Ephesians 3:10

Ephesians 3:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
• New International Version (NIV)His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
• English Standard Version (ESV)so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
• New King James Version (NKJV)to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

Context of Ephesians 3:10

8I am the least important of all God's people. But God has given this special work to me because he is so kind. He has sent me to tell his good news to the Gentiles. Then they know about the many valuable things that Christ has prepared for us. 9I help everyone to know how God makes his purpose happen. God himself created all things, and he has hidden this secret during past times. But now God wants the people of his church to show everyone how wise he is in every way. He wants the spiritual rulers and everything that has authority in the heavens to know this. 11This had always been God's purpose, from the beginning of all things. And it was our Lord Christ Jesus who made it happen. 12Because we are united with Christ, we can come near to God. We are not afraid to do that. We can be sure that God will accept us, because we trust in Christ.

Ephesians 3:10 word by word

ἵνα γνωρισθῇ νῦν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις διὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ θεοῦRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• To the intent thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• unto the principalitiesἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• powersἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• heavenlyἐπουράνιοςepouranios · heavenlyG2032
• might be knownγνωρίζωgnōrizō · to make knownG1107
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• the manifoldπολυποίκιλοςpolupoikilos · manifoldG4182
• wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for Ephesians 3:10

• Exodus 25:17Use pure gold to make a lid for the box. Make the lid 1 metre long and 75 centimetres wide.
• Psalms 103:20You who are the Lord's angels, you strong angels who do what he tells you to do, praise the Lord!
• Psalms 148:1Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the sky above! Praise him high in the heavens.
• Isaiah 6:2Above him there were seraphs. Each one had six wings. Two wings covered the seraphs' faces. Two wings covered their feet. With the other two wings they were flying.
• Ezekiel 3:12Then a spirit lifted me up. I heard a loud noise like thunder behind me. It was the sound of the Lord's great glory as it rose up from its place!
• 1 Peter 1:12God showed his prophets that his messages about these things were not really to help them. Instead, God sent his message to the prophets to help you. That message is the good news about Jesus Christ which you have now heard. God sent his Holy Spirit from heaven to help people to tell the good news to you. Even the angels would like to understand more about these things.
• Revelation 5:9The beings that are alive and the leaders sang a new song. They sang: ‘You are so good! You are good enough to take the book. You can break its seals and open it. You can do this because they killed you. When you died, you bought people for God with your blood. You bought them from every tribe, from every language and every nation.
• Ephesians 1:21There, Christ rules over every other ruler and leader. He rules over everything else that has authority. He is greater than any power which people respect. That is true for the rulers of this world now, and also the rulers of the world that will come.
• Romans 8:38I am sure of this. Nothing can stop God from loving us. Death cannot do that. Life cannot do that. Angels cannot do that, nor can demons do that. Nothing that happens to us now, or that will happen in a future time can do that. No powerful spirits can do that. Nothing that is high above the world can do that, nor anything that is deep down below the ground. Nothing else in the whole universe can stop God from loving us. Because of our Lord Christ Jesus, we know how much God loves us.
• Colossians 1:16When God created everything, it was his Son who did it. His Son made everything that is on earth and in heaven. He created everything that we can see, as well as the things that we cannot see. He made rulers and leaders. He made everything that has power and authority. God gave his Son the authority to create everything, so that his Son would receive praise.
• 1 Peter 3:22After that, Jesus went into heaven. Now he is sitting at God's right side. He rules over angels and over everything that has authority and power.
• Ephesians 1:3We praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has blessed us in very many ways. Because we belong to Christ, we enjoy all the good things that come from heaven. God blesses our spirits with those good things.
• Ephesians 1:8Even more than that, God has shown how wise he is. He understands what we need.
• Psalms 104:24Lord, you have made very many different things! You were very wise in the way that you have made them all. The earth is full of the living things that you have made.
• Matthew 11:25At this moment, Jesus said, ‘Father, you rule over everything in heaven and on the earth! People who do not know many things can now understand your message. And so I thank you. But you have hidden these things from some other people. Those people think that they understand everything. They think that they are wise.
• Romans 11:33Yes! God is very great! He has everything! He knows and he understands all things! Nobody can completely understand the things that he decides. Nobody can explain the ways in which he works.

Commentaries on Ephesians 3:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10That now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places - Who are these principalities and powers? Some think evil angels are intended, because they are thus denominated, Ephesians 6:12. Others think good angels are meant; for as these heavenly beings are curious to investigate the wondrous economy of the Gospel, though they are not its immediate objects, see 1 Peter 1:12, it is quite consistent with the goodness of God to give them that…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10To the intent - Greek, “that” ̔́ HinaThe sense is, that it was with this design, or that this was the purpose for which all things were made. One grand purpose in the creation of the universe was, that the wisdom of God might be clearly shown by the church. It was not enough to evince it by the formation of the sun, the stars, the earth, the seas, the mountains, the floods. It was not enough to show it by the creation of intelligent beings, the formation…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. 10The church has an important purpose in God's plan. It is meant to show to the entire universe how wise God is. The church displays God's wisdom in all its rich variety. This wisdom is shown through how God saves people from sin and brings them into his family (see Romans 11:33–36). the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms: See Ephesians 1:21 and corresponding study note.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. The design of God in giving Paul grace to proclaim to the Gentiles the mystery of salvation heretofore hidden. now--first: opposed to "hidden from the beginning of the world" (Ep 3:5). unto the principalities and--Greek adds "the" powers--unto the various orders of good angels primarily, as these dwell "in the heavenly places" in the highest sense; "known" to their adoring joy (1Ti 3:16; 1Pe 1:12). Secondarily, God's wisdom in redemption is made known…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 3:10

• Angel (a Spirit)
• God Continued...
• Gospel
• Minister, Christian
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Wisdom of God
• Boldness
• Effectual
• Fall of man
• Ground
• Inner
• Mystery
• Purpose

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