Ephesians 3

Ephesians 3

GOD'S MYSTERIOUS PLAN REVEALED

1 When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles* . . .2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles.3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me.4 As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ.5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.

  6 And this is God's plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.*7 By God's grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.

  8 Though I am the least deserving of all God's people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.9 I was chosen to explain to everyone* this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.

  10 God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

  12 Because of Christ and our faith in him,* we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence.13 So please don't lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.

PAUL'S PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,*15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.*16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

  20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! 

Amen.

Malachi 1

Malachi 1

1 This is the message* that the LORD gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi.*

THE LORD's Love for Israel

2 "I have always loved you," says the LORD.
  But you retort, "Really? How have you loved us?"
  And the LORD replies, "This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob,3 but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau's inheritance into a desert for jackals."

 4 Esau's descendants in Edom may say, "We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins."
  But the LORD of Heaven's Armies replies, "They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again. Their country will be known as 'The Land of Wickedness,' and their people will be called 'The People with Whom the LORD Is Forever Angry.'5 When you see the destruction for yourselves, you will say, 'Truly, the LORD's greatness reaches far beyond Israel's borders!'"

UNWORTHY SACRIFICES

6 The LORD of Heaven's Armies says to the priests: "A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name!
  "But you ask, 'How have we ever shown contempt for your name?'

  7 "You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar.
  "Then you ask, 'How have we defiled the sacrifices?*'
  "You defile them by saying the altar of the LORD deserves no respect.8 When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn't that wrong? And isn't it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!" says the LORD of Heaven's Armies.

  9 "Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?" asks the LORD of Heaven's Armies.

  10 "How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "and I will not accept your offerings.11 But my name is honored* by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer* sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies.

  12 "But you dishonor my name with your actions. By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it's all right to defile the Lord's table.13 You say, 'It's too hard to serve the LORD,' and you turn up your noses at my commands," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "Think of it! Animals that are stolen and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?" asks the LORD.

  14 "Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "and my name is feared among the nations!