that I could help you Gentiles. 2 You have surely heard about God's kindness in choosing me to help you. 3 In fact, this letter tells you a little about how God has shown me his mysterious ways. 4 As you read the letter, you will also find out how well I really do understand the mystery about Christ. 5 No one knew about this mystery until God's Spirit told it to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 And the mystery is this: Because of Christ Jesus, the good news has given the Gentiles a share in the promises that God gave to the Jews. God has also let the Gentiles be part of the same body. 7 God treated me with kindness. His power worked in me, and it became my job to spread the good news. 8 I am the least important of all God's people. But God was kind and chose me to tell the Gentiles that because of Christ there are blessings that cannot be measured. 9 God, who created everything, wanted me to help everyone understand the mysterious plan that had always been hidden in his mind. 10 Then God would use the church to show the powers and authorities in the spiritual world that he has many different kinds of wisdom.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

by: Ephesians 1:17, Acts 22:17, Acts 22:21, Acts 23:9, Acts 26:15-19, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 2:10, Galatians 1:12, Galatians 1:16-19

the mystery: Ephesians 3:9, Romans 11:25, Romans 16:25, Colossians 1:26, Colossians 1:27

as I: Ephesians 1:9-11, Ephesians 2:11-22

afore: or, a little before

Reciprocal: Matthew 13:11 - mysteries Matthew 21:42 - and it is Luke 8:10 - Unto Acts 13:41 - for 1 Corinthians 2:16 - But 1 Corinthians 4:1 - mysteries 1 Corinthians 4:7 - who 1 Corinthians 14:2 - howbeit 1 Corinthians 15:51 - I show Galatians 1:11 - that Ephesians 6:19 - the mystery 1 Timothy 3:16 - the mystery 1 Peter 5:12 - I have Revelation 1:1 - Revelation Revelation 10:7 - the mystery

Cross-References

Genesis 3:12
"It was the woman you put here with me," the man said. "She gave me some of the fruit, and I ate it."
Genesis 3:13
The Lord God then asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The snake tricked me," she answered. "And I ate some of that fruit."
Genesis 3:16
Then the Lord said to the woman, "You will suffer terribly when you give birth. But you will still desire your husband, and he will rule over you."
Genesis 3:17
The Lord said to the man, "You listened to your wife and ate fruit from that tree. And so, the ground will be under a curse because of what you did. As long as you live, you will have to struggle to grow enough food.
Genesis 20:6
God spoke to Abimelech in another dream and said: I know you are innocent. That's why I kept you from sleeping with Sarah and doing anything wrong.
1 Chronicles 16:22
and telling them, "Don't touch my chosen leaders or harm my prophets!"
Job 1:11
Try taking away everything he owns, and he will curse you to your face."
Job 2:5
Try striking Job's own body with pain, and he will curse you to your face."
Job 19:21
My friends, I beg you for pity! God has made me his target.
1 Corinthians 7:1
Now I will answer the questions that you asked in your letter. You asked, "Is it best for people not to marry?"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery,.... Or "is made known unto me": so the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version. The Gospel, which is sometimes called a mystery, the mystery of the Gospel, the mystery of godliness, and the mystery of faith: the several doctrines of the Gospel are the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; such as a trinity of persons in the Godhead, the union of the two natures in Christ, the saints' union to Christ, and communion with him, the resurrection of the dead, and the change of living saints, and the whole doctrine of salvation by Christ, of justification by his righteousness, pardon by his blood, and atonement by his sacrifice; and this was made known to the apostle, not in a mere notional and speculative way, but in a spiritual and saving manner; not by men, for he was not taught by men, nor did he receive it from them, but had it by the revelation of Jesus Christ, and by the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

as I wrote afore in few words: in the two first chapters of this epistle, which are a compendium of the mystery of the Gospel, in its several parts; as predestination, election, redemption, regeneration, and salvation by free grace.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

How that by revelation - see the notes at Galatians 1:12. He refers to the revelation which was made to him when he was called to the apostolic office, that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles, and that he was converted for the special purpose of carrying it to them; see Acts 9:15; Acts 22:21.

Unto me the mystery - The hitherto concealed truth that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles; see the notes, Ephesians 1:9, on the meaning of the word “mystery.”

As I wrote afore in few words - Margin, “a little before.” To what this refers commentators are not agreed. Bloomfield, Doddridge, Rosenmuller, Erasmus, Grotius, Locke, and others, suppose that he refers to what he had written in the two previous chapters respecting the plan of God to call the Gentiles to his kingdom. Calvin supposes that he refers to some former epistle which he had written to them, but which is now lost. Hc remarks in regard to this, “If the solicitude of Paul be rightly considered; if his vigilance and assiduity; if his zeal and studious habits; if his kindness and promptitude in assisting his brethren, it is easy to suppose that he wrote many epistles publicly and privately to this place and to that place. But those only which the Lord saw necessary to the welfare of his church has he taken care to have preserved.” In this opinion there is nothing in itself improbable (compare introduction to Isaiah, section 5 (1)), but it may be doubted whether Paul here refers to any such epistle. The addition which he makes, “whereby, when ye read,” etc., seems rather to imply that he refers to what he had just written.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ephesians 3:3. By revelation he made known unto me — Instead of εγνωρισε, he made known, εγνωρισθη, was made known, is the reading of ABCD*FG, several others, both the Syriac, Coptic, Slavonic, Vulgate, and Itala, with Clemens, Cyril, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Damascenus, and others: it is doubtless the true reading.

The apostle wishes the Ephesians to understand that it was not an opinion of his own, or a doctrine which he was taught by others, or which he had gathered from the ancient prophets; but one that came to him by immediate revelation from God, as he had informed them before in a few words, referring to what he had said Ephesians 1:9-12.


 
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