Ephesians 3:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—

NIV: For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles--

NASB: For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

CSB: For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles--

NLT: When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . .

KJV: For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

NKJV: For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—

Chapter 3 begins by speaking of the mystery of Christ revealed (Ephesians 3:1–13). The second part of this chapter is Paul's prayer for spiritual strength, which closes the first half of his letter (Ephesians 3:14–21). He begins this passage by reminding his readers of his status as an imprisoned man. He was under house arrest in Rome at this time. In addition, it was on behalf of his ministry to Gentiles that he had been arrested in the first place. This occurred in Jerusalem when Paul was arrested by Jews who thought he had taken a Gentile into an inappropriate area of the temple (Acts 21:7—22:29).

From that moment forward, Paul would spend a total of four to five years in custody, between jail and transit to house arrest in Rome. His life was marked by suffering and persecution, making him a "prisoner for Christ Jesus." Yet even while chained, Paul used his time to communicate the gospel and write letters to churches, such as this letter that communicated the mystery of Christ.

Ephesians 3:1–13 explains Paul's ministry in the context of God's revealed mystery. Paul was called as a minister to the Gentiles, though he preached to anyone who would listen. Prior to this calling, however, he had persecuted the church as an unbeliever. Only God's divine grace saved Paul, and only God's divine grace causes the family of the church to grow. Even angels are learning more about the mysteries of God as they observe Him working through His church.

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 5/4/2024 6:21:34 PM