Ephesians 3:4

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.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
And if you read what I wrote, you can see that I understand the secret truth about 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

Hebrew Names Version
whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Messiah;

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.

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,

English Standard Version
When you read this, you can perceive my insight into 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.

English Revised Version
whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in 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.

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;

Complete Jewish Bible
and if you read what I have written, you will grasp how I understand this secret plan concerning the Messiah.

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

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,)

King James Version (1611)
Whereby when ye reade, ye may vnderstand my knowledge in the mysterie 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.

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,

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,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whereby, when ye reade, ye may vnderstande my knowledge in the misterie of Christe)

Good News Translation
and if you will read what I have written, you can learn about my understanding of the secret of Christ.)

Christian Standard Bible®
By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.

King James Version
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery 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,

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.

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),

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.

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,

Contextual Overview

¹This is why I, Paul, am in jail for Christ, having taken up the cause of you outsiders, so-called. I take it that you're familiar with the part I was given in God's plan for including everybody. I got the inside story on this from God himself, as I just wrote you in brief. ⁴As 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. ⁷This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God's way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities. And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels! All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus. When we trust in him, we're free to say whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever we need to go. So don't let my present trouble on your behalf get you down. Be proud! My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! ⁹The Secret Plan of God This is why I, Paul, am in jail for Christ, having taken up the cause of you outsiders, so-called. I take it that you're familiar with the part I was given in God's plan for including everybody. I got the inside story on this from God himself, as I just wrote you in brief. 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. This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God's way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities. And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels! All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus. When we trust in him, we're free to say whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever we need to go. So don't let my present trouble on your behalf get you down. Be proud! My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! ¹⁰The Secret Plan of God This is why I, Paul, am in jail for Christ, having taken up the cause of you outsiders, so-called. I take it that you're familiar with the part I was given in God's plan for including everybody. I got the inside story on this from God himself, as I just wrote you in brief. 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. This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God's way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities. And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels! ¹¹All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus. When we trust in him, we're free to say whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever we need to go. So don't let my present trouble on your behalf get you down. Be proud!

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
"The serpent seduced me," she said, "and I ate."

2 Kings 1:6
They told him, "A man met us and said, ‘Turn around and go back to the king who sent you; tell him, God 's message: Is it because there's no God in Israel that you're running off to consult Baal-Zebub god of Ekron? You needn't bother. You're not going to get out of that bed you're in—you're as good as dead already.'"

2 Kings 1:16
Elijah told him, " God 's word: Because you sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron, as if there were no God in Israel to whom you could pray, you'll never get out of that bed alive—already you're as good as dead."

2 Kings 8:10
Elisha answered, "Go and tell him, ‘Don't worry; you'll live.' The fact is, though— God showed me—that he's doomed to die." Elisha then stared hard at Hazael, reading his heart. Hazael felt exposed and dropped his eyes. Then the Holy Man wept.

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.