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 is the message of God's good news: Gentiles, as well as Jews, may receive the good things that God has prepared for his children. We may all belong to the same group of God's people, like we are his body. Everyone who is united with Christ Jesus receives the good things that God has promised. 7I tell that good news to other people, because God chose me to serve him in that way. That was God's gift to me, because he is so kind. God uses his great power to help me in that work. I 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. 10But 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.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Unto meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• less than the leastἐλαχιστότεροςelachistoteros · leastG1647
• of allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• saintsἅγιοςhagios · holy: saintG40
• isδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
• that I should preachεὐαγγελίζομαιeuaggelizō · to speak good newsG2097
• amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the Gentilesἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• the unsearchableἀνεξιχνίαστοςanexichniastos · unsearchableG421
• richesπλοῦτοςploutos · richesG4149
• of ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for Ephesians 3:8

• Proverbs 30:2I feel more stupid than any other person. I do not understand things as other people do.
• Romans 12:10Love each other truly like brothers and sisters. Be really happy to respect other Christians.
• 1 Corinthians 15:9Among all the apostles, I am the least important. I caused so much trouble for God's church that people should not really call me an apostle.
• Philippians 2:3In the way that you live, do not just try to help yourself. Do not be proud. Instead, respect other people. Think about other people as more important than yourself.
• 1 Timothy 1:13Before he chose me, I said bad things about him. I caused great trouble for his people. I was a cruel man, but God was very kind to me. He forgave me because I did not know what I was doing. That was because I did not believe in Jesus.
• 1 Peter 5:5I want to say the same thing to you who are young men. You must respect the authority of the leaders. All of you who are believers must respect one another. Do not think that you are more important than other people. The Bible says: ‘God is against proud people. But he is kind to humble people.’
• 1 Chronicles 17:16Then King David went into the Lord's tent. He sat down and he prayed to the Lord. He said, ‘Lord, my God, I am not a special person and my family is not special. You have helped me very much and I do not deserve it.
• 1 Chronicles 29:14But I and my people are like nothing. How are we able to give all these gifts to help your work? Everything that we have comes from you. So we are giving back to you things that already belong to you.
• Acts 5:41The apostles went away from the meeting of the Jewish leaders. They were very happy because they thought to themselves, ‘These leaders have done bad things to us because we obey Jesus. That shows that God accepts us as his people.’
• 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.
• Ephesians 3:2You must have heard that God has chosen me to do that. He has been very kind to give me this work to help you.
• Galatians 1:16He decided to show his Son clearly to me, so that I could tell the Gentiles about him. When God chose me to do that, I did not talk about it with any person.
• Galatians 2:8God gave Peter the authority to be his apostle to the Jews. God also gave me the authority to be his apostle to the Gentiles.
• 1 Timothy 2:7God chose me as his apostle, to tell this same message to people. I am telling you what is true. I am not telling lies! Yes, he sent me to teach his true message to the Gentiles, so that they would believe in him.
• 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 3:16I pray that God will cause you to be strong in your spirits. God has great and valuable things in heaven to help you. I pray that God's Spirit will help you with God's own power.

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