Ephesians 3:4

New Life Version

When you read this, you will understand how I know about the things that are not easy to understand about Christ.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.

King James Version (1611)
Whereby when ye reade, ye may vnderstand my knowledge in the mysterie of Christ.)

King James Version
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

English Standard Version
When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,

New American Standard Bible
By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

New Century Version
If you read what I wrote then, you can see that I truly understand the secret about the Christ.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

Legacy Standard Bible
About which, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

Berean Standard Bible
In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

Contemporary English Version
As you read the letter, you will also find out how well I really do understand the mystery about Christ.

Complete Jewish Bible
and if you read what I have written, you will grasp how I understand this secret plan concerning the Messiah.

Darby Translation
by which, in reading it, ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery of the Christ,)

Easy-to-Read Version
And if you read what I wrote, you can see that I understand the secret truth about Christ.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Whereby when ye reade, ye may knowe mine vnderstanding in the mysterie of Christ)

George Lamsa Translation
So that when you read it you can understand my knowledge of the mystery of Christ,

Good News Translation
and if you will read what I have written, you can learn about my understanding of the secret of Christ.)

Lexham English Bible
so that you may be able when you read to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ

Literal Translation
by the reading of which you are able to realize my understanding in the mystery of Christ,

Amplified Bible
By referring to this, when you read it you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

American Standard Version
whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;

Bible in Basic English
By the reading of which you will be clear about my knowledge of the secret of Christ;

Hebrew Names Version
whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Messiah;

International Standard Version
By reading this, you will be able to grasp my understanding of the secret about Christ,1 Corinthians 4:1; Ephesians 6:19;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
so that while you read you are able to understand my knowledge of the mystery of the Meshiha,

Murdock Translation
so that while ye read, ye might be able to understand my knowledge of the mystery of the Messiah,)

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whereby, when ye reade, ye may vnderstande my knowledge in the misterie of Christe)

English Revised Version
whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;

World English Bible
whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
By reading which ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ:

Weymouth's New Testament
By means of that explanation, as you read it, you can judge of my insight into the truth of Christ

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
as ye moun rede, and vndurstonde my prudence in the mysterie of Crist.

Update Bible Version
whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;

Webster's Bible Translation
By which when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ,

New English Translation
When reading this, you will be able to understand my insight into this secret of Christ.

New King James Version
by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),

New Living Translation
As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ.

New Revised Standard
a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Respecting which ye can, by reading, perceive my discernment in the sacred secret of the Christ, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
As you reading, may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ,

Revised Standard Version
When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
wher by when ye rede ye maye knowe myne vnderstondynge in the mistery of Christ

Young's Literal Translation
in regard to which ye are able, reading [it], to understand my knowledge in the secret of the Christ,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
wherby whan ye rede it, ye maye perceaue myne vnderstondynge in ye mystery of Christ,

Mace New Testament (1729)
by the reading whereof you may perceive how far I am let into the secret of Christ.

THE MESSAGE
As you read over what I have written to you, you'll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery of Christ. None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our time has it been made clear by God's Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this new order. The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board.

Simplified Cowboy Version
If you'll go back and read what I said, you'll understand God's crazy plan and how it hinged on Christ.

Contextual Overview

¹ I, Paul, am in prison because I am a missionary for Jesus Christ to you who are not Jews. ² I am sure you have heard that God trusted me with His loving-favor. ³ I wrote a little about this to you before. In a special way, God showed me His secret plan. ⁴ When you read this, you will understand how I know about the things that are not easy to understand about Christ. ⁵ Long ago men did not know these things. But now they have been shown to His missionaries and to the early preachers by the Holy Spirit. ⁶ Let me tell you that the Good News is for the people who are not Jews also. They are able to have life that lasts forever. They are to be a part of His church and family, together with the Jews. And together they are to receive all that God has promised through Christ. ⁷ God asked me to preach this Good News. He gave me the gift of His loving-favor. He gave me His power to preach it. ⁸ Of all those who belong to Christ, I am the least important. But this loving-favor was given to me to preach to the people who are not Jews. I was to tell them of the great riches in Christ which do not come to an end. ⁹ I was to make all men understand the meaning of this secret. God kept this secret to Himself from the beginning of the world. And He is the One Who made all things. ¹⁰ This was done so the great wisdom of God might be shown now to the leaders and powers in the heavenly places. It is being done through the church.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye may: Matthew 13:11, 1 Corinthians 2:6, 1 Corinthians 2:7, 1 Corinthians 13:2, 2 Corinthians 11:6

