Ephesians 3:14-4:3
New English Translation
Prayer for Strengthened Love
14 For this reason[a] I kneel[b] before the Father,[c] 15 from[d] whom every family[e] in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that[f] according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, 17 that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, 18 you will be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,[g] 19 and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you will be filled up to[h] all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who by the power that is working within us[i] is able to do far beyond[j] all that we ask or think, 21 to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Live in Unity
4 I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord,[k] urge you to live[l] worthily of the calling with which you have been called,[m] 2 with all humility and gentleness,[n] with patience, putting up with[o] one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 3:14 sn For this reason resumes the point begun in v. 1, after a long parenthesis.
- Ephesians 3:14 tn Grk “I bend my knees.”
- Ephesians 3:14 tc Most Western and Byzantine witnesses, along with a few others (א2 D F G Ψ 0278 1505 1881 2464 M lat sy), have “of our Lord Jesus Christ” after “Father,” but such an edifying phrase cannot explain the rise of the reading that lacks it, especially when the shorter reading is attested by early and significant witnesses such as P46 א* A B C P 6 33 81 365 1175 1739 co Or Hier.
- Ephesians 3:15 tn Or “by.”
- Ephesians 3:15 tn Or “the whole family.”
- Ephesians 3:16 tn Grk “that.” In Greek v. 16 is a subordinate clause to vv. 14-15.
- Ephesians 3:18 sn The object of these dimensions is not stated in the text. Interpreters have suggested a variety of referents for this unstated object, including the cross of Christ, the heavenly Jerusalem (which is then sometimes linked to the Church), God’s power, the fullness of salvation given in Christ, the Wisdom of God, and the love of Christ. Of these interpretations, the last two are the most plausible. Associations from Wisdom literature favor the Wisdom of God, but the immediate context favors the love of Christ. For detailed discussion of these interpretive options, see A. T. Lincoln, Ephesians (WBC), 207-13, who ultimately favors the love of Christ.
- Ephesians 3:19 tn Or “with.”
- Ephesians 3:20 sn On the power that is working within us see 1:19-20.
- Ephesians 3:20 tn Or “infinitely beyond,” “far more abundantly than.”
- Ephesians 4:1 tn Grk “prisoner in the Lord.”
- Ephesians 4:1 tn Grk “walk.” The verb “walk” in the NT letters refers to the conduct of one’s life, not to physical walking.
- Ephesians 4:1 sn With which you have been called. The calling refers to the Holy Spirit’s prompting that caused them to believe. The author is thus urging his readers to live a life that conforms to their saved status before God.
- Ephesians 4:2 tn Or “meekness.” The word is often used in Hellenistic Greek of the merciful execution of justice on behalf of those who have no voice by those who are in a position of authority (Matt 11:29; 21:5).
- Ephesians 4:2 tn Or “bearing with” (NRSV, NIV); or “forbearing” (KJV, ASV).
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