Ephesians 3:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

NIV: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

NASB: that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self,

CSB: I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit,

NLT: I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

KJV: That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

NKJV: that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

Paul continues the prayer he began in verse 14 with a focus on the glory of God. He uses similar wording in Romans 9:23 regarding "the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy." God's glory is mentioned throughout Ephesians to repeatedly focus the reader back to Him (Ephesians 1:12, 14, 17; 3:21). Paul then asks God for deep, spiritual strength from God, through the Holy Spirit, for these Christians in Ephesus. Paul's emphasis on the Trinity in this section is again evident. He bows before the Father (Ephesians 3:14), mentions the Spirit here, and will mention Christ in verse 17 as part of the same prayer.

The "inner being" is the spiritual part of a person. Paul mentions his "inner being" in Romans 7:22, saying he delights in the law of God in his inner being, or his mind (Romans 7:23). Paul desires for the Holy Spirit to work in the Ephesians' spiritual lives in great power, something the early believers experienced in Acts. Paul likewise experienced this throughout his ministry. This power did not come from mere emotions, but rather through humble prayer.

Ephesians 3:14–21 is a prayer from Paul on behalf of the Christians of Ephesus. This prayer begins a transition from the first half of his letter, focused on doctrinal ideas, to the second half, where those ideas are put into practice. The natural theme for this transition is an appeal for spiritual strength from God. In particular, Paul asks God to help the Ephesians exhibit a faith which goes beyond knowledge (doctrine) into action (application).

Ephesians chapter 3 wraps up Paul's doctrinal teaching and introduces its practical application. Paul refers to both his imprisonment and to his spiritual calling. This calling includes proclaiming the fact that all people, Jew and Gentile, can now be part of the same spiritual family. Paul also prays for the spiritual strength of the Ephesian church, as he prepares to explain how knowledge about Christ should translate into living for Christ.

The first three chapters of Ephesians are doctrinal, the last three are practical. Chapter 3 begins the transition from a Christian understanding of salvation, grace, and the power of Christ into a practical guide for Christian living. To make the transition, in this chapter, Paul refers to his own calling by God and prays for the spiritual strength of the Ephesian church. The early verses of chapter 4 will flow out of Paul's references to his own imprisonment.

Ephesians follows a theme common in Paul's writings: connecting theory with practice. In this book, however, he goes into greater depth before making the transition. As a letter meant to be read by more than just the believers at Ephesus, this is an important look at how Christian belief should translate into Christian action. The first three chapters lay out spiritual ideas, the last three chapters show how these truths should be applied in the life of a mature believer. Paul focuses heavily on love, the unity of the Christian church, and the incredible value of our salvation through Christ.

Accessed 12/3/2024 12:21:28 PM