| New International Version | New Living Translation |
| 1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- | 1When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . . |
| 2Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, | 2assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. |
| 3that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. | 3As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. |
| 4In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, | 4As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. |
| 5which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. | 5God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. |
| 6This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. | 6And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. |
| 7I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. | 7By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. |
| 8Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, | 8Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. |
| 9and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. | 9I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. |
| 10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, | 10God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. |
| 11according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. | 11This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. |
| 12In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. | 12Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. |
| 13I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. | 13So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored. Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth |
| 14For this reason I kneel before the Father, | 14When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, |
| 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. | 15the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. |
| 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, | 16I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. |
| 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, | 17Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. |
| 18may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, | 18And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. |
| 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. | 19May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. |
| 20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, | 20Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. |
| 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. | 21Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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