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,
• 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,
• New Living Translation (NLT)assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles.

Context of Ephesians 3:2

1For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of 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 4:21assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
• Galatians 1:13For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.
• Colossians 1:4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,
• 2 Timothy 1:11for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,
• Ephesians 3:8To 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,
• Ephesians 4:7But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
• Acts 13:2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
• Acts 22:21And he said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
• Acts 26:17delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you
• Romans 1:5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,
• Romans 11:13Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry
• Romans 12:3For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
• Romans 15:15But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God
• 1 Corinthians 4:1This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
• 1 Corinthians 9:17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.

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