EPH 3:10 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. ἵνα
2. hina
3. in order that
4. -
5. 24430
6. C·······
7. in_order_that
8. in_order_that
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129013
1. γνωρισθῇ
2. gnōrizō
3. may be made known
4. -
5. 11070
6. VSAP3··S
7. ˓may_be˒ made_known
8. ˓may_be˒ made_known
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129014
1. νῦν
2. nun
3. now
4. -
5. 35680
6. D·······
7. now
8. now
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129015
1. ταῖς
2. ho
3. to the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DFP
7. ˱to˲ the
8. ˱to˲ the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129016
1. ἀρχαῖς
2. arχē
3. rulers
4. rulers
5. 7460
6. N····DFP
7. rulers
8. rulers
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129017
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. and
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129018
1. ταῖς
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DFP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129019
1. ἐξουσίαις
2. exousia
3. authorities
4. authorities
5. 18490
6. N····DFP
7. authorities
8. authorities
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129020
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129021
1. τοῖς
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DNP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129022
1. ἐπουρανίοις
2. epouranios
3. heavenly realms
4. heavenly realms
5. 20320
6. S····DNP
7. heavenly ‹realms›
8. heavenly ‹realms›
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129023
1. διά
2. dia
3. through
4. through
5. 12230
6. P·······
7. through
8. through
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129024
1. τῆς
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129025
1. ἐκκλησίας
2. ekklēsia
3. assembly
4. -
5. 15770
6. N····GFS
7. assembly
8. assembly
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129026
1. ἡ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129027
1. πολυποίκιλος
2. polupoikilos
3. manifold
4. -
5. 41820
6. A····NFS
7. manifold
8. manifold
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129028
1. σοφία
2. sofia
3. wisdom
4. wisdom
5. 46780
6. N····NFS
7. wisdom
8. wisdom
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129029
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129030
1. Θεοῦ
2. theos
3. of god
4. God
5. 23160
6. N····GMS
7. ˱of˲ god
8. ˱of˲ God
9. GN
10. Y64; Person=God
11. 129031

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–13: God sent Paul to preach the good news to the non-Jews

In 3:1, Paul was about to pray for the Christians. Instead, in 3:2 he stopped his sentence and began to write about the special work that God had given him. It was not until 3:14 that Paul resumed his prayer.

The special work that God had given Paul was to preach God’s message to the Gentiles. The blessings of God are for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews, but God had hidden this great truth for a long time. Then God gave Paul the task of telling people about this truth. In this way, everyone would know that God was very wise and loving because he saved both Jews and Gentiles and united them into one church.

Here are some other titles for this section:

God’s mysterious plan revealed (NLT)

Paul’s work in telling the Good News (NCV)

God’s plan to unite Jews and Gentiles in Christ is revealed to Paul

Paragraph 3:7–13

In the previous verses 3:3–6, Paul talked about God’s mystery/plan. However, beginning in 3:7, he changed topics. Here he talked about his work preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.

Even though Paul was not one of the twelve apostles, God gave him the work of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. God intended that through the church, made up of Jews and Gentiles, all the angels and evil spirits would see his wisdom. So Paul urged the Christians not to be discouraged by the fact that he was suffering in prison. He reminded them that it was for their honor that he was suffering in prison.

3:10a

His purpose was that now, through the church,

His purpose was to now use the church
God’s purpose was to now show all the angels and evil spirits

His purpose was that now: In the Greek text, 3:10 begins with a conjunction often translated as “so that” or “in order that.”It is the Greek conjunction “hina.” This conjunction shows that 3:10 is the purpose of 3:8–9. For example:

^3:8bthis grace was given me: ^3:8cto preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ^3:9aand to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery…

^3:10 in order that…the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities…

English versions frequently translate this conjunction as “in order that” or “so that.” For example:

in order that at the present time (GNT)

The BSB and other versions have tried to make the connection clearer by translating this conjunction with a clause. Some other ways that English versions translate this conjunction are:

God’s purpose in all this was… (NLT)

He did this so that now… (GW)

through the church: The phrase through the church refers to the church as the means by which the rulers and authorities would come to know God’s wisdom. For example:

God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (NLT)

church: The word church refers to all believers in Christ throughout the world. In the New Testament, the word church never refers to a building. See how you translated church in 1:22b. See church in the Glossary for more information.

