Ephesians 3:2

Ephesians 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
• New International Version (NIV)Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you,
• English Standard Version (ESV)assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you,
• New King James Version (NKJV)if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,

Context of Ephesians 3:2

1That is why I pray for you. I, Paul, am in prison because I serve Christ Jesus. He has sent me to help you Gentiles. You must have heard that God has chosen me to do that. He has been very kind to give me this work to help you. 3God has clearly shown to me his true purpose. That was a secret before, but God has helped me to know it. I have written a few words about this already. 4When you read those words, you will be able to understand. I have come to know God's true message about Christ.

Ephesians 3:2 word by word

εἴ γε ἠκούσατε τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι εἰς ὑμᾶςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ifεἴγεeige · if indeedG1489
• ye have heard ofἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• the dispensationὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the dispensationοἰκονομίαoikonomia · managementG3622
• of the graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• is givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• you-wardσύsu · youG4771

Cross-references for Ephesians 3:2

• Ephesians 4:21I am sure that you have heard about him properly. People taught you the true message that comes from Jesus.
• Galatians 1:13You know about the things that I did before, when I obeyed the Jewish rules. I caused very much trouble against God's church. I tried to destroy those people completely.
• Colossians 1:4We thank God because people have told us good things about you. You continue to trust Christ Jesus. You also love all God's people.
• 2 Timothy 1:11That is the same good news that God has chosen me to tell to people. He has sent me as his apostle to teach his message to people.
• Ephesians 3:8I 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.
• Ephesians 4:7But God has been kind to all of us. Each of us has received a special gift, just as Christ has decided to give us.
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go now to Saul! I have chosen him to work for me. He will go to those who are not Jews and to their rulers. He will tell them about me. He will also tell the people of Israel about me.
• Acts 13:2One day, the believers were meeting together. They were praising the Lord God and they were praying. They also fasted for a time. During that time, the Holy Spirit said to them, ‘I have chosen Barnabas and Saul to do a special work for me. Let them go now and do it.’
• Acts 22:21But the Lord said to me, “Go! I will now send you a long way away. You must go to the Gentiles and tell them my message.” ’
• Acts 26:17I will send you to speak about me to Jews and to Gentiles. Some of them will want to hurt you. But I will keep you safe.
• Romans 1:5Because of Jesus Christ, God has been very kind to us. He has chosen me to serve him as an apostle. He sent me to tell his message to people from all countries. As a result they would know that Jesus Christ is great. They would trust him and obey him.
• Romans 11:13Now I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. God has sent me to be his apostle to the Gentiles. I thank him that he has given this important work to me.
• Romans 12:3God has been kind to me so that I can serve him. Because of that, I say this to every one of you: Do not think that you are better than you really are. Instead, think about yourself carefully. Decide how much God has helped you to trust him. Then you will know how to serve him well.
• Romans 15:15I know that is true, but I still needed to write this letter to you. I have written to you strongly, so that you would remember certain things. Because God is kind, he has chosen me to serve him in this way.
• 1 Corinthians 4:1This is how you should think about us, who are leaders in the church. We are Christ's servants. God has also given a special job to us. We must explain his message to people so that they understand it.
• 1 Corinthians 9:17If I were doing this work because I chose to do it, I would receive my pay. But I myself did not choose to do it. God has given me this work, so I have to do it.

Commentaries on Ephesians 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2If ye have heard of the dispensation - The compound particle , which is commonly translated if indeed, in several places means since indeed, seeing that, and should be translated so in this verse, and in several other places of the New Testament. Seeing ye have heard of the dispensation of God, which is given me to you-ward: this they had amply learned from the apostle during his stay at Ephesus, for he had not shunned to declare unto them the whole…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2If ye have heard - ̓́- Ei-ge“If at least, if indeed, if so be, spoken of what is taken for granted.” “Robinson;” compare 2 Corinthians 5:3; Galatians 3:4; Ephesians 4:21; Colossians 1:23, for the use of the particle. The particle here is not designed to express a doubt whether they had heard of it or not, for he takes it for granted that they had. Doddridge renders it, “since I well know you have heard,” etc. He had informed them of his being called to be…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-13Paul pauses his thought in 3:1 to talk about his role in God's plan. When Paul first converted, God gave him the special task of sharing his grace with the gentiles (see Acts 9:15–16; 22:14–15, 21; 26:17–18; Romans 1:5; 11:13–14; 15:15–18; Galatians 1:15–16; 2:7–9; Colossians 1:25–27; 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 4:17).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. If--The Greek does not imply doubt: "Assuming (what I know to be the fact, namely) that ye have heard," &c. "If, as I presume," The indicative in the Greek shows that no doubt is implied: "Seeing that doubtless," &c. He by this phrase delicately reminds them of their having heard from himself, and probably from others subsequently, the fact. See Introduction, showing that these words do not disprove the address of this Epistle to the Ephesians. Compare…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 3:2

• Gentiles
• Gospel
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Boldness
• Dispensation
• Effectual
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Ground
• Inner
• 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