Efesus 3:2

3:2 if indeed ¹  you have heard of the stewardship ²  of God’s grace that was given to me for you,

Efesus 3:5

3:5 Now this secret ³  was not disclosed to people ⁴  in former ⁵  generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by ⁶  the Spirit,

Efesus 3:9

3:9 and to enlighten ⁷  everyone about God’s secret plan ⁸  – a secret that has been hidden for ages ⁹  in God ¹⁰  who has created all things.

[3:2]  ¹ sn If indeed. The author is not doubting whether his audience has heard, but is rather using provocative language (if indeed) to engage his audience in thinking about the magnificence of God’s grace. However, in English translation, the apodosis (“then”-clause) does not come until v. 13, leaving the protasis (“if”-clause) dangling. Eph 3:2-7 constitute one sentence in Greek.

[3:2]  ² tn Or “administration,” “dispensation,” “commission.”

[3:5]  ³ tn Grk “which.” Verse 5 is technically a relative clause, subordinate to the thought of v. 4.

[3:5]  ⁴ tn Grk “the sons of men” (a Semitic idiom referring to human beings, hence, “people”).

[3:5]  ⁵ tn Grk “other.”

[3:5]  ⁶ tn Or “in.”

[3:9]  ⁷ tn There is a possible causative nuance in the Greek verb, but this is difficult to convey in the translation.

[3:9]  ⁸ tn Grk “what is the plan of the divine secret.” Earlier the author had used οἰκονομία (oikonomia; here “plan”) to refer to his own “stewardship” (v. 2). But now he is speaking about the content of this secret, not his own activity in relation to it.

[3:9]  ⁹ tn Or “for eternity,” or perhaps “from the Aeons.” Cf. 2:2, 7.

[3:9]  ¹⁰ tn Or “by God.” It is possible that ἐν (en) plus the dative here indicates agency, that is, that God has performed the action of hiding the secret. However, this usage of the preposition ἐν is quite rare in the NT, and even though here it does follow a perfect passive verb as in the Classical idiom, it is more likely that a different nuance is intended.