Study Desk

For this reason I, Paul, ^(a)the prisoner of ^(b)Christ Jesus ^(c)for the sake of you ^(d)Gentiles—

if indeed you have heard of the ^(e)stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you;

^(f)that ^(g)by revelation there was ^(h)made known to me ⁽ⁱ⁾the mystery, ^(j)as I wrote before in brief.

^[a]By referring to this, when you read you can understand ^(k)my insight ^[b]into the ^(l)mystery of Christ,

which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy ^(m)apostles and prophets ^[c]in the Spirit;

to be specific, that the Gentiles are ⁽ⁿ⁾fellow heirs and ^(o)fellow members of the body, and ^(p)fellow partakers of the promise in ^(q)Christ Jesus through the gospel,

^(r)of which I was made a ^(s)minister, according to the gift of ^(t)God's grace which was given to me ^(u)according to the working of His power.

To me, ^(v)the very least of all ^[d]saints, this grace was given, to ^(w)preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable ^(x)riches of Christ,

and to ^[e]bring to light what is the administration of the ^(y)mystery which for ages has been ^(z)hidden in God ^(aa)who created all things;

so that the manifold ^(ab)wisdom of God might now be ^(ac)made known through the church to the ^(ad)rulers and the authorities in ^(ae)the heavenly places.

This was in ^(af)accordance with the ^[f]eternal purpose which He ^[g]carried out in ^(ag)Christ Jesus our Lord,

in whom we have boldness and ^[h](ah)confident ^(ai)access through faith ^[i]in Him.

Therefore I ask ^[j]you not ^(aj)to lose heart at my tribulations ^(ak)on your behalf, ^[k]for they are your glory.

For this reason I ^(al)bow my knees before the Father,

from whom ^[l]every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,

that He would grant you, according to ^(am)the riches of His glory, to be ^(an)strengthened with power through His Spirit in ^(ao)the inner man,

so that ^(ap)Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being ^(aq)rooted and ^(ar)grounded in love,

may be able to comprehend with ^(as)all the ^[m]saints what is ^(at)the breadth and length and height and depth,

and to know ^(au)the love of Christ which ^(av)surpasses knowledge, that you may be ^(aw)filled up to all the ^(ax)fullness of God.

^(ay)Now to Him who is ^(az)able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, ^(ba)according to the power that works within us,

^(bb)to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations ^[n]forever and ever. Amen.