Ephesians 3 · Verse 11

Ephesians 3:11

According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Ephesians 3:11, King James Version

Ephesians 3:11 in other translations

BSB	according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
WEB	according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
ASV	according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
YLT	according to a purpose of the ages, which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord,
DARBY	according to the purpose of the ages, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord,
BBE	Which is seen in his eternal purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord:
Webster	According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

What does Ephesians 3:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. which he purposed--Greek, "made." Ellicott translates, "wrought."

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 11. According to the eternal purpose. Eph 1:4:. Literally, "the purpose of ages," or of eternity. Locke, Chandler, and Whitby render this, "according to that disposition or arrangement of the ages which he made in Jesus Christ, or through him." The object of such an interpretation seems to be to avoid the doctrine that God had a purpose or plan in the salvation of men, and hence such expositors suppose it refers to the arrangement of the ages of the world by which the plan of redemption was introduced. On the word here rendered purpose--προθεσις-- Rom 8:28. Comp. Eph 1:11. It is rendered shewbread-- "the bread of setting before," Mt 12:4, Mk 2:26, Lk 6:4, Heb 9:2; purpose, Acts 11:23, Acts 27:13, Rom 8:28, 9:11, Eph 1:11, 3:11, 2Ti 1:9; 2Ti 3:10. It does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. In most of these cases it refers to the purpose or intention of God; in not a single case does it mean arrangement or disposition in any sense like that of making an arrangement of ages or periods of the world; and the interpretation proposed by Whitby, Locke, Clarke, and others, is wholly at variance with the settled use of the word. The word rendered eternal--αιωνων--may mean ages; but it also most usually means eternity. See Eph 3:9. Here it may mean "the purpose of ages;" i.e., the purpose formed in past ages; but the word is most commonly used in the New Testament in the sense of ever, and for ever. Comp. the following places, where it is so rendered in our common version, and beyond a doubt correctly: Mt 6:13, 21:19, Mk 3:29, 11:14, Lk 1:33,55; Jn 4:14, 6:51,58, 8:35, 14:16, Romm 1:25, 9:5, 11:36, 16:27, 2Cor 9:9; 2Cor 11:31, Gal 1:5. The fair meaning of the passage here is, that God had formed a plan which was eternal in reference to the salvation of men; that that plan had reference to the Lord Jesus; and that it was now executed by the gospel. It is impossible to get away from the idea that God has a plan. It is too often affirmed in the Scriptures, and is too consonant with our reason to be disputed. It is as undesirable as it is impossible to escape from that idea. Who could respect or honour an intelligent Being that had no plan, no purpose, no intention, and that did all things by caprice and hap-hazard? If God has any plan, it must be eternal. He has no new schemes; he has no intentions which he did not always have.

Which he purposed. Literally, "which he made."

In Christ Jesus. With reference to him; or which were to be executed through him. The eternal plan had respect to him, and was to be executed by his coming and work.

(c) "eternal purpose" Eph 1:9

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 According to the eternal purpose - Κατα προθεσιν των αιωνων· According to the purpose concerning the periods. This seems to refer to the complete round of the Jewish system, and to that of the Gospel. I have often observed, that though the proper grammatical meaning of the word is ever-during or endless duration, yet it is often applied to those systems, periods, governments, etc., which have a complete duration, taking in the whole of them, from their commencement to their termination, leaving nothing of their duration unembraced. So, here, God purposed that the Jewish dispensation should commence at such a time, and terminate at such a time; that the Gospel dispensation should commence when the Jewish ended, and terminate only with life itself; and that the results of both should be endless. This is probably what is meant by the above phrase. Which he purposed in Christ Jesus - Ἡν εποιησεν· Which he made or constituted in or for Christ Jesus. The manifestation of Christ, and the glory which should follow, were the grand objects which God kept in view in all his dispensations.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ephesians 3:8-12

Those whom God advances to honourable employments, he makes low in their own eyes; and where God gives grace to be humble, there he gives all other needful grace. How highly he speaks of Jesus Christ; the unsearchable riches of Christ! Though many are not enriched with these riches; yet how great a favour to have them preached among us, and to have an offer of them! And if we are not enriched with them it is our own…

Read the full comment on Ephesians 3:8-12 →

Ephesians 3:11 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.

κατὰkataaccording toG2596

πρόθεσινprothesin[the] purposeG4286

τῶνtōnof theG3588

αἰώνων,aiōnōnages,G165

ἣνhēnwhichG3739

ἐποίησενepoiēsenHe accomplishedG4160

ἐνeninG1722

ΧριστῷChristōChristG5547

ἸησοῦIēsouJesusG2424

τῷtōtheG3588

κυρίῳkuriōLordG2962

ἡμῶν,hēmōnof us,G3165

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

Cross references for Ephesians 3:11

2 Timothy 1:9
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Ephesians 1:11
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Ephesians 1:4
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Romans 9:11
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
Isaiah 46:10-11
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
Ephesians 1:9
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Isaiah 14:24-27
The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
Romans 8:28-30
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Jeremiah 51:29
And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the Lord shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1:4,9,11; Isa 14:24-27; 46:10,11; Jer 51:29; Ro 8:28-30; 9:11
2Ti 1:9

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

Context

Ephesians 3:10
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Ephesians 3:11
According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
Ephesians 3:12
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Read all of Ephesians 3

Ephesians 3:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Conforme á la determinación eterna, que hizo en Cristo Jesús nuestro Señor:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	selon le propos des siècles, lequel il a établi dans le christ Jésus notre Seigneur,
German Elberfelder 1871	nach dem Vorsatz der Zeitalter, den er gefaßt hat in Christo Jesu, unserem Herrn;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	secundum præfinitionem sæculorum, quam fecit in Christo Jesu Domino nostro: