1 For this G5127 cause G5484 I G1473 Paul, G3972 the prisoner G1198 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 for G5228 you G5216 Gentiles, G1484
Who G3739 now G3568 rejoice G5463 in G1722 my G3450 sufferings G3804 for G5228 you, G5216 and G2532 fill up G466 that which is behind G5303 of the afflictions G2347 of Christ G5547 in G1722 my G3450 flesh G4561 for G5228 his G846 body's G4983 sake, G5228 which is G3603 the church: G1577
Be G1870 not G3361 thou G1870 therefore G3767 ashamed G1870 of the testimony G3142 of our G2257 Lord, G2962 nor G3366 of me G1691 his G846 prisoner: G1198 but G235 be thou partaker of the afflictions G4777 of the gospel G2098 according to G2596 the power G1411 of God; G2316
So that G5620 my G3450 bonds G1199 in G1722 Christ G5547 are G1096 manifest G5318 in G1722 all G3650 the palace, G4232 and G2532 in all G3956 other G3062 places; And G2532 many G4119 of the brethren G80 in G1722 the Lord, G2962 waxing confident G3982 by my G3450 bonds, G1199 are much more G4056 bold G5111 to speak G2980 the word G3056 without fear. G870 Some G5100 indeed G3303 preach G2784 Christ G5547 even G2532 of G1223 envy G5355 and G2532 strife; G2054 and G1161 some G5100 also G2532 of G1223 good will: G2107 The one G3303 preach G2605 Christ G5547 of G1537 contention, G2052 not G3756 sincerely, G55 supposing G3633 to add G2018 affliction G2347 to my G3450 bonds: G1199
Even as G2531 it is G2076 meet G1342 for me G1698 to think G5426 this G5124 of G5228 you G5216 all, G3956 because G1223 I have G2192 you G5209 in G1722 my G3165 heart; G2588 inasmuch as both G5037 in G1722 my G3450 bonds, G1199 and G2532 in the defence G627 and G2532 confirmation G951 of the gospel, G2098 ye G5209 all G3956 are G5607 partakers G4791 of my G3450 grace. G5485
For G5228 which G3739 I am an ambassador G4243 in G1722 bonds: G254 that G2443 therein G1722 G846 I may speak boldly, G3955 as G5613 I G3165 ought G1163 to speak. G2980
So G3767 G3303 he took G3880 him, G846 and brought G71 him to G4314 the chief captain, G5506 and G2532 said, G5346 Paul G3972 the prisoner G1198 called G4341 me G3165 unto him, and prayed me G2065 to bring G71 this G5126 young man G3494 unto G4314 thee, G4571 who hath G2192 something G5100 to say G2980 unto thee. G4671
And G1161 Paul G3972 said, G2036 I would G302 G2172 to God, G2316 that not G3756 only G3440 thou, G4571 but G235 also G2532 all G3956 that hear G191 me G3450 this day, G4594 were G1096 both G2532 almost, G1722 G3641 and G2532 altogether G1722 G4183 such G5108 as G3697 G2504 I am, G1510 except G3924 these G5130 bonds. G1199
Paul, G3972 a prisoner G1198 of Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 and G2532 Timothy G5095 our brother, G80 unto Philemon G5371 our G2257 dearly beloved, G27 and G2532 fellowlabourer, G4904
Wherein G1722 G3739 I suffer trouble, G2553 as G5613 an evil doer, G2557 even unto G3360 bonds; G1199 but G235 the word G3056 of God G2316 is G1210 not G3756 bound. G1210 Therefore G1223 G5124 I endure G5278 all things G3956 for G1588 the elect's G1588 sakes, G1223 that G2443 they G846 may G5177 also G2532 obtain G5177 the salvation G4991 which G3588 is in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 with G3326 eternal G166 glory. G1391
Who both G2532 killed G615 the Lord G2962 Jesus, G2424 and G2532 their own G2398 prophets, G4396 and G2532 have persecuted G1559 us; G2248 and G2532 they please G700 not G3361 God, G2316 and G2532 are contrary G1727 to all G3956 men: G444 Forbidding G2967 us G2248 to speak G2980 to the Gentiles G1484 that G2443 they might be saved, G4982 to G1519 fill up G378 their G846 sins G266 alway: G3842 for G1161 the wrath G3709 is come G5348 upon G1909 them G846 to G1519 the uttermost. G5056
And G1161 it came to pass, G1096 that after G3326 three G5140 days G2250 Paul G3972 called G4779 the chief G4413 G5607 of the Jews G2453 together: G4779 and G1161 when they G846 were come together, G4905 he said G3004 unto G4314 them, G846 Men G435 and brethren, G80 though I G1473 have committed G4160 nothing G3762 against G1727 the people, G2992 or G2228 customs G1485 of our fathers, G3971 yet was I delivered G3860 prisoner G1198 from G1537 Jerusalem G2414 into G1519 the hands G5495 of the Romans. G4514 Who, G3748 when they had examined G350 me, G3165 would G1014 have let me go, G630 because G1223 there was G5225 no G3367 cause G156 of death G2288 in G1722 me. G1698 But G1161 when the Jews G2453 spake against G483 it, I was constrained G315 to appeal G1941 unto Caesar; G2541 not G3756 that G5613 I had G2192 ought G5100 to accuse G2723 my G3450 nation G1484 of. G2723 For G1223 this G5026 cause G156 therefore G3767 have I called G3870 for you, G5209 to see G1492 you, and G2532 to speak with G4354 you: because that G1752 for G1063 the hope G1680 of Israel G2474 I am bound with G4029 this G5026 chain. G254
