Paul’s Relationship to the Divine Mystery

3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus1 for the sake of you Gentiles—3:2 if indeed2 you have heard of the stewardship3 of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3:3 that4 by revelation the divine secret5 was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly.6 3:4 When reading this,7 you will be able to8 understand my insight into this secret9 of Christ. 3:5 Now this secret10 was not disclosed to people11 in former12 generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by13 the Spirit, 3:6 namely, that through the gospel14 the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members15 of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel16 according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by17 the exercise of his power.18 3:8 To me—less than the least of all the saints19—this grace was given,20 to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ 3:9 and to enlighten21 everyone about God’s secret plan22—a secret that has been hidden for ages23 in God24 who has created all things. 3:10 The purpose of this enlightenment is that25 through the church the multifaceted wisdom26 of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms. 3:11 This was according to27 the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 3:12 in whom we have boldness and confident access28 to God29 because of30 Christ’s31 faithfulness.32 3:13 For this reason I ask you33 not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you,34 which35 is your glory.36

Prayer for Strengthened Love

3:14 For this reason37 I kneel38 before the Father,39 3:15 from40 whom every family41 in heaven and on the earth is named. 3:16 I pray that42 according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, 3:18 you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,43 3:19 and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to44 all the fullness of God.

3:20 Now to him who by the power that is working within us45 is able to do far beyond46 all that we ask or think, 3:21 to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Live in Unity

4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord,1 urge you to live2 worthily of the calling with which you have been called,3 4:2 with all humility and gentleness,4 with patience, bearing with5 one another in love, 4:3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling, 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 4:8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he captured6 captives; he gave gifts to men.”7 4:9 Now what is the meaning of “he ascended,” except that he also descended8 to the lower regions,9 namely, the earth?10 4:10 He, the very one11 who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things. 4:11 It was he12 who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,13 4:12 to equip14 the saints for the work of ministry, that is,15 to build up the body of Christ, 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God—a mature person, attaining to16 the measure of Christ’s full stature.17 4:14 So18 we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.19 4:15 But practicing the truth in love,20 we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. 4:16 From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together21 through every supporting ligament.22 As each one does its part, the body grows in love.

Live in Holiness

4:17 So I say this, and insist23 in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility24 of their thinking.25 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding,26 being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 4:19 Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.27 4:20 But you did not learn about Christ like this, 4:21 if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus. 4:22 You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside28 the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, 4:23 to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 4:24 and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image29—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.30

4:25 Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor,31 for we are members of one another. 4:26 Be angry and do not sin;32 do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger.33 4:27 Do not give the devil an opportunity. 4:28 The one who steals must steal no longer; rather he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need. 4:29 You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need,34 that it may give grace to those who hear. 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 4:31 You must put away every kind of bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and evil, slanderous talk. 4:32 Instead,35 be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.36

Live in Love

5:1 Therefore, be1 imitators of God as dearly loved children 5:2 and live2 in love, just as Christ also loved us3 and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering4 to God. 5:3 But5 among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind,6 or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints.7 5:4 Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting—all of which are out of character—but rather thanksgiving. 5:5 For you can be confident of this one thing:8 that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.