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, 11 according to the purpose of the ages, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access in confidence by the faith of him. 13 Wherefore I beseech you not to faint through my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 of whom every family in the heavens and on earth is named, 16 in order that he may give you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 that the Christ may dwell, through faith, in your hearts, being rooted and founded in love, 18 in order that ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height; 19 and to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge; that ye may be filled even to all the fulness of God. 20 But to him that is able to do far exceedingly above all which we ask or think, according to the power which works in us, 21 to him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages. Amen). | |