EPH 3:9 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) and to enlighten everyone about the assignment of God’s incredible plan. God, the one who created everything, hid this plan away over the ages

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT and to reveal for everyone what is the administration of the mystery that was hidden from the ages in God, the one having created all things,

UST and to enable everyone to understand what God’s plan is. This plan is something that God, who created everything, has kept hidden from long ago.

3:9 NE and WH and to illuminate the stewardship; TR and to illuminate for everyone the fellowship

3:9 CT does not include through Jesus Christ.

BLB and to enlighten all what is the administration of the mystery having been hidden from the ages in God, the One having created all things,

AICNT and to enlighten [all] as to what is the administration of the mystery which has been hidden from the ages in God, who created all things [[through Jesus Christ]],[fn]

3:9, through Jesus Christ: Later manuscripts add. BYZ TR

OEB and to make clear what is God’s way of working out that hidden purpose which from the first has been concealed in the mind of the Creator of all things;

WEBBE and to make all men see what is the administration[fn] of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ,

3:9 TR reads “fellowship” instead of “administration”

WMBB and to make all men see what is the administration[fn] of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Yeshua the Messiah,

3:9 TR reads “fellowship” instead of “administration”

NET and to enlighten everyone about God’s secret plan – a secret that has been hidden for ages in God who has created all things.

LSV and to cause all to see what [is] the fellowship of the secret that has been hid from the ages in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ,

FBV and to help everyone see the purpose of the mystery which from the very beginning was hidden in God who made everything.

TCNT and to bring to light [fn]for everyone the [fn]plan of the mystery that has been hidden for ages in God, who created all things [fn]through Jesus Christ.

3:9 for everyone ¦ — WH

3:9 plan ¦ fellowship TR

3:9 through Jesus Christ ¦ — CT

T4T and to enable everyone to understand clearly how God accomplished what he planned. God, who created everything, has now revealed this message, which he never revealed to anyone before.

LEB and to enlighten everyone as to what is the administration of the mystery hidden from the ages by God, who created all things,

BBE And make all men see what is the ordering of the secret which from the first has been kept in God who made all things;

Moff and enlighten all men upon the new order of that divine secret which God the Creator of all concealed from eternity —

Wymth and to show all men in a clear light what my stewardship is. It is the stewardship of the truth which from all the Ages lay concealed in the mind of God, the Creator of all things—

ASV and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things;

DRA And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things:

YLT and to cause all to see what [is] the fellowship of the secret that hath been hid from the ages in God, who the all things did create by Jesus Christ,

Drby and to enlighten all [with the knowledge of] what is the administration of the mystery hidden throughout the ages in [fn]God, who has created all things,

3.9 Elohim

RV and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which from all ages hath been hid in God who created all things;
(and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which from all ages hath/has been hid in God who created all things; )

SLT And to enlighten all what the distribution of the mystery, concealed from times immemorial in God, having created all things by Jesus Christ:

Wbstr And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

KJB-1769 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
(And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath/has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: )

KJB-1611 And to make all men see, what is the fellowship of the mysterie, which from the beginning of the world, hath bene hid in God, who created all things by Iesus Christ:
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps And to bring to lyght to all men what the felowship of the misterie is whiche from the begynnyng of the world hath ben hid in god, which made all thinges through Iesus Christe:
(And to bring to light to all men what the fellowship of the mystery is which from the beginning of the world hath/has been hid in god, which made all things through Yesus/Yeshua Christ:)

Gnva And to make cleare vnto all men what the fellowship of the mysterie is, which from the beginning of the world hath bene hid in God, who hath created all things by Iesus Christ,
(And to make clear unto all men what the fellowship of the mystery is, which from the beginning of the world hath/has been hid in God, who hath/has created all things by Yesus/Yeshua Christ, )

Cvdl and to make all men se, what is the fellishippe of the mystery, which fro the begynnynge of the worlde hath bene hyd in God, which made all thiges thorow Iesus Christ:
(and to make all men see, what is the fellishippe of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath/has been hid in God, which made all things through Yesus/Yeshua Christ:)

TNT and to make all men se what the felyshippe of the mistery is which from the begynnynge of the worlde hath bene hid in God which made all thynges thorow Iesus Christ
(and to make all men see what the felyshippe of the mystery is which from the beginning of the world hath/has been hid in God which made all things through Yesus/Yeshua Christ )

Wycl which is the dispensacioun of sacrament hid fro worldis in God, that made alle thingis of nouyt;
(which is the dispensacioun of sacrament hid from worlds in God, that made all things of naught/nothing;)

Luth und zu erleuchten jedermann, welche da sei die Gemeinschaft des Geheimnisses, das von der Welt her in GOtt verborgen gewesen ist, der alle Dinge geschaffen hat durch JEsum Christum,
(and to/for ershine/glow anyone, which there be the Gemeinschaft the secret/mysteryses, the from the/of_the world her in God hidden/concealed been is, the/of_the all things created/made has through Yesum Christum,)

ClVg et illuminare omnes, quæ sit dispensatio sacramenti absconditi a sæculis in Deo, qui omnia creavit:[fn]
(and to_illuminate everyone, which be dispensatio sacramenti hidden from of_the_world/of_the_agess in/into/on to_God, who/which everything created: )

3.9 Absconditi a sæculis. In mundo absconditæ sunt causæ rationabiles omnium rerum, quæ naturaliter fiunt, sicut absconditus fuit Levi in lumbis Abrahæ, quando decimatus est. In Deo autem absconditæ sunt causæ eorum quæ per gratiam fiunt, sive eorum quæ ad hoc significandum mirabiliter et non naturaliter fiunt, quæ ministrantibus angelis facta sunt. In Deo. Habet enim Deus in seipso absconditas quorumdam factorum causas, quas rebus conditis non inseruit, easque implet, non illo opere providentiæ, quo naturas substituit ut sint, sed eo quo illas administrat ut voluerit, quas, ut voluit, condidit. Ibi est et gratia per quam salvi fiunt peccatores. Non enim per naturam vitio depravatam, sed per Dei gratiam homo restauratur.

