Discovery BoxEphesians 1:6 
Context1:6 to the praise of the glory of his grace 1 that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son. 2
Ephesians 3:7-8
Context3:7 I became a servant of this gospel 3 according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by 4 the exercise of his power. 5 3:8 To me – less than the least of all the saints 6 – this grace was given, 7 to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ
1 tn Or “to the praise of his glorious grace.” Many translations translate δόξης τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ (doxh" th" carito" autou, literally “of the glory of his grace”) with τῆς χάριτος as an attributed genitive (cf., e.g., NIV, NRSV, ESV). The translation above has retained a literal rendering in order to make clear the relationship of this phrase to the other two similar phrases in v. 12 and 14, which affect the way one divides the material in the passage.
2 tn Grk “the beloved.” The term ἠγαπημένῳ (hgaphmenw) means “beloved,” but often bears connotations of “only beloved” in an exclusive sense. “His dearly loved Son” picks up this connotation.
sn God’s grace can be poured out on believers only because of what Christ has done for them. Hence, he bestows his grace on us because we are in his dearly loved Son.
3 tn Grk “of which I was made a minister,” “of which I became a servant.”
4 tn Grk “according to.”
5 sn On the exercise of his power see 1:19-20.
6 sn In Pauline writings saints means any true believer. Thus for Paul to view himself as less than the least of all the saints is to view himself as the most unworthy object of Christ’s redemption.
7 sn The parallel phrases to proclaim and to enlighten which follow indicate why God’s grace was manifested to Paul. Grace was not something just to be received, but to be shared with others (cf. Acts 13:47).