the mystery: Ephesians 1:9, Ephesians 5:32, Ephesians 6:19, Luke 2:10, Luke 2:11, Luke 8:10, 1 Corinthians 4:1, Colossians 2:2, Colossians 4:3, 1 Timothy 3:9, 1 Timothy 3:16

Reciprocal: Matthew 13:52 - which Romans 11:25 - this Romans 12:3 - I say 1 Corinthians 2:16 - But 1 Corinthians 14:6 - knowledge 2 Corinthians 6:6 - knowledge

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The snake fooled me, and I ate."

Deuteronomy 29:19
When one hears the words of this curse, he will say in his pride, ‘I have peace even though I am strong-willed in my heart.' This will destroy the land that is watered along with the dry land.

2 Kings 1:4
This is what the Lord says. ‘You will not leave the bed on which you lie. You will die for sure.'" Then Elijah left.

2 Kings 1:6
They said, "A man came up to meet us. He said to us, ‘Go and return to the king who sent you. Tell him, "This is what the Lord says. ‘Are you asking Baal-zebub the god of Ekron because there is no God in Israel? So you will not leave the bed on which you lie. You will die for sure.'"'"

2 Kings 1:16
Then Elijah said to Ahaziah, "This is what the Lord says. ‘You have sent men to ask of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron. Is it because there is no God in Israel to ask of His Word? So now you will not leave the bed on which you lie. You will die for sure.'"

2 Kings 8:10
Elisha said to him, "Go and tell him, ‘You will get better for sure.' But the Lord has shown me that he will die for sure."

Psalms 10:11
He says to himself, "God has forgotten. He has hidden His face and will never see it."

2 Corinthians 2:11
We forgive so that Satan will not win. We know how he works!

2 Corinthians 11:3
Eve was fooled by the snake in the garden of Eden. In the same way, I am afraid that you will be fooled and led away from your pure love for Christ.

1 Timothy 2:14
Adam was not fooled by Satan; it was the woman who was fooled and sinned.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whereby when ye read,.... The above chapters, and seriously consider what is contained in them:

ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ of his person, office, and grace; and which knowledge was very large indeed.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whereby, when ye read - By the bare reading of which you may understand the view which I entertain of the plan of salvation, and the knowledge which I have of God’s method of saving people, particularly of his intention in regard to the salvation of the Gentiles.

In the mystery of Christ - This does not refer to anything “mysterious” in the person of Christ; or the union of the divine and human nature in him; or to anything difficult of apprehension in the work of the atonement. It means the hitherto concealed doctrine that through the Messiah, the Gentiles were to be received to the same privileges as the Jews, and that the plan of salvation was to be made equally free for all. This great truth had been hitherto concealed, or but partially understood, and Paul says that he was appointed to make it known to the world. His “knowledge” on the subject, he says, could be understood by what he had said, and from that they could judge whether he was qualified to state and defend the doctrines of the gospel. Paul evidently supposed that the knowledge which he had on that subject was of eminent value; that it was possessed by few; that it was important to understand it. Hence he dwells upon it. He speaks of the glory of that truth. He traces it back to the counsels of God. He shows that it entered into his eternal plans; and he evidently felt that the truth which he had communicated in the former part of this Epistle, was among the most important that could come before the mind.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ephesians 3:4. Whereby, when ye read — When ye refer back to them.

Ye may understand my knowledge — Ye may see what God has given me to know concerning what has been hitherto a mystery-the calling of the Gentiles, and the breaking down the middle wall between them and the Jews, so as to make both one spiritual body, and on the same conditions.