3:10b

the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

to make known his many kinds of wisdom to all the spirit beings who rule and have authority in the unseen world.
how wise he is in everything. God uses the church as an example of this,

the manifold wisdom of God: The Greek word that the BSB translates as manifold literally means “many-sided,” or “very varied.” So the phrase manifold wisdom means that God is “wise in all ways.” He is not just wise in one area.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

his infinite wisdom (GW)

he has many different kinds of wisdom (CEV)

God’s wisdom, which has so many forms (NCV)

God is very wise in everything he does

should be made known: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as should be made known is a passive. If it would be more natural in your language to make this active, you can:

supply God as the agent. For example:
God/he should make known
supply God as the agent and translate the verb as “show.” For example:
God’s purpose was to show his wisdom (NLT96)
make rulers and authorities the subject. For example:
the rulers and powers in the heavenly world will now know God’s wisdom (NCV)

to the rulers and authorities: The words rulers and authorities can refer to either:

human beings who rule on earth or
spirit beings who rule in the heavens

In this context with the phrase “in the heavenly realms” that follows, these words refer to spirit beings. These beings are good angels and evil spirits. These are probably the same spiritual powers Paul talked about in 1:21a.

Here are some other ways to translate these words:

angelic rulers and powers (GNT)

unseen rulers and authorities (NLT)

in the heavenly realms: The phrase the heavenly realms refers to the area above the earth where the spirits were thought to live. This does not refer to heaven where God is.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

in the heavenly world (GNT)

in the heavenly places (NLT)

in the spiritual world (CEV)

General Comment on 3:10a–b

In some languages it may be more natural to put the phrase “through the church” in 3:10a at the end of 3:10b. See the second meaning line for these verses for an example.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

ἵνα

in_order_that

The connecting phrase so that introduces a goal relationship. The goal or purpose of God revealing the mystery of the church to Paul is to enable the rulers in the heavenly places to see the wisdom of God.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

γνωρισθῇ & ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις & ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ

˓may_be˒_made_known & ˱to˲_the rulers (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἵνα γνωρισθῇ νῦν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καί ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις διά τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ)

If your language does not use this passive form, you can state this in active form. Alternate translation: [God may make his great wisdom known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις

˱to˲_the rulers the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἵνα γνωρισθῇ νῦν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καί ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις διά τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ)

The words rulers and authorities share similar meanings. Paul uses them together to emphasize that every spiritual being will know God’s wisdom. If your language does not have two words for this, you can use one. Alternate translation: [ruling authorities]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις

in the heavenly_‹realms›

The phrase heavenly places refers to the place where God is. See how this is translated in [Ephesians 1:3](../01/03.md). Alternate translation: [in the supernatural world]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ

the manifold wisdom ¬the ˱of˲_God

Paul talks of God’s wisdom as though it were an object with many surfaces. Alternate translation: [the complex wisdom of God] or [how extremely wise God is]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. in order that
2. -
3. 24430
5. hina
6. C-·······
7. in_order_that
8. in_order_that
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129013
1. may be made known
2. -
3. 11070
5. gnōrizō
6. V-SAP3··S
7. ˓may_be˒ made_known
8. ˓may_be˒ made_known
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129014
1. now
2. -
3. 35680
5. nun
6. D-·······
7. now
8. now
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129015
1. to the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····DFP
7. ˱to˲ the
8. ˱to˲ the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129016
1. rulers
2. rulers
3. 7460
5. arχē
6. N-····DFP
7. rulers
8. rulers
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129017
1. and
2. and
3. 25320
5. kai
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129018
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····DFP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129019
1. authorities
2. authorities
3. 18490
5. exousia
6. N-····DFP
7. authorities
8. authorities
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129020
1. in
2. -
3. 17220
5. en
6. P-·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129021
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····DNP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129022
1. heavenly realms
2. heavenly realms
3. 20320
5. epouranios
6. S-····DNP
7. heavenly ‹realms›
8. heavenly ‹realms›
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129023
1. through
2. through
3. 12230
5. dia
6. P-·······
7. through
8. through
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129024
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····GFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129025
1. assembly
2. -
3. 15770
5. ekklēsia
6. N-····GFS
7. assembly
8. assembly
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129026
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····NFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129027
1. manifold
2. -
3. 41820
5. polupoikilos
6. A-····NFS
7. manifold
8. manifold
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129028
1. wisdom
2. wisdom
3. 46780
5. sofia
6. N-····NFS
7. wisdom
8. wisdom
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129029
1. of
2. God
3. 23160
4. GN
5. theos
6. N-····GMS
7. ˱of˲ god
8. ˱of˲ God
9. GN
10. Y64; Person=God
11. 129031
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····GMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129030
1. god
2. God
3. 23160
4. GN
5. theos
6. N-····GMS
7. ˱of˲ god
8. ˱of˲ God
9. GN
10. Y64; Person=God
11. 129031

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.