Then G5119 the chief captain G5506 came near, G1448 and took G1949 him, G846 and G2532 commanded G2753 him to be bound with G1210 two G1417 chains; G254 and G2532 demanded G4441 who G5101 he was, G302 G1498 and G2532 what G5101 he had G2076 done. G4160
But G1161 before G4253 all G537 these, G5130 they shall lay G1911 their G846 hands G5495 on G1909 you, G5209 and G2532 persecute G1377 you, delivering G3860 you up G1519 to the synagogues, G4864 and G2532 into prisons, G5438 being brought G71 before G1909 kings G935 and G2532 rulers G2232 for G1752 my G3450 name's G3686 sake. G1752
Now G1161 I G1473 Paul G3972 myself G846 beseech G3870 you G5209 by G1223 the meekness G4236 and G2532 gentleness G1932 of Christ, G5547 who G3739 in G2596 presence G4383 am base G3303 G5011 among G1722 you, G5213 but G1161 being absent G548 am bold G2292 toward G1519 you: G5209
Fear G5399 none G3367 of those things which G3739 thou shalt G3195 suffer: G3958 behold, G2400 the devil G1228 shall G3195 cast G906 some of G1537 you G5216 into G1519 prison, G5438 that G2443 ye may be tried; G3985 and G2532 ye shall have G2192 tribulation G2347 ten G1176 days: G2250 be thou G1096 faithful G4103 unto G891 death, G2288 and G2532 I will give G1325 thee G4671 a crown G4735 of life. G2222
The Lord G2962 give G1325 mercy G1656 unto the house G3624 of Onesiphorus; G3683 for G3754 he G404 oft G4178 refreshed G404 me, G3165 and G2532 was G1870 not G3756 ashamed G1870 of my G3450 chain: G254
Wherefore G1352 I desire G154 that ye faint G1573 not G3361 at G1722 my G3450 tribulations G2347 for G5228 you, G5216 which G3748 is G2076 your G5216 glory. G1391
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ephesians 3
Commentary on Ephesians 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
This chapter consists of two parts.
We may observe it to have been very much the practice of this apostle to intermix, with his instructions and counsels, intercessions and prayers to God for those to whom he wrote, as knowing that all his instructions and teachings would be useless and vain, except God did co-operate with them, and render them effectual. This is an example that all the ministers of Christ should copy after, praying earnestly that the efficacious operations of the divine Spirit may attend their ministrations, and crown them with success.
Eph 3:1-13
Here we have the account which Paul gives the Ephesians concerning himself, as he was appointed by God the apostle of the Gentiles.
Eph 3:14-21
We now come to the second part of this chapter, which contains Paul's devout and affectionate prayer to God for his beloved Ephesians.-For this cause. This may be referred either to the immediately foregoing verse, That you faint not, etc., or, rather, the apostle is here resuming what he began at the first verse, from which he digressed in those which are interposed. Observe,
The apostle closes the chapter with a doxology, v. 20, 21. It is proper to conclude our prayers with praises. Our blessed Saviour has taught us to do so. Take notice how he describes God, and how he ascribes glory to him. He describes him as a God that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. There is an inexhaustible fulness of grace and mercy in God, which the prayers of all the saints can never draw dry. Whatever we may ask, or think to ask, still God is still able to do more, abundantly more, exceedingly abundantly more. Open thy mouth ever so wide, still he hath wherewithal to fill it. Note, In our applications to God we should encourage our faith by a consideration of his all-sufficiency and almighty power. According to the power which worketh in us. As if he had said, We have already had a proof of this power of God, in what he hath wrought in us and done for us, having quickened us by his grace, and converted us to himself. The power that still worketh for the saints is according to that power that hath wrought in them. Wherever God gives of his fulness he gives to experience his power. Having thus described God, he ascribes glory to him. When we come to ask for grace from God, we ought to give glory to God. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus. In ascribing glory to God, we ascribe all excellences and perfections to him, glory being the effulgency and result of them all. Observe, The seat of God's praises is in the church. That little rent of praise which God receives from this world is from the church, a sacred society constituted for the glory of God, every particular member of which, both Jew and Gentile, concurs in this work of praising God. The Mediator of these praises is Jesus Christ. All God's gifts come from him to us through the hand of Christ; and all our praises pass from us to him through the same hand. And God should and will be praised thus throughout all ages, world without end; for he will ever have a church to praise him, and he will ever have his tribute of praise from his church. Amen. So be it; and so it will certainly be.