Ephesians 3:20

Good News Translation

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:

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—

King James Version (1611)
Now vnto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly aboue all that wee aske or thinke, according to the power that worketh in vs,

King James Version
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

English Standard Version
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

New American Standard Bible
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

New Century Version
With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

Legacy Standard Bible
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or understand, according to the power that works within us,

Berean Standard Bible
Now to Him who is able to do infinitely more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,

Contemporary English Version
I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will forever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen.

Complete Jewish Bible
Now to him who by his power working in us is able to do far beyond anything we can ask or imagine,

Darby Translation
But to him that is able to do far exceedingly above all which we ask or think, according to the power which works in us,

Easy-to-Read Version
With God's power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Vnto him therefore that is able to do exceeding aboundantly aboue all that we aske or thinke, according to the power yt worketh in vs,

George Lamsa Translation
Now to him who is able by power to do for us more than anyone else, and to do for us more than we ask or think, according to his mighty power that works in us,

Lexham English Bible
Now to the one who is able to do beyond all measure more than all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work in us,

Literal Translation
Now to Him being able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think, according to the power working in us,

Amplified Bible
Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us,

American Standard Version
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Bible in Basic English
Now to him who is able to do in full measure more than all our desires or thoughts, through the power which is working in us,

Hebrew Names Version
Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

International Standard Version
Now to the one who can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine according to the power that is working amongin">[fn] usRomans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Ephesians 2:7; Colossians 1:29; Jude 1:24;">[xr] -

Etheridge Translation
But to Him who is able with power beyond all to do for us above what we ask or conceive, according to his power which worketh in us,

Murdock Translation
Now to him who is able, by his almighty power, to do for us even more than we ask or think, according to his power that worketh in us;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Unto him that is able to do exceeding aboundauntly aboue all that we aske or thynke, accordyng to the power that worketh in vs,

English Revised Version
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

World English Bible
Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Weymouth's New Testament
Now to Him who, in exercise of His power that is at work within us, is able to do infinitely beyond all our highest prayers or thoughts--

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And to hym that is myyti to do alle thingis more plenteuousli than we axen or vndurstondun, bi the vertu that worchith in vs,

Update Bible Version
Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

Webster's Bible Translation
Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

New English Translation
Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think,

New King James Version
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

New Living Translation
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

New Life Bible
God is able to do much more than we ask or think through His power working in us.

New Revised Standard
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, unto him who is able to do, above all things, exceeding abundantly above the things which we ask or conceive, - according to the power which doth energise itself within us, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now to him who is able to do all things more abundantly than we desire or understand, according to the power that worketh in us:

Revised Standard Version
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Vnto him that is able to do excedynge aboudantly above all that we axe or thynke accordynge to the power that worketh in vs

Young's Literal Translation
and to Him who is able above all things to do exceeding abundantly what we ask or think, according to the power that is working in us,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Vnto him that is able to do exceadinge abundauntly, aboue all that we axe or vnderstonde (acordinge to ye power that worketh in vs)

Mace New Testament (1729)
Now unto him that is able to do infinitely above what we ask or comprehend, by his power operating in us,

THE MESSAGE
God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!

Simplified Cowboy Version
There ain't nothin' God can't do, no matter what we think we can ask for or imagine. For his glory, his spirit is workin' inside of us nonstop.

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: Genesis 17:1, Genesis 18:4, 2 Chronicles 25:9, Jeremiah 32:17, Jeremiah 32:27, Daniel 3:17, Daniel 6:20, Matthew 3:9, John 10:29, John 10:30, Romans 4:21, Romans 16:25, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 11:19, Hebrews 13:20, Hebrews 13:21, James 4:12, Jude 1:24

exceeding: Exodus 34:6, 2 Samuel 7:19, 1 Kings 3:13, Psalms 36:8, Psalms 36:9, Song of Solomon 5:1, Isaiah 35:2, Isaiah 55:7, John 10:10, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Timothy 1:14, 2 Peter 1:11

according: Ephesians 3:7, Ephesians 1:19, Colossians 1:29

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:14 - Is Genesis 18:32 - I will not Genesis 48:11 - God Deuteronomy 3:21 - so shall Deuteronomy 26:7 - we cried 1 Kings 10:13 - all her desire 2 Kings 3:18 - And this 2 Kings 4:4 - and shalt pour 1 Chronicles 4:10 - God granted 1 Chronicles 17:17 - thou hast 1 Chronicles 17:20 - none 1 Chronicles 29:12 - power 2 Chronicles 1:12 - I will give 2 Chronicles 9:12 - all her desire Nehemiah 9:5 - bless Job 9:4 - wise in heart Job 9:10 - great things Psalms 23:5 - my cup Psalms 52:9 - praise Psalms 59:16 - for thou Psalms 79:11 - according Psalms 81:10 - open Proverbs 8:21 - fill Isaiah 30:19 - he will Isaiah 55:13 - for a Jeremiah 33:3 - show Luke 1:49 - hath Luke 2:14 - Glory John 14:13 - whatsoever Romans 16:27 - God 2 Corinthians 4:15 - the abundant 2 Corinthians 6:7 - the power 1 Thessalonians 1:5 - but 1 Timothy 1:17 - be 1 Peter 1:3 - Blessed 1 Peter 4:11 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 2:20
So the man named all the birds and all the animals; but not one of them was a suitable companion to help him.

