Ephesians 3:18

Good News Translation

so that you, together with all God's people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ's love.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,

King James Version (1611)
May be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height:

King James Version
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

English Standard Version
may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

New American Standard Bible
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,

New Century Version
And I pray that you and all God's holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love—how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Legacy Standard Bible
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Berean Standard Bible
will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of His love,

Contemporary English Version
I pray that you and all of God's people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep.

Complete Jewish Bible
so that you, with all God's people, will be given strength to grasp the breadth, length, height and depth of the Messiah's love,

Darby Translation
in order that ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints what [is] the breadth and length and depth and height;

Easy-to-Read Version
And I pray that you and all God's holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is.

Geneva Bible (1587)
That ye, being rooted and grounded in loue, may be able to comprehend with al Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height:

George Lamsa Translation
So that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the height and depth and length and breadth;

Lexham English Bible
in order that you may be strong enough to grasp together with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth,

Literal Translation
that you may be given strength to grasp, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and depth and height,

Amplified Bible
be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God's people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love];

American Standard Version
may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Bible in Basic English
May have strength to see with all the saints how wide and long and high and deep it is,

Hebrew Names Version
may be strengthened to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

International Standard Version
you will be able to understand, along with all the saints, what is wide, long, high, and deepRomans 10:3,11-12; Ephesians 1:18;">[xr] -

Etheridge Translation
that you may be able to follow out with all the saints, what the height, and depth, and the length, and breadth;

Murdock Translation
and that ye may be able to explore, with all the saints, what is the height and depth, and length and breadth,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Myght be able to comprehende with al saintes, what is the breadth, & length, and deapth, and heygth:

English Revised Version
may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

World English Bible
may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
ye may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge,

Weymouth's New Testament
as it is grasped by all God's people, of the breadth and length, the height and depth--

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
moun comprehende with alle seyntis, which is the breede, and the lengthe, and the hiynesse, and the depnesse;

Update Bible Version
may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,

Webster's Bible Translation
May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and highth.

New English Translation
you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

New King James Version
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--

New Living Translation
And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

New Life Bible
I pray that you will be able to understand how wide and how long and how high and how deep His love is.

New Revised Standard
I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In order that ye may be mighty enough to grasp firmly, with all the saints, - what is the breadth and length and depth and height,

Douay-Rheims Bible
You may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Revised Standard Version
may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
myght be able to comprehende with all sayntes what ys that bredth aud length deepth and heyth:

Young's Literal Translation
that ye may be in strength to comprehend, with all the saints, what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
maye be able to coprehende with all sayntes, what is the bredth, and the length, and the deepth, and the heyth:

Mace New Testament (1729)
Be ye rooted and grounded in social virtue, that you may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of this mystery:

Simplified Cowboy Version
As you ride with him every day, you will become a strong top hand. A top hand has the power to understand just how much God loves us.

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ For this reason I fall on my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its true name. ¹⁶ I ask God from the wealth of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves, ¹⁷ and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, ¹⁸ so that you, together with all God's people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ's love. ¹⁹ Yes, may you come to know his love—although it can never be fully known—and so be completely filled with the very nature of God. ²⁰ To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of: ²¹ to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever! Amen.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

able: Ephesians 3:19, Ephesians 1:18-23, Job 11:7-9, Psalms 103:11, Psalms 103:12, Psalms 103:17, Psalms 139:6, Isaiah 55:9, John 15:13, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 3:13, Philippians 2:5-8, Philippians 3:8-10, 1 Timothy 1:14-16, 1 Timothy 3:16, Titus 2:13, Titus 2:14, Revelation 3:21

with: Ephesians 1:10, Ephesians 1:15, Deuteronomy 33:2, Deuteronomy 33:3, 2 Chronicles 6:41, Psalms 116:15, Psalms 132:9, Psalms 145:10, Zechariah 14:5, 2 Corinthians 13:13, Colossians 1:4

what: Romans 10:3, Romans 10:11, Romans 10:12

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:29 - coupled 1 Kings 6:31 - doors Job 11:8 - deeper Psalms 106:2 - utter Psalms 107:43 - they shall understand Proverbs 30:3 - nor Song of Solomon 3:10 - the midst Song of Solomon 7:4 - thine eyes Zechariah 9:17 - how great is his goodness Matthew 16:17 - but Luke 10:37 - He that John 1:14 - full John 15:9 - the Father Romans 8:39 - Nor Romans 11:33 - the depth 1 Corinthians 13:9 - General 2 Corinthians 5:14 - the love Ephesians 1:17 - in the knowledge Ephesians 6:18 - supplication 1 John 3:1 - what 1 John 5:20 - and hath

Cross-References

Genesis 3:14
Then the Lord God said to the snake, "You will be punished for this; you alone of all the animals must bear this curse: From now on you will crawl on your belly, and you will have to eat dust as long as you live.

Genesis 3:15
I will make you and the woman hate each other; her offspring and yours will always be enemies. Her offspring will crush your head, and you will bite her offspring's heel."

Joshua 23:13
you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive these nations out as you advance. Rather, they will be as dangerous for you as a trap or a pit and as painful as a whip on your back or thorns in your eyes. And this will last until none of you are left in this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

Job 1:21
He said, "I was born with nothing, and I will die with nothing. The Lord gave, and now he has taken away. May his name be praised!"

Job 5:5
Hungry people will eat the fool's crops— even the grain growing among thorns— and thirsty people will envy his wealth.

Job 31:40
then instead of wheat and barley, may weeds and thistles grow. The words of Job are ended.

Psalms 90:3
You tell us to return to what we were; you change us back to dust.

Psalms 104:2
you cover yourself with light. You have spread out the heavens like a tent

Proverbs 22:5
If you love your life, stay away from the traps that catch the wicked along the way.

Proverbs 24:31
They were full of thorn bushes and overgrown with weeds. The stone wall around them had fallen down.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

May be able to comprehend with all saints,.... This is the end of their being rooted and grounded in love, that they, together with the rest of the saints interested in it, might have a larger and more comprehensive view of

what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; not of God himself, who is incomprehensible by finite minds, and is not to be found out to perfection; see Job 11:7 but either of the great mystery of salvation, particularly the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles mentioned in the beginning of the chapter; or of the spiritual building, the church, the dimensions of which are given,

Revelation 21:15 or rather of the love of God, which in its length reaches from one eternity to another; in its breadth to all the elect, in all ages, places, and nations; and in its depth to saints in the lowest state of life; and in its height to bring them to an exalted state in glory.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

May be able to comprehend with all saints - That all others with you may be able to understand this. It was his desire that others, as well as they, might appreciate the wonders of redemption.

What is the breadth, and length, ... - It has been doubted to what this refers. Locke says it refers to the mystery of calling the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Chandler supposes there is an allusion in all this to the temple at Ephesus. It was one of the wonders of the world - exciting admiration by its length, and height, and dimensions in every way, as well as by its extraordinary riches and splendor. In allusion to this, the object of so much admiration and pride to the Ephesians, he supposes that Paul desires that they should become fully acquainted with the extent and beauty of the spiritual temple. But I do not see that there is clear evidence that there is allusion here to the temple at Ephesus. It seems rather to be the language of a heart that was full of the subject, and impressed with its greatness; and the words are employed to denote the “dimensions” of that love, and are similar to what would be meant if he had said, “that you may know how “large,” or how “great” is that love.” The apostle evidently meant to express the strongest sense of the greatness of the love of the Redeemer, and to show in the most emphatic manner how much he wished that they should fully understand it. On the phrase “depth and height,” compare notes on Romans 8:39.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 18. May be able to comprehend with all saints — ινα εξισχυσητε καταλαβεσθαι. These words are so exceedingly nervous and full of meaning, that it is almost impossible to translate them. The first word, εξισχυσητε, from εξ, intensive, and ισχυω, to be strong, signifies that they might be thoroughly able, by having been strengthened with might, by God's power. The second word καταλαβεσθαι, from κατα, intensive, and λαμβανω, to take, catch, or seize on, may be translated, that ye may fully catch, take in, and comprehend this wonderful mystery of God. The mind must be rendered apt, and the soul invigorated, to take in and comprehend these mysteries.

What is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height — Here the apostle still keeps up the metaphor, comparing the Church of God to a building; and as, in order to rear a proper building, formed on scientific principles, a ground plan and specification must be previously made, according to which the building is to be constructed, the apostle refers to this; for this must be thoroughly understood, without which the building could not be formed. They were to be builded up a heavenly house, a habitation of God through the Spirit; and this must have its latitude or breadth, its longitude or length, its altitude or height, and its profundity or depth.

It is supposed by some that the apostle is here alluding to the famous temple of Diana at Ephesus, which, as I have already had occasion to remark, was reputed one of the wonders of the world, being in length 425 feet, in breadth 220; it was supported by 127 pillars, each 60 feet high; was builded at the expense of all Asia; and was 220 years in being completed. I cannot, however, allow of this allusion while the apostle had a nobler model at hand, and one every way more worthy of being brought into the comparison. The temple at Jerusalem was that alone which he had in view; that alone could be fitly compared here; for that was built to be a habitation of God; that was his house, and that the place of his rest: so the Christian temple, and the believing heart, are to be the constant, the endless residence of God; and how august must that edifice be in which the eternal Trinity dwells!

But what can the apostle mean by the breadth, length, depth, and height, of the love of God? Imagination can scarcely frame any satisfactory answer to this question. It takes in the eternity of God. GOD is LOVE; and in that, an infinity of breadth, length, depth, and height, is included; or rather all breadth, length, depth, and height, are lost in this immensity. It comprehends all that is above, all that is below, all that is past, and all that is to come. In reference to human beings, the love of God, in its BREADTH, is a girdle that encompasses the globe; its LENGTH reaches from the eternal purpose of the mission of Christ, to the eternity of blessedness which is to be spent in his ineffable glories; its DEPTH reaches to the lowest fallen of the sons of Adam, and to the deepest depravity of the human heart; and its HEIGHT to the infinite dignities of the throne of Christ. He that overcometh will I give to sit dawn with me upon my throne, as I have overcome and sat down with the Father upon his throne. Thus we see that the Father, the Son, and all true believers in him, are to be seated on the same throne! This is the height of the love of God, and the height to which that love raises the souls that believe in Christ Jesus!