Ephesians 3
The chapter in full, then the passages inside it that are worth stopping on — what each one claims, what the Greek or Hebrew shows, and how the reading is arrived at.
Ephesians 3 WEB
- 1 For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles,
- 2 if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you,
- 3 how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words,
- 4 by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ,
- 5 which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit,
- 6 that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News,
- 7 of which I was made a servant according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.
- 8 To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
- 9 and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ,
- 10 to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,
- 11 according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- 12 In him we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.
- 13 Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory.
- 14 For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
- 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
- 16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,
- 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
- 18 may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,
- 19 and to know Christ's love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
- 20 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
- 21 to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3 interrupts itself. Paul begins a prayer ("For this cause, I... bow my knees" would come naturally after chapter 2's picture of Jews and Gentiles built into one household) but stops mid-sentence at verse 1 to explain the "mystery" he has just described, and does not resume the prayer until verse 14, repeating the opening words almost exactly. The digression is not padding; it is the argument. Paul is a prisoner writing to Gentile Christians in Asia Minor, and before he prays for them he wants them to understand what his imprisonment is actually for, and what has been hidden and is now disclosed in Christ.
3:1-6 the mystery made known to his holy apostles and prophets
The word "mystery" (μυστήριον) does not mean a puzzle to be solved but a secret once concealed and now announced — in Paul's usage, a plan of God kept hidden through the ages and revealed at the appointed time. Here the content is stated plainly: "that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News" (3:6). The three compound words in the Greek all begin with syn- ("together with") — συνκληρονόμα, σύνσωμα, συνμέτοχα — co-heirs, co-body-members, co-partakers. The point is structural, not sentimental: Gentiles are not admitted as guests to Israel's inheritance but built into one organism with no seam. This continues directly from Ephesians 2:19, "you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but... fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God," and 2:14-18's dismantling of "the dividing wall."
Verse 5 claims something historically pointed: this "was not made known to the children of men" in "other generations... as it has now been revealed." Careful readers have long asked what this does to Old Testament texts that do speak of the nations coming to Israel's light (Isaiah's oracles, for instance). The tension is real but not a contradiction Paul is unaware of — the Old Testament anticipates Gentile inclusion as nations streaming to Zion, but not as this: Gentiles built into one body with Jews with no distinction of status, no wall at all. That specific shape of the plan, Paul insists, was concealed until the apostolic generation. 1 Peter 1:10 makes the same claim from the other side — prophets searched for the grace that "would come," without seeing its full form.
3:7-9 the very least of all saints, the unsearchable riches of Christ
Paul calls himself "the very least of all saints" (τῷ ἐλαχιστοτέρῳ πάντων ἁγίων) — a comparative built on a superlative, an odd double-grammar that intensifies rather than softens the claim ("less-least," roughly). This is the same man who elsewhere defends his apostolic authority without apology (Galatians 1:12) and calls himself a steward of God's mysteries (1 Corinthians 4:1). The self-description is not false modesty performed for an audience; it sits alongside a claim to have received a commission directly from God (Colossians 1:25, Titus 1:1). Both things are true at once in Paul's self-understanding: unworthy of the task and genuinely entrusted with it. The "unsearchable riches of Christ" (ἀνεξιχνίαστον, literally "untrackable," used of something whose footprints cannot be traced) is the content he is stewarding, not a private possession he doles out but a treasure large enough that tracing its extent is itself impossible.
3:10 to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places
This verse widens the lens abruptly: the reconciled, mixed church is not only for the church's own benefit but a demonstration — through the ekklesia, God's "manifold wisdom" (πολυποίκιλος, "many-colored," used elsewhere of variegated cloth or flowers) is made known "to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places." The claim is genuinely strange to modern ears and has been read two ways. Some take "principalities and powers" as spiritual beings, angelic and demonic orders watching the church as a kind of cosmic display case for God's wisdom — a reading with real support elsewhere in the letter (Ephesians 6's "spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places"). Others have tried to flatten this into merely human power structures. The text itself does not support the flattening; "in the heavenly places" (ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις) is Ephesians' consistent phrase for the spiritual realm throughout the letter. The ordinary local church, on this reading, is not incidental to some larger cosmic drama — it is where that drama is currently being staged.
