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Ephesians · World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)

Ephesians 3 World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)

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About WEB
  • Protestant
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Majority (Byzantine) text
  • All books (ecumenical)
  • Formal (word for word)
  • 2020
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

Notes on this text (1)

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.

Cross references (21)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 Colossians 1:24; 2 Timothy 1:8; Ephesians 4:1; Ephesians 6:20; Philippians 1:13–16
  2. 2 1 Timothy 1:11; Colossians 1:25–27; Galatians 1:15–16; Romans 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:11
  3. 3 Galatians 1:12; Romans 16:25; Ephesians 1:9–11; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:26–27
  4. 4 Colossians 4:3; 2 Corinthians 11:6; 1 Corinthians 4:1; 1 Corinthians 2:6–7; Colossians 2:2
  5. 5 1 Peter 1:10–12; 2 Peter 3:2; Jude 17; Titus 1:1–3; Ephesians 2:20
  6. 6 Galatians 3:26–29; Galatians 3:14; Romans 8:15–17; 1 John 1:3; 1 John 2:25
  7. 7 Ephesians 1:19; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 3:2; Ephesians 3:20; Hebrews 13:21
  8. 8 1 Corinthians 15:9; Colossians 1:27; 1 Timothy 1:13; Ephesians 3:16; Ephesians 2:7
  9. 9 Colossians 1:26; Matthew 13:35; 2 Timothy 1:9; Colossians 3:3; Hebrews 3:3–4
  10. 10 1 Peter 1:12; Ephesians 6:12; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Romans 11:33; Ephesians 1:3
  11. 11 2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 1:4; Romans 9:11; Isaiah 46:10–11
  12. 12 Ephesians 2:18; Romans 5:2; Hebrews 4:14–16; Hebrews 10:19–22; John 14:6
  13. 13 2 Thessalonians 3:13; Colossians 1:24; Isaiah 40:30–31; 2 Corinthians 1:6; Philippians 1:12–14
  14. 14 Ephesians 1:16–19; Psalm 95:6; Philippians 2:10; Acts 21:5; Ephesians 1:3
  15. 15 Ephesians 1:10; Revelation 5:8–14; Ephesians 1:21; Revelation 2:17; Jeremiah 33:16
  16. 16 Colossians 1:11; Philippians 4:13; Isaiah 40:29–31; Isaiah 41:10; Zechariah 10:12
  17. 17 Colossians 2:7; John 14:23; 1 John 4:16; Galatians 2:20; Romans 5:5
  18. 18 Psalm 103:11–12; Job 11:7–9; Ephesians 1:18–23; John 15:13; Ephesians 3:19
  19. 19 Ephesians 1:23; Colossians 2:9–10; Colossians 1:10; 1 John 4:9–14; 2 Corinthians 5:14
  20. 20 2 Corinthians 9:8; Romans 4:21; Jeremiah 32:27; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Jude 24
  21. 21 Jude 25; Romans 11:36; 2 Peter 3:18; Revelation 7:12–17; 1 Peter 5:11

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Quotes verse 3:20 Augustine of Hippo, Confessions (Book VIII, Chapter XI)

    We relate how it came to pass,--she leapeth for joy, and triumpheth, and blesseth Thee, who art "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think; for she perceived Thee to have given her more for me than she used to ask by her pitiful and most doleful groanings.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)

  2. Quotes verse 3:14 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture VII)

    … we also say like the Apostle, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all consolation: and, We bow our knees unto the Father from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named: glorifying Him with the Only-begotten: for he that denieth the Father, denieth the Son …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)

  3. Quotes verse 3:14–19 Augustine of Hippo, Confessions (Book XIII, Chapters VI–XI)

    … Ghost, which is given unto us;" and where, "concerning spiritual gifts," he teacheth and showeth unto us a more excellent way of charity; and where he bows his knees unto Thee for us, that we may know the super-eminent knowledge of the love of Christ. And, therefore, from the beginning was He super-eminently "borne above the waters." To whom shall …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)

  4. Quotes verse 3:14–16 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture XVII)

    … says, For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you; and again Paul saith, For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, and the rest;...that He would grant you to be strengthened by His Spirit.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)

  5. Quotes verse 3:17 Augustine of Hippo, On Christian Doctrine (Book II, Chapters 40–42)

    Now this is a meek and lowly herb, and yet nothing is stronger and more penetrating than its roots; that being rooted and grounded in love, we may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, --that is, to comprehend the cross of our Lord, the breadth of which is indicated …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)