(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
The Mystery of the Gospel
- For this reason, I Paul, am the prisoner of Jesus the Anointed for you the gentiles,
- if indeed you heard of the stewardship of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
- that He made known to me the mystery by revelation, just as I wrote before in brief.
- Which by reading it, you’re able to comprehend my understanding in the mystery of the Anointed,
- which wasn’t made known to the sons of men in other generations as it now was revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit,
- for the gentiles to be fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Jesus the Anointed through the gospel,
- of which I became a servant according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me, according to the work of His power.
- This grace was given to me – who’s less than the least of all saints – to proclaim to the gentiles the gospel of the incomprehensible richness of the Anointed,
- and to enlighten all men to see what is the stewardship of the mystery *hidden from the ages by God, the One who created all things.
- So now, the multi-faceted wisdom of God would be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms through the church,
- according to the plan of ages, which He accomplished in Jesus the Anointed, our Lord,
- in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
God’s Love and Glory
- Therefore, I beg you not to grow weary at my afflictions for you, which is your glory.
- For this reason, I bow my knees in prayer to the Father [of our Lord Jesus the Anointed],
- from whom every family line1“family line” is one word in Greek and refers to a group of people descended from a common ancestor. Thus, it can mean a family, tribe, or even a nation with a common ancestor. in the heavens and on the earth is named,
- so according to the richness of His glory, He might grant you to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit,
- for the Anointed to dwell in your hearts through faith, *rooted and *grounded in ^love,
- so you might be strong enough to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth,
- and to know the ^love of the Anointed that’s surpassing knowledge so you might be filled into all the fullness of God.
- Now, to the One able to do far above all things that we ask or think according to the power working in us,
- to Him be the glory in the church and in Jesus the Anointed throughout all generations, through the age of the ages.2“through the age of the ages” is literal, though most translations render it “forever and ever”. While that could be the intended sense, “through the age of the ages” quite possibly indicates the “greatest of all the ages”, much in the same way we might say the “battles of battles” to indicate the greatest battle ever. This would likely refer to the “age” of the New Heavens and New Earth in Revelation 21-22, which will indeed last forever. Amen.
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