Ephesians 3:1

Paul's Relationship to the Divine Mystery

3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus ¹  for the sake of you Gentiles –

Ephesians 3:6

3:6 namely, that through the gospel ²  the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members ³  of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:11

New Life Corporately

2:11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh – who are called “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision” that is performed on the body ⁴  by human hands –

Ephesians 3:8

3:8 To me – less than the least of all the saints ⁵  – this grace was given, ⁶  to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ

Ephesians 4:17

Live in Holiness

4:17 So I say this, and insist ⁷  in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility ⁸  of their thinking. ⁹ 

¹ tc Several early and important witnesses, chiefly of the Western text (א* D* F G [365]), lack ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou, “Jesus”) here, while most Alexandrian and Byzantine mss (Ì⁴⁶ א¹ A B [C] D¹ Ψ 33 1739 [1881] Ï lat sy bo) have the word. However, because of the Western text’s proclivities to add or delete to the text, seemingly at whim, serious doubts should be attached to the shorter reading. It is strengthened, however, by א’s support. Nevertheless, since both א and D were corrected with the addition of ᾿Ιησοῦ, their testimony might be questioned. Further, in uncial script the nomina sacra here could have led to missing a word by way of homoioteleuton (cMuiMu). At the same time, in light of the rarity of scribal omission of nomina sacra (see TCGNT 582, n. 1), a decision for inclusion of the word here must be tentative. NA²⁷ rightly places ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets.

² sn The phrase through the gospel is placed last in the sentence in Greek for emphasis. It has been moved forward for clarity.

³ tn Grk “and fellow members.”

³ tn Grk “in the flesh.”

⁴ sn In Pauline writings saints means any true believer. Thus for Paul to view himself as less than the least of all the saints is to view himself as the most unworthy object of Christ’s redemption.

⁵ sn The parallel phrases to proclaim and to enlighten which follow indicate why God’s grace was manifested to Paul. Grace was not something just to be received, but to be shared with others (cf. Acts 13:47).

⁵ tn On the translation of μαρτύρομαι (marturomai) as “insist” see BDAG 619 s.v. 2.

⁶ tn On the translation of ματαιότης (mataioth") as “futility” see BDAG 621 s.v.

⁷ tn Or “thoughts,” “mind.”