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Tuesday, August 26th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

The Darby Translation

Ephesians 3:4

by which, in reading it, ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery of the Christ,)

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

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

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mystery;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gentile;   Mystery;   Paul;   Prophecy, prophet;   Revelation;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - God;   Mission;   Mystery;   Paul the Apostle;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Calvinists;   Faith;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Mystery;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Church;   Ephesians, Book of;   God;   Mystery;   Paul;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Church;   Love, Lover, Lovely, Beloved;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Assumption of Moses;   Dependence;   Ear (2);   Ephesians Epistle to the;   Mystery ;   Understanding;   Unity (2);   Winter ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Mystery;   48 To Know, Perceive, Understand;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Mystery;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ephesians, Epistle to the;   Foreknow;   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®
By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.
King James Version (1611)
Whereby when ye reade, ye may vnderstand my knowledge in the mysterie of Christ.)
King James Version
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
English Standard Version
When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,
New American Standard Bible
By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
New Century Version
If you read what I wrote then, you can see that I truly understand the secret about the Christ.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
Legacy Standard Bible
About which, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
Berean Standard Bible
In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
Contemporary English Version
As you read the letter, you will also find out how well I really do understand the mystery about Christ.
Complete Jewish Bible
and if you read what I have written, you will grasp how I understand this secret plan concerning the Messiah.
Easy-to-Read Version
And if you read what I wrote, you can see that I understand the secret truth about Christ.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Whereby when ye reade, ye may knowe mine vnderstanding in the mysterie of Christ)
George Lamsa Translation
So that when you read it you can understand my knowledge of the mystery of Christ,
Good News Translation
and if you will read what I have written, you can learn about my understanding of the secret of Christ.)
Lexham English Bible
so that you may be able when you read to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ
Literal Translation
by the reading of which you are able to realize my understanding in the mystery of Christ,
Amplified Bible
By referring to this, when you read it you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
American Standard Version
whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;
Bible in Basic English
By the reading of which you will be clear about my knowledge of the secret of Christ;
Hebrew Names Version
whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Messiah;
International Standard Version
By reading this, you will be able to grasp my understanding of the secret about Christ,1 Corinthians 4:1; Ephesians 6:19;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
so that while you read you are able to understand my knowledge of the mystery of the Meshiha,
Murdock Translation
so that while ye read, ye might be able to understand my knowledge of the mystery of the Messiah,)
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whereby, when ye reade, ye may vnderstande my knowledge in the misterie of Christe)
English Revised Version
whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;
World English Bible
whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
By reading which ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ:
Weymouth's New Testament
By means of that explanation, as you read it, you can judge of my insight into the truth of Christ
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
as ye moun rede, and vndurstonde my prudence in the mysterie of Crist.
Update Bible Version
whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;
Webster's Bible Translation
By which when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ,
New English Translation
When reading this, you will be able to understand my insight into this secret of Christ.
New King James Version
by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
New Living Translation
As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ.
New Life Bible
When you read this, you will understand how I know about the things that are not easy to understand about Christ.
New Revised Standard
a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Respecting which ye can, by reading, perceive my discernment in the sacred secret of the Christ, -
Douay-Rheims Bible
As you reading, may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ,
Revised Standard Version
When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
wher by when ye rede ye maye knowe myne vnderstondynge in the mistery of Christ
Young's Literal Translation
in regard to which ye are able, reading [it], to understand my knowledge in the secret of the Christ,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
wherby whan ye rede it, ye maye perceaue myne vnderstondynge in ye mystery of Christ,
Mace New Testament (1729)
by the reading whereof you may perceive how far I am let into the secret of Christ.
THE MESSAGE
As you read over what I have written to you, you'll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery of Christ. None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our time has it been made clear by God's Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this new order. The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board.
Simplified Cowboy Version
If you'll go back and read what I said, you'll understand God's crazy plan and how it hinged on Christ.

