Ephesians 3:21 kjv

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Ephesians 3:21 nkjv

to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:21 niv

to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:21 esv

to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:21 nlt

Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3 verses

Ephesians 3 21 Meaning

This passage is a powerful doxology, a profound declaration of praise to God, concluding Paul's preceding prayer and theological exposition in Ephesians. It affirms God's boundless power, asserting His ability to accomplish incomparably more than any human thought or petition could ever conceive, working actively through His Spirit within believers. The ultimate purpose of this immense power is the manifestation of His glory, established both in the body of believers (the church) and centrally in Christ Jesus, for all time and eternity.

Ephesians 3 21 Context

Ephesians chapter 3 stands as a pivotal section in Paul's letter, shifting from his initial doctrinal affirmations in chapters 1-2 about God's eternal plan and the salvation of both Jew and Gentile, to a more direct focus on his apostolic commission and a profound prayer for the Ephesians. In verses 1-13, Paul elaborates on the "mystery of Christ" – the inclusion of Gentiles as co-heirs and co-members of the body of Christ with Jews. He presents himself as God's instrument for this revelation, emphasizing the privilege and suffering of his ministry as a "prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles."

The specific verses of the doxology (Ephesians 3:20-21) serve as a magnificent concluding praise to the powerful intercessory prayer Paul offers in verses 14-19. In this prayer, Paul kneels before the Father, requesting that the Ephesians be strengthened with power through the Spirit in their inner being, so that Christ may dwell richly in their hearts through faith. His ultimate desire is for them to be rooted and grounded in love, able to grasp the immeasurable dimensions of Christ's love, surpassing knowledge, and ultimately "filled with all the fullness of God." The doxology of 3:20-21 therefore functions as the culmination and assured affirmation of the prayer's potential, declaring that the God to whom Paul prays is more than able to grant such vast spiritual blessings. Historically and culturally, doxologies like this were common in both Jewish and Greco-Roman traditions, serving to express profound worship and reverence to a deity, often concluding a significant petition or theological discourse, emphasizing the deity's ultimate power and sovereignty. This doxology reaffirms monotheism, elevating the One True God far above any contemporary polytheistic or idolatrous beliefs by declaring His absolute, unchallenged supremacy and ability to accomplish His purposes.

Ephesians 3 21 Word analysis

• Now: (Grk: De - δέ). Functions as a transition particle, often meaning "but" or "and." Here, it marks a concluding thought or a shift from Paul's petition for the Ephesians to a statement of praise directed towards God.
• to Him who is able: (Grk: tō dunamenō - τῷ δυναμένῳ). Refers to God, emphasizing His inherent capability and potency. This isn't just a possibility but a certain, intrinsic power, originating from His very being. Dunamenō stems from dynamis (power), underscoring God's dynamic energy.
• to do: Implies active manifestation and performance. It's not passive ability, but power in action.
• far more abundantly beyond all: (Grk: hyper ek perissou - ὑπερ ἐκ περισσοῦ). A unique Pauline compound expression for emphasis, layering superlatives:
  • Hyper (ὑπερ): meaning "beyond," "above," "exceedingly."
  • Ek perissou (ἐκ περισσοῦ): meaning "out of superabundance," "exceedingly," "more than enough."
  This conveys a concept of divine overflow, an action that goes not just a little beyond, but immeasurably past, any human capacity to ask or even imagine. It contrasts human limitation with divine limitlessness.
• that we ask or think: Encompasses the full spectrum of human desires, prayers, hopes (asking) and intellectual conceptualization, imagination, planning, or comprehension (thinking). God surpasses all these capacities of human mind and will. This phrase counters any notion of limited divine power or that our prayers must be within 'reasonable' human bounds.
• according to the power: (Grk: kata tēn dynamin - κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν). Indicates the basis or measure by which God acts. His actions are commensurate with His infinite power, not with our limited petitions. This is not our power, but His power at work.
• that works within us: (Grk: tēn energoumenēn en hēmin - τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν). Energoumenēn derives from energeō (to be active, operative, effective, to work). It's the root of our word "energy." This signifies God's dynamic and active presence within believers, specifically through the indwelling Holy Spirit. It highlights the immanence of God and the enabling power He provides for believers to live out His will.
• to Him be the glory: (Grk: autō hē doxa - αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα). This is the purpose clause, the ultimate aim of all God's workings. Doxa signifies honor, renown, praise, splendor, majesty, reputation. It attributes all honor, adoration, and renown rightfully and exclusively to God.
• in the church: The primary sphere or arena where God's glory is manifested on earth. The church, comprised of reconciled Jew and Gentile, united in Christ, serves as the living demonstration of God's wisdom, love, and power (as noted in Eph 3:10), a counter-cultural reality that glorifies God.
• and in Christ Jesus: The ultimate means, channel, and sphere through which all God's redemptive purposes are accomplished and His glory revealed. Christ Jesus is the head of the church, and His life, death, resurrection, and reign are the foundational acts by which God is supremely glorified. This stresses the Christ-centered nature of God's glory.
• to all generations: Signifies perpetual continuation through time. God's glory is not limited to one historical era, culture, or group, but extends across all future human existence.
• forever and ever: (Grk: tou aiōnos tōn aiōnōn - τοῦ αἰῶνος τῶν αἰώνων). Literally "unto the age of the ages," the strongest possible Greek expression for eternity or endless duration. It removes all doubt about the perpetual and boundless nature of God's glory.
• Amen: (Grk: Amēn - ἀμήν). A Hebrew loanword adopted into Greek and English, meaning "so be it," "truly," "it is true." It serves as an emphatic affirmation and endorsement of the preceding doxology, sealing it with certainty and conviction, often inviting the readers' heartfelt assent.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Now to Him who is able to do...": This introduces a majestic statement about God's capacity, setting the stage for declaring His unlimited power, not a simple concluding remark.
• "...far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think...": This emphasizes God's superabundant power over and above any human limit. It's an affirmation of God's transcendental might and generosity, encouraging expansive faith rather than constricted petitions. It’s a polemic against any belief system that proposes a deity limited by human understanding or finite power.
• "...according to the power that works within us...": This crucial phrase connects God's boundless ability directly to His immanent work in believers through the Holy Spirit. God's vast work in the world begins with His dynamic activity within the hearts of His people, making the impossible possible in our lives and through our ministries.
• "...to Him be the glory...": This declarative statement of praise underscores that the ultimate aim and recipient of all divine power and action, whether within us or in the cosmos, is God's own glory. It sets the appropriate orientation of the human heart in response to divine grandeur.
• "...in the church and in Christ Jesus...": These two phrases indicate the specific conduits and manifestations of God's glory. The church, as the body of Christ, and Christ Jesus Himself (its head and reason for being), are the vehicles through which God's glorious nature is revealed to the world, to the heavenly realms (Eph 3:10), and back to God.
• "...to all generations forever and ever. Amen.": This conveys the eternal and enduring nature of God's glory, extending infinitely through time and succession. It secures the declaration of God's praise for all ages, cementing the timeless validity and permanence of the doxology.

