Ephesians 3:8

Ephesians 3:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
• New International Version (NIV)Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,
• English Standard Version (ESV)To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
• New King James Version (NKJV)To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Context of Ephesians 3:8

6This 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. 7I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power. 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, 9and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

Ephesians 3:8 word by word

ἐμοὶ τῷ ἐλαχιστοτέρῳ πάντων ἁγίων ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις αὕτη, τοῖς ἔθνεσιν εὐαγγελίσασθαι τὸ ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος τοῦ ΧριστοῦRead the interlinear

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• less than the leastἐλαχιστότεροςelachistoteros · leastG1647
• of allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• saintsἅγιοςhagios · holy: saintG40
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
• was givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• to preachεὐαγγελίζομαιeuaggelizō · to speak good newsG2097
• Gentilesἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• unsearchableἀνεξιχνίαστοςanexichniastos · unsearchableG421
• richesπλοῦτοςploutos · richesG4149
• of ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for Ephesians 3:8

• Proverbs 30:2Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
• Romans 12:10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
• 1 Corinthians 15:9For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
• Philippians 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
• 1 Timothy 1:13I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
• 1 Peter 5:5Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
• 1 Chronicles 17:16Then King David went in, sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
• 1 Chronicles 29:14But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You.
• Acts 5:41The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
• Romans 15:15However, I have written you a bold reminder on some points, because of the grace God has given me
• Ephesians 3:2Surely you have heard about the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you,
• Galatians 1:16to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood,
• Galatians 2:8For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles.
• 1 Timothy 2:7For this reason I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a faithful and true teacher of the Gentiles. I am telling the truth; I am not lying about anything.
• 2 Timothy 1:11to which I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.
• Ephesians 3:16I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,

Commentaries on Ephesians 3:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Less than the least of all saints - ͅ ̔ . As the design of the apostle was to magnify the grace of Christ in the salvation of the world, he uses every precaution to prevent the eyes of the people from being turned to any thing but Christ crucified; and although he was obliged to speak of himself as the particular instrument which God had chosen to bring the Gentile world to the knowledge of the truth, yet he does it in such a manner as to show that the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints - This is one of the class of expressions unique to Paul. The ordinary terms of language do not express the idea which he wishes to convey, and a word is therefore coined to convey an idea more emphatically; compare the notes at 2 Corinthians 4:17. The word used here - ̓́ elachistoteros- does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It is a comparative made from the superlative. Similar expressions are…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-12Verses 8-12 Those whom God advances to honourable employments, he makes low in their own eyes; and where God gives grace to be humble, there he gives all other needful grace. How highly he speaks of Jesus Christ; the unsearchable riches of Christ! Though many are not enriched with these riches; yet how great a favour to have them preached among us, and to have an offer of them! And if we are not enriched with them it is our own fault. The first creation…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Paul thought he was the least deserving of all God's people because he once strongly persecuted believers (see 1 Corinthians 15:9; 1 Timothy 1:12–16). unsearchable riches of Christ: See Ephesians 1:3–14.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. am--Not merely was I in times past, but I still am the least worthy of so high an office (compare 1Ti 1:15, end). least of all saints--not merely "of all apostles" (1Co 15:9, 10). is--Greek, "has been given." among--omitted in the oldest manuscripts Translate, "to announce to the Gentiles the glad tidings of the unsearchable (Job 5:9) riches," namely, of Christ's grace (Ep 1:7; 2:7). Ro 11:33, "unsearchable" as a mine inexhaustible, whose treasures can…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 3:8

• Gentiles
• Gospel
• Humility
• Jesus Continued
• Minister, Christian
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Boldness
• Effectual
• Grace
• Ground
• Inner
• Mystery
• Purpose
• Revelation

Commentaries on Ephesians 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings