1 Om hierdie rede is ek, Paulus, die gevangene van Christus Jesus vir julle wat heidene is --
2 as julle ten minste gehoor het van die bediening van die genade van God wat aan my verleen is vir julle,
3 dat Hy aan my deur 'n openbaring bekend gemaak het die verborgenheid, soos ek tevore kortliks geskryf het;
4 waardeur julle, as julle dit lees, my insig in die verborgenheid van Christus kan verstaan,
5 wat in ander tye aan die mensekinders nie bekend gemaak is nie soos dit nou aan sy heilige apostels en profete geopenbaar is deur die Gees, naamlik
6 dat die heidene mede-erfgename is en medelede van die liggaam en mededeelgenote aan sy belofte in Christus deur die evangelie
7 waarvan ek 'n dienaar geword het, volgens die gawe van die genade van God wat aan my gegee is ooreenkomstig die werking van sy krag.
8 Aan my, die geringste van al die heiliges, is hierdie genade gegee om onder die heidene die evangelie van die onnaspeurlike rykdom van Christus te verkondig,
9 en vir almal aan die lig te bring wat die gemeenskap is van die verborgenheid wat van alle eeue af verborge was in God wat alles geskape het deur Jesus Christus,
10 sodat nou deur die gemeente aan die owerhede en magte in die hemele die menigvuldige wysheid van God bekend gemaak kan word,
11 volgens die ewige voorneme wat Hy opgevat het in Christus Jesus, onse Here,
12 in wie ons die vrymoedigheid en die toegang het met vertroue deur die geloof in Hom.
13 Daarom bid ek dat julle nie moedeloos word by my verdrukkinge ter wille van julle nie. Dit is julle eer.
14 Om hierdie rede buig ek my knieë voor die Vader van onse Here Jesus Christus,
15 van wie elke geslag in die hemele en op die aarde sy naam ontvang,
16 dat Hy aan julle mag gee na die rykdom van sy heerlikheid om met krag versterk te word deur sy Gees in die innerlike mens,
17 sodat Christus deur die geloof in julle harte kan woon, julle wat in die liefde gewortel en gegrond is,
18 en julle in staat kan wees om saam met al die heiliges ten volle te begryp wat die breedte en lengte en diepte en hoogte is,
19 en die liefde van Christus te ken wat die kennis oortref, sodat julle vervul kan word tot al die volheid van God.
20 En aan Hom wat mag het om te doen ver bo alles wat ons bid of dink, volgens die krag wat in ons werk,
21 aan Hom die heerlikheid in die gemeente in Christus Jesus deur alle geslagte tot in ewigheid! Amen.
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles,— 2 if so be that ye have heard of the dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to you-ward; 3 how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, 4 whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; 5 which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to wit, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things; 10 to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him. 13 Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which are your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.