Ephesians 3:12

in whom we have boldness and confident access ¹  to God ²  because of ³  Christ’s ⁴  faithfulness. ⁵ 

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God’s presence, assured of his glad welcome.

When we trust in him, we're free to say whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever we need to go.

By whom we come near to God without fear through faith in him.

in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

in whom we have boldness and confident access ¹  to God ²  because of ³  Christ’s ⁴  faithfulness. ⁵ 

¹ tn Grk “access in confidence.”

² tn The phrase “to God” is not in the text, but is clearly implied by the preceding, “access.”

³ tn Grk “through,” “by way of.”

⁴ tn Grk “his.”

⁵ tn Or “faith in him.” A decision is difficult here. Though traditionally translated “faith in Jesus Christ,” an increasing number of NT scholars are arguing that πίστις Χριστοῦ (pisti" Cristou) and similar phrases in Paul (here and in Rom 3:22, 26; Gal 2:16, 20; 3:22; Phil 3:9) involve a subjective genitive and mean “Christ’s faith” or “Christ’s faithfulness” (cf., e.g., G. Howard, “The ‘Faith of Christ’,” ExpTim 85 [1974]: 212-15; R. B. Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ [SBLDS]; Morna D. Hooker, “Πίστις Χριστοῦ,” NTS 35 [1989]: 321-42). Noteworthy among the arguments for the subjective genitive view is that when πίστις takes a personal genitive it is almost never an objective genitive (cf. Matt 9:2, 22, 29; Mark 2:5; 5:34; 10:52; Luke 5:20; 7:50; 8:25, 48; 17:19; 18:42; 22:32; Rom 1:8; 12; 3:3; 4:5, 12, 16; 1 Cor 2:5; 15:14, 17; 2 Cor 10:15; Phil 2:17; Col 1:4; 2:5; 1 Thess 1:8; 3:2, 5, 10; 2 Thess 1:3; Titus 1:1; Phlm 6; 1 Pet 1:9, 21; 2 Pet 1:5). On the other hand, the objective genitive view has its adherents: A. Hultgren, “The Pistis Christou Formulations in Paul,” NovT 22 (1980): 248-63; J. D. G. Dunn, “Once More, ΠΙΣΤΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ,” SBL Seminar Papers, 1991, 730-44. Most commentaries on Romans and Galatians usually side with the objective view.

sn Because of Christ’s faithfulness. Though Paul elsewhere teaches justification by faith, this presupposes that the object of our faith is reliable and worthy of such faith.