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Efesiërs 3

Paulus het hard gewerk vir die gelowiges in Efese

1 Ek, Paulus, is nou in die tronk omdat ek aan Christus behoort. Ek is in die tronk omdat ek vir julle van Hom vertel het, julle wat theidene is. 2 Julle het gehoor dat God goed was vir my en dat Hy vir my die werk gegee het om vir julle te vertel dat God ook vir júlle goed is. 3 Julle het gehoor dat Hy vir my gesê en gewys het wat sy boodskap oor Christus is, die boodskap wat niemand voorheen geken het nie. Dit is wat ek in hierdie brief klaar vir julle geskryf het. 4 Wanneer julle nou verder lees, dan sal julle weet dat ek die boodskap oor Christus verstaan. 5 God het nou sy Gees gestuur om dit vir sy tgewyde apostels en tprofete te bring. Hy het die boodskap nie so gestuur vir die mense wat voorheen gelewe het nie.

6 Daardie boodskap is: Julle is heidene, maar julle behoort aan Christus Jesus en julle glo die goeie boodskap. Daarom gee God nou ook vir julle baie goeie dinge, soos Hy vir die Jode gegee het. Julle en die Jode is nou almal saam, julle is soos een liggaam. En julle sal ook kry wat God belowe het.
7 Nou is dit my werk om die goeie boodskap vir julle te bring. Dit is die present wat God vir my gegee het. God was goed vir my, Hy is sterk en Hy het my verander. 8 Ja, God was baie goed vir my. Ek is minder belangrik as al die ander mense wat aan God behoort, maar God het gesê ek moet die goeie boodskap vir die heidene bring. Die goeie boodskap is dat Christus baie goeie dinge vir mense gee, baie meer as wat hulle kan weet. 9 God wat alles gemaak het, het eeue lank vir niemand gesê wat Hy wil doen nie, niemand het sy boodskap oor Christus geken nie. Maar nou het God gesê ek moet vir almal help om te verstaan wat Hy doen. 10 Daarom kan die kerk nou vir almal en alles wat oor die wêreld wil regeer, vertel van die wonderlike twysheid van God. 11 God het lank gelede besluit wat Hy wou doen. Hy het Christus Jesus, ons Here, gestuur om dit te doen. 12 Ons behoort aan Christus en ons glo in Hom. Daarom is ons nie bang om vir God iets te vra nie. Ons glo dat God sal doen wat Hy gesê het.

13 Ek bid dat julle nie moedeloos sal word omdat ek swaarkry nie. Nee, julle kan trots wees dat ek swaarkry.

Paulus bid vir die gelowiges in Efese


14 God is baie goed vir ons. Daarom kniel ek en bid ek tot Hom, ons Vader. 15 Hy is die Vader wat almal laat lewe, almal in die hemel en op die aarde. 16 Ek bid en vra vir God, ons Koning, dat Hy die Heilige Gees moet gebruik en dat Hy julle moet help sodat die geloof in julle harte sterker word. 17 Ek bid dat julle sal glo in Christus, dat Hy in julle harte sal woon en dat julle lewens heeltemal vol liefde sal wees. 18 Dan sal julle weet hoe groot Christus se liefde vir julle is, hoe wyd, hoe lank, hoe hoog en hoe diep dit is. Julle sal dit weet saam met die ander mense wat aan God behoort.

19 Julle kan seker wees dat Christus lief is vir julle, baie meer as wat julle besef. Dan sal julle presies wees soos God wil hê julle moet wees.
20-21 Ja, die kerk, almal wat aan Christus Jesus behoort, moet vir God prys, want God is baie sterk. En Hy gebruik sy krag in ons. Hy kan baie meer doen as wat ons dink of vir Hom vra. Almal moet Hom, ons Koning, altyd prys. Amen.

Ephesians 3

Paul Is the Messenger to Non-Jews

1 I, Paul, am a prisoner because of Christ Jesus. I am in prison because of my work among you who are not Jews.
2 I am sure you have heard that God appointed me to share his grace with you.3 I'm talking about the mystery God showed me. I have already written a little about it.4 By reading it you will be able to understand what I know about the mystery of Christ.
5 The mystery was not made known to people of other times. But now the Holy Spirit has made it known to God's holy apostles and prophets.
6 Here is the mystery. Because of the good news, God's promises are for non-Jews as well as for Jews. Both groups are parts of one body. They share in the promise. It belongs to them because they belong to Christ Jesus.
7 I now serve the good news because God gave me his grace. His power is at work in me.8 I am by far the least important of all of God's people. But he gave me the grace to preach to the non-Jews about the wonderful riches that Christ gives.
9 God told me to make clear to everyone how the mystery came about. In times past it was kept hidden in the mind of God, who created all things.10 He wanted the rulers and authorities in the heavenly world to come to know his great wisdom. The church would make it known to them.
11 That was God's plan from the beginning. He has worked it out through Christ Jesus our Lord.12 Through him and through faith in him we can approach God. We can come to him freely. We can come without fear.
13 So here is what I'm asking you to do. Don't lose hope because I am suffering for you. It will lead to the time when God will give you his glory.

Paul Prays for God's People

14 I bow in prayer to the Father because of my work among you.15 From the Father his whole family in heaven and on earth gets its name.
16 I pray that he will use his glorious riches to make you strong. May his Holy Spirit give you his power deep down inside you.17 Then Christ will live in your hearts because you believe in him.
And I pray that your love will have deep roots. I pray that it will have a strong foundation.18 May you have power with all God's people to understand Christ's love. May you know how wide and long and high and deep it is.19 And may you know his love, even though it can't be known completely. Then you will be filled with everything God has for you.
20 God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine. He does everything by his power that is working in us.21 Give him glory in the church and in Christ Jesus. Give him glory through all time and for ever and ever. Amen.