3:14-19 rooted and grounded in love... the fullness of God
The prayer, resumed from verse 1, asks not for comfort or success but for something interior and, on its face, immeasurable: strength "through his Spirit in the inner person" so that Christ may "dwell in your hearts through faith," so that they might, "being rooted and grounded in love," comprehend "what is the width and length and height and depth" — an object left grammatically incomplete, with no noun attached to the four dimensions, as if love itself cannot be contained in a sentence any more than in a life. The prayer's target is stated flatly in verse 19: "that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (πλήρωμα, the same word Paul used of Christ in 1:23). This is not asking that they feel something; it is asking that a finite creature be filled with the fullness of the infinite — the kind of request Irenaeus has in view in his description of what a human being is made for: "The glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God" (Against Heresies, IV.20.7). Paul is praying that seeing become indwelling.
3:20-21 exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think
The closing doxology answers its own impossible prayer. "Able to do exceedingly abundantly" translates a single stacked Greek adverb, ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ — hyper- (beyond) plus ek- (out from) plus perissou (abundance) — a word Paul apparently coined or nearly so, piling prefix on prefix because ordinary comparatives ran out. The praise is not decorative; it is the only honest response to a request (union with the fullness of God) that outstrips language on its own terms.
What the chapter asks
The chapter presses a claim about what has actually changed in history, not merely in feeling: that a plan hidden for ages has been disclosed, that Gentile and Jew stand in the church as one body without remainder, and that this reconciled community is itself evidence displayed before spiritual powers, not a private religious arrangement. It then presses a further claim about what such people should now ask for — not relief, not success, but to be filled with the fullness of God — and insists that this request, however extravagant, is answered by a power that exceeds it.
The verses this turns on
For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles,discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904
Τούτου χάριν ἐγὼ Παῦλος ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν—
- Τούτου οὗτος demonstrative pronoun · genitive singular neuter G3778
- χάριν χάριν preposition G5484
- ἐγὼ ἐγώ personal pronoun G1473
- Παῦλος Παῦλος noun · nominative singular masculine G3972
- ὁ ὁ article · nominative singular masculine G3588
- δέσμιος δέσμιος noun · nominative singular masculine G1198
- τοῦ ὁ article · genitive singular masculine G3588
- Χριστοῦ Χριστός noun · genitive singular masculine G5547
- Ἰησοῦ Ἰησοῦς noun · genitive singular masculine G2424
- ὑπὲρ ὑπέρ preposition G5228
- ὑμῶν σύ personal pronoun G4771
- τῶν ὁ article · genitive plural neuter G3588
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 5
- Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the assembly,
- Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,
- 2 Timothy 1:8 Therefore don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,
- Ephesians 6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
- Philippians 1:13 so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ,
that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News,discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904
εἶναι τὰ ἔθνη συνκληρονόμα καὶ σύνσωμα καὶ συνμέτοχα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου,
- εἶναι εἰμί verb · present active infinitive G1510
- τὰ ὁ article · accusative plural neuter G3588
- ἔθνη ἔθνος noun · accusative plural neuter G1484
- συνκληρονόμα συγκληρονόμος adjective · accusative plural neuter G4789
- καὶ καί conjunction G2532
- σύνσωμα σύσσωμος adjective · accusative plural neuter G4954
- καὶ καί conjunction G2532
- συνμέτοχα συμμέτοχος adjective · accusative plural neuter G4830
- τῆς ὁ article · genitive singular feminine G3588
- ἐπαγγελίας ἐπαγγελία noun · genitive singular feminine G1860
- ἐν ἐν preposition G1722
- Χριστῷ Χριστός noun · dative singular masculine G5547
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 5
- Galatians 3:26 For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.
- Galatians 3:14 that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
- Romans 8:15 For you didn't receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"
- 1 John 2:25 This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life.