Genesis 2:23
Then the man said, "At last, here is one of my own kind— Bone taken from my bone, and flesh from my flesh. ‘Woman' is her name because she was taken out of man."

Genesis 5:29
and said, "From the very ground on which the Lord put a curse, this child will bring us relief from all our hard work"; so he named him Noah.

Genesis 16:11
You are going to have a son, and you will name him Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your cry of distress.

Genesis 35:18
But she was dying, and as she breathed her last, she named her son Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.

Exodus 2:10
Later, when the child was old enough, she took him to the king's daughter, who adopted him as her own son. She said to herself, "I pulled him out of the water, and so I name him Moses."

1 Samuel 1:20
So it was that she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, and explained, "I asked the Lord for him."

Matthew 1:21
She will have a son, and you will name him Jesus—because he will save his people from their sins."

Matthew 1:23
"A virgin will become pregnant and have a son, and he will be called Immanuel" (which means, "God is with us").

Acts 17:26
From one human being he created all races of people and made them live throughout the whole earth. He himself fixed beforehand the exact times and the limits of the places where they would live.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly,.... This is the conclusion of the apostle's prayer, in which the power of God is celebrated, a perfection which is essential unto God, and is very large and extensive; it reaches to all things, to every thing that he wills, which is his actual or ordinative power; and to more things than he has willed, which is his absolute power; and to all things that have been, are, or shall be, and to things impossible with men; though there are some things which God cannot do, such as are contrary to his nature, inconsistent with his will, his decrees and purposes, which imply a contradiction, and are foreign to truth, which to do would be to deny himself: but then he can do

above all that we ask or think; he can do more than men ask for, as he did for Solomon: God knows what we want before we ask, and he has made provisions for his people before they ask for them; some of which things we never could, and others we never should have asked for, if he had not provided them; and without the Spirit of God we know not what to ask for, nor how to ask aright; this affords great encouragement to go to God, and ask such things of him as we want, and he has provided; and who also can do more than we can think, imagine, or conceive in our minds.

According to the power that worketh in us: either in believers in common, meaning the Spirit of God, who is the finger and power of God, who begins, and carries on, and will finish the work of grace in them, and which is an evidence of the exceeding greatness of the power of God; or in the apostles in particular, in fitting and furnishing them for their work, and succeeding them in it; which is another proof and demonstration of the abundant power of God, and shows what he can do if he pleases.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now unto him - It is not uncommon for Paul to utter an ascription of praise in the midst of an argument; see Romans 9:5; Romans 11:36; Galatians 1:5. Here his mind is full of the subject; and in view of the fact that God communicates to his people such blessings - that they may become filled with all his fulness, he desires that praise should be given to him.

That is able to do - see the notes, Romans 16:25.

Exceeding abundantly - The compound word used here occurs only in this place, and in 1Th 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:13. It means, to an extent which we cannot express.

Above all that we ask or think - More than all that we can desire in our prayers; more than all that we can conceive; see the notes on 1 Corinthians 2:9.

According to the power that worketh in us - The exertion of that same power can accomplish for us more than we can now conceive.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. Now unto him — Having finished his short, but most wonderfully comprehensive and energetic prayer, the apostle brings in his doxology, giving praise to Him from whom all blessings come, and to whom all thanks are due.

That is able to do exceeding abundantly — It is impossible to express the full meaning of these words, God is omnipotent, therefore he is able to do all things, and able to do υπερ εκ περισσου, superabundantly above the greatest abundance. And who can doubt this, who has any rational or Scriptural views of his power or his love?

All that we ask or think — We can ask every good of which we have heard, every good which God has promised in his word; and we can think of, or imagine, goods and blessings beyond all that we have either read of or seen: yea, we can imagine good things to which it is impossible for us to give a name; we can go beyond the limits of all human descriptions; we can imagine more than even God has specified in his word; and can feel no bounds to our imagination of good, but impossibility and eternity: and after all, God is able to do more for us than we can ask or think; and his ability here is so necessarily connected with his willingness, that the one indisputably implies the other; for, of what consequence would it be to tell the Church of God that he had power to do so and so, if there were not implied an assurance that he will do what his power can, and what the soul of man needs to have done?

According to the power that worketh in us — All that he can do, and all that he has promised to do, will be done according to what he has done, by that power of the holy Ghost την ενεργουμενην, which worketh strongly in us-acts with energy in our hearts, expelling evil, purifying and refining the affections and desires, and implanting good.