Here are 2 translations for the same portion of Paul's letter. I like specific words and phrases in each, such as NIV v.17 "glorious Father" and The Message v.23 "the world is peripheral to the church." A good father is loving, protective, instructional and a provider to his children. The Message misses this nuance of word choice by leaving out this word -- Father. In defense of The Message, the reminder of where the church's place is in comparison to the world is most needed in modern times, just as it was in Paul's time. Read both translations and see what is revealed to you.
Prayer for Knowledge and Understanding
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people,
16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[1] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,
19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength
20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. NIV
1. or a spirit of wisdom
Prayer for Knowledge and Understanding
15 That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the Christians,
16 I couldn't stop thanking God for you - every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks.
17 But I do more than thank. I ask - ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory - to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally,
18 your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for Christians,
19 oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him - endless energy, boundless strength!
20 All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven,
21 in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever.
22 He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church.
23 The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence. The Message
(the following is from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary -- www.christianity.com)
"Commentary on Ephesians 1:15-23
God has laid up spiritual blessings for us in his Son the Lord Jesus; but requires us to draw them out and fetch them in by prayer. Even the best Christians need to be prayed for: and while we hear of the welfare of Christian friends, we should pray for them. Even true believers greatly want heavenly wisdom.
Are not the best of us unwilling to come under God's yoke, though there is no other way to find rest for the soul?
Do we not for a little pleasure often part with our peace?
And if we dispute less, and prayed more with and for each other, we should daily see more and more what is the hope of our calling, and the riches of the Divine glory in this inheritance.
It is desirable to feel the mighty power of Divine grace, beginning and carrying on the work of faith in our souls. But it is difficult to bring a soul to believe fully in Christ, and to venture its all, and the hope of eternal life, upon his righteousness. Nothing less than Almighty power will work this in us. Here is signified that it is Christ the Saviour, who supplies all the necessities of those who trust in him, and gives them all blessings in the richest abundance. And by being partakers of Christ himself, we come to be filled with the fulness of grace and glory in him. How then do those forget themselves who seek for righteousness out of him! This teaches us to come to Christ. And did we know what we are called to, and what we might find in him, surely we should come and be suitors to him.
When feeling our weakness and the power of our enemies, we most perceive the greatness of that mighty power which effects the conversion of the believer, and is engaged to perfect his salvation. Surely this will constrain us by love to live to our Redeemer's glory."
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