- 1 John 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
of which I was made a servant according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904
οὗ ἐγενήθην διάκονος κατὰ τὴν δωρεὰν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ.
- οὗ ὅς relative pronoun · genitive singular neuter G3739
- ἐγενήθην γίνομαι verb · aorist passive deponent indicative, 1st person singular G1096
- διάκονος διάκονος noun · nominative singular masculine G1249
- κατὰ κατά preposition G2596
- τὴν ὁ article · accusative singular feminine G3588
- δωρεὰν δωρεά noun · accusative singular feminine G1431
- τῆς ὁ article · genitive singular feminine G3588
- χάριτος χάρις noun · genitive singular feminine G5485
- τοῦ ὁ article · genitive singular masculine G3588
- Θεοῦ θεός noun · genitive singular masculine G2316
- τῆς ὁ article · genitive singular feminine G3588
- δοθείσης δίδωμι verb · aorist passive participle, genitive singular feminine G1325
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 5
- Ephesians 1:19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
- 2 Corinthians 3:6 who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
- Ephesians 3:2 if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you,
- Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
- Hebrews 13:21 make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904
ἵνα γνωρισθῇ νῦν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις διὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ,
- ἵνα ἵνα conjunction G2443
- γνωρισθῇ γνωρίζω verb · aorist passive subjunctive, 3rd person singular G1107
- νῦν νῦν adverb G3568
- ταῖς ὁ article · dative plural feminine G3588
- ἀρχαῖς ἀρχή noun · dative plural feminine G746
- καὶ καί conjunction G2532
- ταῖς ὁ article · dative plural feminine G3588
- ἐξουσίαις ἐξουσία noun · dative plural feminine G1849
- ἐν ἐν preposition G1722
- τοῖς ὁ article · dative plural neuter G3588
- ἐπουρανίοις ἐπουράνιος adjective · dative plural neuter G2032
- διὰ διά preposition G1223
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 5
- 1 Peter 1:12 To them it was revealed that they served not themselves, but you, in these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.
- Ephesians 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
- 1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory,
- Romans 11:33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
- Ephesians 1:21 far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.
For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904
Τούτου χάριν κάμπτω τὰ γόνατά μου πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα,
- Τούτου οὗτος demonstrative pronoun · genitive singular neuter G3778
- χάριν χάριν preposition G5484
- κάμπτω κάμπτω verb · present active indicative, 1st person singular G2578
- τὰ ὁ article · accusative plural neuter G3588
- γόνατά γόνυ noun · accusative plural neuter G1119
- μου ἐγώ personal pronoun G1473
- πρὸς πρός preposition G4314
- τὸν ὁ article · accusative singular masculine G3588
- Πατέρα, πατήρ noun · accusative singular masculine G3962
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 5
- Psalm 95:6 Oh come, let's worship and bow down. Let's kneel before Yahweh, our Maker,
- Ephesians 1:16 don't cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,
- Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,
- Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
- Acts 21:5 When those days were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.
Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904
Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν,
- Τῷ ὁ article · dative singular masculine G3588
- δὲ δέ conjunction G1161
- δυναμένῳ δύναμαι verb · present middle or passive deponent participle, dative singular masculine G1410
- ὑπὲρ ὑπέρ preposition G5228
- πάντα πᾶς adjective · accusative plural neuter G3956
- ποιῆσαι ποιέω verb · aorist active infinitive G4160
- ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ adverb G05228
- ὧν ὅς relative pronoun · genitive plural neuter G3739
- αἰτούμεθα αἰτέω verb · present middle or passive indicative, 1st person plural G154
- ἢ ἤ particle G2228
- νοοῦμεν νοέω verb · present active indicative, 1st person plural G3539
- κατὰ κατά preposition G2596
Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.
See also 5
- 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work.
- Romans 4:21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform.
- Jeremiah 32:27 "Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?
- 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, which didn't enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him."
- Jude 1:24 Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,
From the interpretive tradition
The glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God.
We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.