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J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Ephesians 3:3

How that, by way of revelation, was made known unto me the sacred secret, - even as I before wrote in brief, -

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Gentiles;   Mysteries;   Salvation;   Word of God;   Scofield Reference Index - Grace;   Inspiration;   The Topic Concordance - Disciples/apostles;   Gentiles/heathen;   Holy Spirit;   Knowledge;   Mystery;   Partaking;   Resurrection;   Witness;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mystery;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Paul;   Revelation;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mission;   Mystery;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Calvinists;   Faith;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Inspiration;   Luke, the Gospel According to;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Church;   Ephesians, Book of;   God;   Mystery;   Paul;   Sacrament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Church;   Love, Lover, Lovely, Beloved;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Acts of the Apostles (Apocryphal);   Apocalypse;   Christian Life;   Dependence;   Ear (2);   Ephesians Epistle to the;   Mystery ;   Pre-Eminence ;   Revelation (2);   Winter ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Dispensation,;   Mystery;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Priest;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Almost;   Ephesians, Epistle to the;   Epistle;   Mystery;   Paul, the Apostle;   Pauline Theology;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for May 23;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above.
King James Version (1611)
How that by reuelation hee made knowen vnto me the mysterie, (as I wrote afore in few words,
King James Version
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
English Standard Version
how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
New American Standard Bible
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before briefly.
New Century Version
He let me know his secret by showing it to me. I have already written a little about this.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
Legacy Standard Bible
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
Berean Standard Bible
that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.
Contemporary English Version
In fact, this letter tells you a little about how God has shown me his mysterious ways.
Complete Jewish Bible
and that it was by a revelation that this secret plan was made known to me. I have already written about it briefly,
Darby Translation
that by revelation the mystery has been made known to me, (according as I have written before briefly,
Easy-to-Read Version
God let me know his secret plan by showing it to me. I have already written a little about this.
Geneva Bible (1587)
That is, that God by reuelation hath shewed this mysterie vnto me (as I wrote aboue in fewe wordes,
George Lamsa Translation
For the mystery was made known to me by a revelation; as I have briefly written you before,
Good News Translation
God revealed his secret plan and made it known to me. (I have written briefly about this,
Lexham English Bible
According to revelation the mystery was made known to me, just as I wrote beforehand in brief,
Literal Translation
that by revelation He made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief,
Amplified Bible
and that by [divine] revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I have already written in brief.
American Standard Version
how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words,
Bible in Basic English
How by revelation the secret was made clear to me, as I said before in a short letter,
Hebrew Names Version
how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words,
International Standard Version
and how this secret was made known to me through a revelation, just as I wrote about briefly in the past.Acts 22:17,21; 26:17-18; Romans 16:25; Galatians 1:12; Ephesians 1:9-10; Colossians 1:26-27;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
that by revelation he made known to me the mystery, as I have written to you in few (words);
Murdock Translation
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, (as I have [fn] written to you in brief,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For by reuelation shewed he the misterie vnto me (as I wrote afore in fewe wordes:
English Revised Version
how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words,
World English Bible
how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
as I wrote before in few words,
Weymouth's New Testament
and that by a revelation the truth hitherto kept secret was made known to me as I have already briefly explained it to you.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For bi reuelacioun the sacrament is maad knowun to me, as Y aboue wroot in schort thing,
Update Bible Version
how that by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words,
Webster's Bible Translation
That by revelation he made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words;
New English Translation
that by revelation the divine secret was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly.
New King James Version
how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
New Living Translation
As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me.
New Life Bible
I wrote a little about this to you before. In a special way, God showed me His secret plan.
New Revised Standard
and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words,
Douay-Rheims Bible
How that, according to revelation, the mystery has been made known to me, as I have written above in a few words:
Revised Standard Version
how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For by revelacion shewed he this mistery vnto me as I wrote above in feawe wordes
Young's Literal Translation
that by revelation He made known to me the secret, according as I wrote before in few [words] --
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For by reuelacion was this mystery shewed vnto me, as I wrote aboue in fewe wordes:
Mace New Testament (1729)
having revealed to me the secret, I now mention'd in short,
Simplified Cowboy Version
As I've written before, God yanked me out of the saddle and showed me his crazy plan.

Contextual Overview

1 For this cause, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you the nations: - 2 If at least ye have heard of the administration of the favour of God which hath been given unto me for you, 3 How that, by way of revelation, was made known unto me the sacred secret, - even as I before wrote in brief, - 4 Respecting which ye can, by reading, perceive my discernment in the sacred secret of the Christ, - 5 Which, in other generations, had not been made known unto the sons of men, as it hath, now, been revealed by his holy apostles and prophets, in Spirit; - 6 That they who are of the nations should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through means of the glad-message, - 7 Of which I was made a minister, according to the free-gift of the favour of God which was given unto me, according to the energy of his power: 8 Unto me - the less than least of all saints, was given this favour, unto the nations, to announce the glad-message of the untraceable riches of the Christ, 9 And to bring to light - what is the administration of the sacred secret which had been hidden away from the ages in God, who did all things create: 10 In order that now, unto the principalities and the authorities in the heavenlies, might be made known, through means of the assembly, the manifold wisdom of God, -

