Ephesians 3:7-4:6
- I became a servant of this gospel according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the exercise of his power.
- To me—less than the least of all the saints—this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ
- and to enlighten everyone about God’s secret plan—a secret that has been hidden for ages in God who has created all things.
- The purpose of this enlightenment is that through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms.
- This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
- in whom we have boldness and confident access to God because of Christ’s faithfulness.
- For this reason I ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
- For this reason I kneel before the Father,
- from whom every family in heaven and on the earth is named.
- I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,
- that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love,
- you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
- and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
- Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think,
- to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
- I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called,
- with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
- making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
- There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling,
- one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
- one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
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