Ephesians 3 21 Bonus section

This doxology functions as a powerful affirmation, not only concluding Paul's specific prayer in chapter 3 but also summarizing the overarching themes of God's cosmic plan articulated throughout chapters 1-3. It declares that the same God who purposed salvation before the foundation of the world, redeemed humanity through Christ's blood, and united Jew and Gentile into one body, is fully capable of executing this magnificent design in every detail, precisely because His power infinitely surpasses our capacity to even conceptualize. The coupling of "in the church and in Christ Jesus" serves to solidify the inseparable relationship between Christ, the Head, and the church, His Body, as the two primary avenues through which God's eternal glory will be manifested to the created order. The doxology sets the stage for the practical exhortations that follow in Ephesians chapters 4-6, emphasizing that the church's calling to unity, spiritual warfare, and Christ-like living is enabled by this very transcendent power of God operating within them.

Ephesians 3 21 Commentary

Ephesians 3:20-21 forms the resplendent capstone of Paul's profound prayer and the first half of the Epistle to the Ephesians. It is not merely a concluding formality, but a fervent declaration born from the depths of theological conviction. Paul's emphasis on God's ability "far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think" elevates our understanding of God from a powerful deity to an omnipotent, utterly transcendent Being whose capacity knows no bounds. This reassures believers that no spiritual blessing is too grand, no personal need too complex, and no obstacle to the church's flourishing too immense for God to handle.

Critically, this divine power is not distant but active: it "works within us." This underscores the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence and transformative energy in believers' lives, connecting God's global plan directly to individual spiritual vitality. The prayer for being "filled with all the fullness of God" (Eph 3:19) is thus affirmed by God's limitless ability working internally. The ultimate purpose of this power, and indeed of all God's creation and redemption, is His "glory." This glory is visibly demonstrated "in the church," highlighting the collective body of believers—reconciled Jew and Gentile—as God's chosen display case for His multifaceted wisdom and grace. Furthermore, all this glory is achieved "in Christ Jesus," affirming that Christ is the very embodiment and revelation of God's glory, and the central means by which God's eternal purposes are realized. The duration of this glory, "to all generations forever and ever. Amen.," cements the timelessness and absolute certainty of God's eternal praise. This doxology fundamentally anchors Christian hope and ministry not in human effort, but in the boundless power of the Living God.

Examples:

• For Prayer: Instead of only praying for the perceived 'possible,' we're invited to pray for God to exceed our wildest imagination in fulfilling His purposes.
• For Ministry: When facing overwhelming ministry challenges, this verse reminds us that effectiveness stems from God's "power that works within us," not merely strategic planning.
• For Personal Growth: In seemingly insurmountable struggles against sin or spiritual stagnation, God's "more abundant" power empowers growth beyond what we might naturally achieve.