Jesus

which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.

Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.

... for this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love,

of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,

to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”

What does “He ascended” mean, except that He also descended to the lower parts of the earth?

He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.

And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,

until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

But this is not the way you came to know Christ.

Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—