2.7 KiB
Connecting Statement:
Paul continues the prayer he began in Ephesians 3:14.
that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, that you will be rooted and grounded in his love
This is the second item for which Paul prays that God will "grant" the Ephesians "according to the riches of his glory." The first is that they would "be strengthened" (Ephesians 3:16).
hearts through faith
Here "heart" represents a person's inner being, and "through" expresses the means by which Christ lives within the believer. Christ lives in the hearts of believers because God graciously allows them to have faith. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
faith, that you will be rooted and grounded in his love. May you have strength so you can understand
Possible meanings are 1) "faith. I pray that you will be rooted and grounded in his love so that you can understand" or 2) "faith so you will be rooted and grounded in his love. I also pray that you can understand"
that you will be rooted and grounded in his love
Paul speaks of their faith as if it were a tree that has deep roots or a house built on a solid foundation. AT: "that you will be like a firmly rooted tree and a building built on stone" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
so you can understand
This is the second item for which Paul bends his knees and prays; the first is that God will grant that they be strengthened (Ephesians 3:16) and that Christ may live in their hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:17). And "understand" is the first thing that Paul prays that the Ephesians themselves will be able to do.
all the believers
"all believers in Christ" or "all the saints"
the width, the length, the height, and the depth
Possible meanings are 1) these words describe the greatness of God's wisdom, AT: "how very wise God is" or 2) these word describe the intensity of Christ's love for us. AT: "how much Christ loves us" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
that you may know the love of Christ
This is the second thing that Paul prays that the Ephesians will be able to do; the first is that they "understand." AT: "that you can know how great Christ's love for us is"
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God
This is the third item for which Paul bends his knees and prays (Ephesians 3:14-16). The first is that they would "be strengthened" (Ephesians 3:16), and the second is that they "can understand" (3:18).