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 Living Translation (NLT)Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.

Context of Ephesians 3:8

6that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 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, 9and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10to 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,

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 30:2Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man.
• Romans 12:10Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
• 1 Corinthians 15:9For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
• Philippians 2:3Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
• 1 Timothy 1:13although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
• 1 Peter 5:5Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
• 1 Chronicles 17:16Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he 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 offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You.
• Acts 5:41So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
• Romans 15:15Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God,
• Ephesians 3:2if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
• Galatians 1:16to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
• Galatians 2:8(for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),
• 1 Timothy 2:7for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
• 2 Timothy 1:11to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
• Ephesians 3:16that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

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