3.9 Absconditi from of_the_world/of_the_agess. In to_the_world hidæ are causes rationabiles of_all things, which naturally are_made, like hidden it_was Levi in/into/on waist Abrahæ, when tenthtus it_is. In to_God however hidæ are causes their which through grace are_made, if/or their which to this significandum wonderfully and not/no naturally are_made, which ministrantibus to/by/with_the_messengers/angels facts are. In to_God. Habet because God in/into/on to_himself hiddens of_some_people donerum causes, which things conditis not/no inseruit, themque fills, not/no that/there by_work providentiæ, where naturas substituit as let_them_be, but by_him where those administrat as wanted, quas, as wanted, condidit. There it_is and grace through how be_saved are_made sinners. Not/No because through nature spoil/with_fault depravatam, but through of_God grace human restauratur.

UGNT καὶ φωτίσαι πάντας, τίς ἡ οἰκονομία τοῦ μυστηρίου, τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐν τῷ Θεῷ, τῷ τὰ πάντα κτίσαντι,
(kai fōtisai pantas, tis haʸ oikonomia tou mustaʸriou, tou apokekrummenou apo tōn aiōnōn en tōi Theōi, tōi ta panta ktisanti,)

SBL-GNT καὶ φωτίσαι ⸀πάντας τίς ἡ οἰκονομία τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐν τῷ θεῷ τῷ τὰ πάντα ⸀κτίσαντι,
(kai fōtisai ⸀pantas tis haʸ oikonomia tou mustaʸriou tou apokekrummenou apo tōn aiōnōn en tōi theōi tōi ta panta ⸀ktisanti,)

RP-GNT καὶ φωτίσαι πάντας τίς ἡ οἰκονομία τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐν τῷ θεῷ τῷ τὰ πάντα κτίσαντι διὰ Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ,
(kai fōtisai pantas tis haʸ oikonomia tou mustaʸriou tou apokekrummenou apo tōn aiōnōn en tōi theōi tōi ta panta ktisanti dia Yaʸsou ⱪristou,)

TC-GNT καὶ φωτίσαι [fn]πάντας τίς ἡ [fn]οἰκονομία τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐν τῷ Θεῷ τῷ τὰ πάντα κτίσαντι [fn]διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,
(kai fōtisai pantas tis haʸ oikonomia tou mustaʸriou tou apokekrummenou apo tōn aiōnōn en tōi Theōi tōi ta panta ktisanti dia Yaʸsou Ⱪristou, )

3:9 παντας ¦ — WH

3:9 οικονομια ¦ κοινωνια TR

3:9 δια ιησου χριστου ¦ — CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN 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.

3:9a

and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery,

He also gave me the work of explaining to all people how he would accomplish his plan.
And God chose me to explain to all people how he will accomplish his secret plan.

and: Notice the word and at the beginning of 3:9. God gave Paul two things to do:

preach the gospel to the Gentiles (3:8b) and
explain how God will accomplish his plan (3:9a).

to illuminate: Some other ways to say to illuminate are:

explain (as in GW and NLT)

help everyone understand (CEV)

the stewardship of this mystery: The Greek word which the BSB translates as stewardship refers to how something is put into effect, accomplished, administered or caused to be done. For example:

how God’s secret plan is to be put into effect (GNT)

the way people/someone will accomplish God’s hidden plan

See how you translated “administration of God’s grace” in 3:2b.

mystery: The word mystery in this context means “something that was formerly unknown to people but has recently been revealed or explained.” See how you translated it in 3:3a, 3:4b, and 3:6a.

3:9b

which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

God, who created all things, kept this plan hidden from the eyes of men formerly.
From the very beginning when God created everything until now, he had not revealed this plan to anyone.

which: The word which refers back to “the mystery” that Paul just mentioned.

for ages past: The phrase for ages past refers to all of past time, including all the time before God created the world. In all that time, God had not revealed his plan to anyone. But now he had revealed it clearly to Paul and the other apostles and prophets.

Some other ways this phrase has been translated include:

through all the past ages (GNT)

from the beginning (NLT)

since the beginning of time (NCV)

was kept hidden in God: The phrase was kept hidden in God is a figure of speech. Its meaning here is “God kept it hidden from people”

Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

was kept secret by God

God never revealed it to anyone before

It is also passive. Some ways to make this active are:

God kept his plan hidden from people

He kept his plan to himself, in his own heart

He did not tell anyone about it.

who created all things: Consider what is the best way to translate this clause in your language:

literally, as a relative clause (“God who created…”) This is how the BSB and many other English versions have translated it.
as an independent clause (“God created…”). For example:
God created everything

If you translate it as a relative clause, the reader must not think that it means that there is more than one God. It does not mean that there are two Gods: one God who created all things, and another God who did not create all things.

General Comment on 3:9b

In Greek the phrase “who created all things” occurs at the end of 3:9b, however many English versions have moved this clause to the beginning of 3:9b. For example:

God, who is the Creator of all things, kept his secret hidden through all the past ages (GNT)

God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning (NLT)

God, the one who created everything

Place this phrase in 3:9 where it would be most natural to occur.

Parallel EPH 3:9

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

Paragraph 3:7–13

3:9a

3:9b

General Comment on 3:9b