Contextual Overview

1 For this reason *I* Paul, prisoner of the Christ Jesus for you nations, 2 (if indeed ye have heard of the administration of the grace of God which has been given to me towards you, 3 that by revelation the mystery has been made known to me, (according as I have written before briefly, 4 by which, in reading it, ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery of the Christ,) 5 which in other generations has not been made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in [the power of the] Spirit, 6 that [they who are of] the nations should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of [his] promise in Christ Jesus by the glad tidings; 7 of which I am become minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me, according to the working of his power. 8 To me, less than the least of all saints, has this grace been given, to announce among the nations the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of the Christ, 9 and to enlighten all [with the knowledge of] what is the administration of the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God, who has created all things, 10 in order that now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies might be made known through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye may: Matthew 13:11, 1 Corinthians 2:6, 1 Corinthians 2:7, 1 Corinthians 13:2, 2 Corinthians 11:6

the mystery: Ephesians 1:9, Ephesians 5:32, Ephesians 6:19, Luke 2:10, Luke 2:11, Luke 8:10, 1 Corinthians 4:1, Colossians 2:2, Colossians 4:3, 1 Timothy 3:9, 1 Timothy 3:16

Reciprocal: Matthew 13:52 - which Romans 11:25 - this Romans 12:3 - I say 1 Corinthians 2:16 - But 1 Corinthians 14:6 - knowledge 2 Corinthians 6:6 - knowledge

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
And Jehovah Elohim said to the woman, What is this thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate.
Deuteronomy 29:19
and it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart, to sweep away the drunken with the thirsty.
2 Kings 1:4
Now therefore thus saith Jehovah: Thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt certainly die. And Elijah departed.
2 Kings 1:6
And they said unto him, A man came up to meet us, and said to us, Go, return to the king that sent you and say to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Is it because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt certainly die.
2 Kings 1:16
And he said to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt certainly die.
2 Kings 8:10
And Elisha said to him, Go, say to him, Thou wilt certainly recover. But Jehovah has shewn me that he shall certainly die.
Psalms 10:11
He saith in his heart, God hath forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see [it].
2 Corinthians 2:11
that we might not have Satan get an advantage against us, for we are not ignorant of *his* thoughts.
2 Corinthians 11:3
But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craft, [so] your thoughts should be corrupted from simplicity as to the Christ.
1 Timothy 2:14
and Adam was not deceived; but the woman, having been deceived, was in transgression.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whereby when ye read,.... The above chapters, and seriously consider what is contained in them:

ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ of his person, office, and grace; and which knowledge was very large indeed.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whereby, when ye read - By the bare reading of which you may understand the view which I entertain of the plan of salvation, and the knowledge which I have of God’s method of saving people, particularly of his intention in regard to the salvation of the Gentiles.

In the mystery of Christ - This does not refer to anything “mysterious” in the person of Christ; or the union of the divine and human nature in him; or to anything difficult of apprehension in the work of the atonement. It means the hitherto concealed doctrine that through the Messiah, the Gentiles were to be received to the same privileges as the Jews, and that the plan of salvation was to be made equally free for all. This great truth had been hitherto concealed, or but partially understood, and Paul says that he was appointed to make it known to the world. His “knowledge” on the subject, he says, could be understood by what he had said, and from that they could judge whether he was qualified to state and defend the doctrines of the gospel. Paul evidently supposed that the knowledge which he had on that subject was of eminent value; that it was possessed by few; that it was important to understand it. Hence he dwells upon it. He speaks of the glory of that truth. He traces it back to the counsels of God. He shows that it entered into his eternal plans; and he evidently felt that the truth which he had communicated in the former part of this Epistle, was among the most important that could come before the mind.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ephesians 3:4. Whereby, when ye read — When ye refer back to them.

Ye may understand my knowledge — Ye may see what God has given me to know concerning what has been hitherto a mystery-the calling of the Gentiles, and the breaking down the middle wall between them and the Jews, so as to make both one spiritual body, and on the same conditions.


 
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