Paul's Ministry to the Gentiles
3 1 When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . .
2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles.
3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me.
4 As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ.
5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.
6 And this is God's plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.
7 By God's grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. NLT
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Paul's Ministry to the Gentiles
3 1 This is why I, Paul, am in jail for Christ, having taken up the cause of you outsiders, so-called.
2 I take it that you're familiar with the part I was given in God's plan for including everybody.
3 I got the inside story on this from God himself, as I just wrote you in brief.
4 As you read over what I have written to you, you'll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery of Christ.
5 None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our time has it been made clear by God's Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this new order.
6 The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board.
7 This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. The Message
(the following is from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary -- www.christianity.com)
"Commentary on Ephesians 3:1-7
For having preached the doctrine of truth, the apostle was a prisoner, but a prisoner of Jesus Christ; the object of special protection and care, while thus suffering for him. All the gracious offers of the gospel, and the joyful tidings it contains, come from the rich grace of God; it is the great means by which the Spirit works grace in the souls of men. The mystery, is that secret, hidden purpose of salvation through Christ. This was not so fully and clearly shown in the ages before Christ, as unto the prophets of the New Testament. This was the great truth made known to the apostle, that God would call the Gentiles to salvation by faith in Christ. An effectual working of Divine power attends the gifts of Divine grace. As God appointed Paul to the office, so he qualified him for it."
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