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

by: Ephesians 1:17, Acts 22:17, Acts 22:21, Acts 23:9, Acts 26:15-19, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 2:10, Galatians 1:12, Galatians 1:16-19

the mystery: Ephesians 3:9, Romans 11:25, Romans 16:25, Colossians 1:26, Colossians 1:27

as I: Ephesians 1:9-11, Ephesians 2:11-22

afore: or, a little before

Reciprocal: Matthew 13:11 - mysteries Matthew 21:42 - and it is Luke 8:10 - Unto Acts 13:41 - for 1 Corinthians 2:16 - But 1 Corinthians 4:1 - mysteries 1 Corinthians 4:7 - who 1 Corinthians 14:2 - howbeit 1 Corinthians 15:51 - I show Galatians 1:11 - that Ephesians 6:19 - the mystery 1 Timothy 3:16 - the mystery 1 Peter 5:12 - I have Revelation 1:1 - Revelation Revelation 10:7 - the mystery

Cross-References

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, - The woman whom thou didst put with me, she, gave me of the tree, so I did eat.
Genesis 3:13
Then said Yahweh God to the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, the serpent, deceived me, so I did eat.
Genesis 3:16
Unto the woman, he said, I will, increase, thy pain of pregnancy, In pain, shalt thou year children, - Yet, unto thy husband, shall be thy hinging, Though, he, rule over thee.
Genesis 3:17
And, to the man, he said, Because thou didst hearken to the voice of thy wife, and so didst eat of the tree as to which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, Accursed be the ground for thy sake, In pain, shalt thou eat of it, all the days of thy life;
Genesis 20:6
And God said unto him in a dream, I, also, knew, that in the integrity of thy heart, thou didst this, so then, even I myself, withheld thee from sinning against me, for this reason, have I not suffered thee to touch her.
1 Chronicles 16:22
Ye may not touch mine Anointed ones, And, to my Prophets, may ye do no wrong.
Job 1:11
But, in very deed, put forth, I pray thee, thy hand, and smite all that he hath, - verily, unto thy face, will he curse thee.
Job 2:5
In very deed, put forth, I pray thee thy hand, and smite unto his bone, and unto his flesh, - verily, unto thy face, will he curse thee.
Job 19:21
Pity me! pity me! ye, my friends, for, the hand of GOD, hath stricken me!
1 Corinthians 7:1
Now, concerning the things whereof ye wrote, it were, good, for a man, not to touch, a woman;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery,.... Or "is made known unto me": so the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version. The Gospel, which is sometimes called a mystery, the mystery of the Gospel, the mystery of godliness, and the mystery of faith: the several doctrines of the Gospel are the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; such as a trinity of persons in the Godhead, the union of the two natures in Christ, the saints' union to Christ, and communion with him, the resurrection of the dead, and the change of living saints, and the whole doctrine of salvation by Christ, of justification by his righteousness, pardon by his blood, and atonement by his sacrifice; and this was made known to the apostle, not in a mere notional and speculative way, but in a spiritual and saving manner; not by men, for he was not taught by men, nor did he receive it from them, but had it by the revelation of Jesus Christ, and by the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

as I wrote afore in few words: in the two first chapters of this epistle, which are a compendium of the mystery of the Gospel, in its several parts; as predestination, election, redemption, regeneration, and salvation by free grace.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

How that by revelation - see the notes at Galatians 1:12. He refers to the revelation which was made to him when he was called to the apostolic office, that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles, and that he was converted for the special purpose of carrying it to them; see Acts 9:15; Acts 22:21.

Unto me the mystery - The hitherto concealed truth that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles; see the notes, Ephesians 1:9, on the meaning of the word “mystery.”

As I wrote afore in few words - Margin, “a little before.” To what this refers commentators are not agreed. Bloomfield, Doddridge, Rosenmuller, Erasmus, Grotius, Locke, and others, suppose that he refers to what he had written in the two previous chapters respecting the plan of God to call the Gentiles to his kingdom. Calvin supposes that he refers to some former epistle which he had written to them, but which is now lost. Hc remarks in regard to this, “If the solicitude of Paul be rightly considered; if his vigilance and assiduity; if his zeal and studious habits; if his kindness and promptitude in assisting his brethren, it is easy to suppose that he wrote many epistles publicly and privately to this place and to that place. But those only which the Lord saw necessary to the welfare of his church has he taken care to have preserved.” In this opinion there is nothing in itself improbable (compare introduction to Isaiah, section 5 (1)), but it may be doubted whether Paul here refers to any such epistle. The addition which he makes, “whereby, when ye read,” etc., seems rather to imply that he refers to what he had just written.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ephesians 3:3. By revelation he made known unto me — Instead of εγνωρισε, he made known, εγνωρισθη, was made known, is the reading of ABCD*FG, several others, both the Syriac, Coptic, Slavonic, Vulgate, and Itala, with Clemens, Cyril, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Damascenus, and others: it is doubtless the true reading.

The apostle wishes the Ephesians to understand that it was not an opinion of his own, or a doctrine which he was taught by others, or which he had gathered from the ancient prophets; but one that came to him by immediate revelation from God, as he had informed them before in a few words, referring to what he had said Ephesians 1:9-12.


 
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