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

1When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . . assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. 3As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. 4As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding 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 4:21Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,
• Galatians 1:13You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it.
• Colossians 1:4For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people,
• 2 Timothy 1:11And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
• Ephesians 3:8Though 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.
• Ephesians 4:7However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
• Acts 13:2One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.”
• Acts 22:21“But the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’”
• Acts 26:17And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles
• Romans 1:5Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
• Romans 11:13I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this,
• Romans 12:3Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
• Romans 15:15Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace,
• 1 Corinthians 4:1So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries.
• 1 Corinthians 9:17If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust.

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