For this reason, I Paul, a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—
surely you have heard of the administration of the grace of God that was given to me for you,
and that the sacred secret was made known to me by revelation, as I have already written about briefly.
So when you read this, you will be able to understand my insight into the sacred secret of Christ,
which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the spirit,
that in union with Christ Jesus and through the good news, the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise.
I became a servant of this good news by the gift of the grace of God that was given to me by the working of his power.
To me, who am less than the least of all the holy ones, this grace was given so that I could proclaim the good news to the Gentiles about the unsearchable riches of Christ,
and to bring to light for everyone what is the administration of the sacred secret, which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things.
He did this so that through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God would now be made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
This was consistent with his purpose throughout the ages that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
in whom we have boldness and access to God with confidence through our trust in him.
Therefore I ask you not to be discouraged at my hardships on your behalf, which are your glory.
Prayer for Spiritual Strength
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that according to the riches of his glory he would grant you to be strengthened with power in the inner self by means of his spirit
so that Christ would live in your hearts through trust; and that you, having been rooted and grounded in love,
are fully able to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the width and length and height and depth,
and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you are filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work in us,
to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.