For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me on your account:
3 That by revelation he made known to me the mystery; as I wrote before in few words, [1]
4 By which, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be joint-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effectual working of his power.
8 To me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
10 To the intent that now to the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by 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 with confidence by the faith of him.
13 Therefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 To him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
CHAP. 4.
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation by which ye are called, [2]
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Therefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. [3]
9 Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) [4]
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: [5] [6]
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ: [7]
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love.
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: [8]
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If indeed ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the
