Ephesians 1 · Verse 17

Ephesians 1:17

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Ephesians 1:17, King James Version

Ephesians 1:17 in other translations

BSBthat the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him.
WEBthat the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,
ASVthat the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;
YLTthat the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of the glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the recognition of him,
DARBYthat the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him,
BBEThat the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;
WebsterThat the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

What does Ephesians 1:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. A fit prayer for all Christians. the God of our Lord Jesus--appropriate title here; as in Ep 1:20-22 he treats of God's raising Jesus to be Head over all things to the Church. Jesus Himself called the Father "My God" (Mt 27:46). the Father of glory--(Compare Ac 7:2). The Father of that infinite glory which shines in the face of Christ, who is "the glory" (the true Shekinah); through whom also "the glory of the inheritance" (Ep 1:18) shall be ours (Joh 17:24; 2Co 3:7-4:6). the spirit of wisdom--whose attribute is infinite wisdom and who works wisdom in believers (Is 11:2). and revelation--whose function it is to reveal to believers spiritual mysteries (Joh 16:14, 15; 1Co 2:10). in the knowledge--rather, as Greek (see on 1Co 13:12), "in the full knowledge of Him," namely, God.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. The God who has sent the Lord Jesus into the world, and appointed him as the Mediator between himself and man. The particular reason why Paul here speaks of him as "the God of the Lord Jesus" is, that he prays that they might be further acquainted with the Redeemer, and be enlightened in regard to the great work which he came to do.

The Father of glory. The glorious Father, that is, the Father who is worthy to be praised and honoured.

May give unto you the spirit of wisdom. May make you wise to understand the great doctrines of the religion of the Redeemer.

And revelation. That is, revealing to you more and more of the character of the Redeemer, and of the nature and results of his work. It is probable here that by the word "Spirit" the apostle refers to the Holy Spirit as the Author of all wisdom, and the Revealer of all truth. His prayer is, that God would grant to them the Holy Spirit to make them wise, and to reveal his will to them.

In the knowledge of him. Marg., for the acknowledgment. That is, in order that you may more fully acknowledge him, or know him more intimately and thoroughly. They had already made high attainments, (Eph 1:15,) but Paul felt that they might make still higher; and the idea here is, that however far Christians may have advanced in knowledge and in love, there is an unfathomed depth of knowledge which they may still explore, and which they should be exhorted still to attempt to fathom. How far was Paul from supposing that the Ephesians had attained to perfection!

(d) "God of our Lord Jesus Christ" Jn 20:17 (e) "wisdom and revelation" Col 1:9 (1) "in the knowledge" "for the acknowledgement"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus - Jesus Christ, as man and mediator, has the Father for his God and Father: and it is in reference to this that he himself says: I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God; Joh 20:17. The Father of glory - The author and giver of that glory which you expect at the end of your Christian race. This may be a Hebraism for glorious Father, but the former appears to be the best sense. The Spirit of wisdom and revelation - I pray that God may give you his Holy Spirit, by whom his will is revealed to men, that he may teach and make you wise unto salvation, that you may continue to acknowledge him, Christ Jesus, as your only Lord and Savior.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ephesians 1:15-23

God has laid up spiritual blessings for us in his Son the Lord Jesus; but requires us to draw them out and fetch them in by prayer. Even the best Christians need to be prayed for: and while we hear of the welfare of Christian friends, we should pray for them. Even true believers greatly want heavenly wisdom. Are not the best of us unwilling to come under God's yoke, though there is no other way to find rest for the…

Read the full comment on Ephesians 1:15-23 →

Ephesians 1:17 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἵναinathatG2443
ὁhotheG3588
θεὸςtheosGodG2316
τοῦtouof theG3588
κυρίουkuriouLordG2962
ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165
ἸησοῦIēsouJesusG2424
Χριστοῦ,ChristouChrist,G5547
ὁhotheG3588
πατὴρpatērFatherG3962
τῆςtēs<the>G3588
δόξης,doxēsof glory,G1391
δώῃdōēmay giveG1325
ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771
πνεῦμαpneuma[a] spiritG4151
σοφίαςsophiasof wisdomG4678
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀποκαλύψεωςapokalupseōsrevelationG602
ἐνeninG1722
ἐπιγνώσειepignōsei[the] knowledgeG1922
αὐτοῦ,autouof Him,G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ephesians 1:17

  • Isaiah 11:2

    And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

  • James 3:17-18

    But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

  • Colossians 1:9-10

    For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

  • Proverbs 2:5

    Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

  • 2 Peter 1:3

    According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

  • Ephesians 3:18-19

    May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

  • 2 Peter 3:18

    But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

  • John 17:3

    And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

  • Ephesians 1:3

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

  • Matthew 11:27

    All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

  • 1 Corinthians 2:10

    But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

  • Matthew 6:13

    And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the God.
3; Joh 20:17
the Father.
1Ch 29:11; Ps 24:7,10; 29:3; Jer 2:11; Mt 6:13; Lu 2:14; Ac 7:2
1Co 2:8; Jas 2:1; Re 7:12
the spirit.
Ge 41:38,39; Isa 11:2; Da 5:11; Lu 12:12; 21:15; Joh 14:17,26
Ac 6:10; 1Co 12:8; 14:6; Col 1:9; 2:3; Jas 3:17,18
revelation.
3:5; Da 2:28-30; 10:1; Mt 11:25; 16:17; 1Co 2:10; 2Co 12:1
in the knowledge. or, for the acknowledgement.
3:18,19; Pr 2:5; Jer 9:24; 24:7; 31:34; Mt 11:27; Joh 8:54,55; 16:3
Joh 17:3,25,26; Ro 1:28; Col 1:10; 2:2; 2Ti 2:25; Tit 1:1; 2Pe 1:3
2Pe 3:18; 1Jo 2:3,4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ephesians 1:16

    Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

  • Ephesians 1:17

    That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

  • Ephesians 1:18

    The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Read all of Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Que el Dios del Señor nuestro Jesucristo, el Padre de gloria, os dé espíritu de sabiduría y de revelación para su conocimiento;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		afin que le Dieu de notre seigneur Jésus Christ, le Père de gloire, vous donne l’esprit de sagesse et de révélation dans sa connaissance,
German
Elberfelder 1871		auf daß der Gott unseres Herrn Jesu Christi, der Vater der Herrlichkeit, euch gebe den Geist der Weisheit und Offenbarung in der Erkenntnis seiner selbst,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		ut Deus, Domini nostri Jesu Christi Pater gloriæ, det vobis spiritum sapientiæ et revelationis in agnitione ejus,