Ephesians 3:13
in Ephesians 3So I ask you not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which are your glory.
KJV
Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
⋯
This verse in Ephesians 3
Commentary
11 notes on this verseOne person will say that he attaches the words "which is your glory" to the tribulations … another to the boldness or else to the access or the faith. For boldness [or freedom of speech] is the glory to the one who possesses it, and access can be called the glory of the one who has access to God and faith the glory of the one with faith.
This site's exposition
my sufferings for you, which are your glory
The imprisonment is a direct result of the Gentile mission just described. Which are your glory turns the expected shame of his chains into their honor. Paul's bonds are a credential of the gospel that reached them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
When some hear that Paul suffers tribulations, they may grow faint in faith. To prevent this he argues, in effect: "I pray on account of what has been revealed to me that you should not grow faint through my tribulations. These tribulations I am suffering …
How is it "for them?" How is it "their glory?" It is because God so loved them, as to give even the Son for them, and to afflict His servants for them: for it was in order that they might attain so many blessings, that Paul was in prison. Surely this was from God's exceeding love towards them: it is what God also saith concerning the Prophets, "I have slain them by the words of my mouth." But how was it that they fainted, when another was afflicted? He means, they were troubled, were distressed. This also he says when writing to the Thessalonians, "that no man be moved by these afflictions." For not only ought we not to grieve, but we ought even to rejoice. If ye find consolation in the forewarning, we tell you beforehand that here we have tribulation. And why pray? Because thus hath the Lord ordered.
The Medieval Church2 voices
After the Apostle has dealt with the dignity of the office belonging to his position (3:3), he goes on to speak of his tribulations and sufferings. In reference to this he does two things: First, he exhorts them lest they be troubled by his sufferings; …
"Therefore," he says. Why then? Because great is the mystery of your calling and a great task has been entrusted to me, namely the preaching to you, and it is necessary for me to undergo bonds and endure evil from those who do not understand …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Observe, Not only the faithful ministers of Christ themselves, but their people too, have some special cause for joy and glorying, when they suffer for the sake of dispensing the gospel.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Wherefore I desire that ye faint not - The connection here is this. Paul was then a prisoner at Rome. He had been made such in consequence of his efforts to diffuse the Christian religion among the Gentiles; see the notes at Eph 3:1. His zeal in this cause, and the opinions which he held on this subject, had roused the wrath of the Jews, and led to all the calamities which he was now suffering. Of that the Ephesians. he supposes, were aware.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
"I entreat you not to be dispirited." for you--in your behalf. which is--rather, "which are your glory," namely, inasmuch as showing that God loved you so much, as both to give His Son for you, and to permit His apostles to suffer "tribulations" for you [CHRYSOSTOM] in preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles.
I desire that ye faint not - In those primitive times, when there was much persecution, people were in continual danger of falling away from the faith who were not well grounded in it. This the apostle deprecates, and advances a strong reason why they should be firm: “I suffer my present imprisonment on account of demonstrating your privileges, of which the Jews are envious: I bear my afflictions patiently, knowing that what I have advanced is of God, and thus I give ample proof of the sincerity of my own conviction. The sufferings, therefore, of your apostles are honorable to you and to your cause; and far from being any cause why you should faint, or draw back like cowards, in the day of distress, they should be an additional argument to induce you to persevere.”
The words behind it
14 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| διὸ | dio | Therefore | G1352 → | 53 times |
| αἰτοῦμαι | aitoumai | I implore [you] | G154 → | |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐγκακεῖν | egkakein | to lose heart | G1573 → | |
| ἐν | en | at | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ταῖς | tais | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θλίψεσίν | thlipsesin | tribulations | G2347 → | |
| μου | mou | of mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | for | G5228 → | 155 times |
| ὑμῶν, | humon | you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἥτις | hetis | which | G3748 → | 144 times |
| ἐστὶν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| δόξα | doxa | glory | G1391 → | 165 times |
| ὑμῶν.¶ | humon | of you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
διὸTherefore
dioG1352 →53 times
αἰτοῦμαιI implore [you]
aitoumaiG154 →
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐγκακεῖνto lose heart
egkakeinG1573 →
ἐνat
enG1722 →2738 times
ταῖςthe
taisG3588 →19766 times
θλίψεσίνtribulations
thlipsesinG2347 →
μουof mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
ὑπὲρfor
huperG5228 →155 times
ὑμῶν,you,
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἥτιςwhich
hetisG3748 →144 times
ἐστὶνis
estinG1510 →2333 times
δόξαglory
doxaG1391 →165 times
ὑμῶν.¶of you.
humonG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Colossians 1:24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 1:8
So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me, His prisoner. Instead, join me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 5:3
Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
- 2 Corinthians 1:5–8
For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
- 2 Timothy 2:9–10
for which I suffer to the extent of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained!
- Philippians 3:10
I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,
- 2 Timothy 1:8
Through
2 Thessalonians 3:13But as for you, brothers, do not grow weary in well-doing.
it leads to
- Galatians 6:9–10
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
- Hebrews 12:3
Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
- 2 Corinthians 4:1
Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.
- Galatians 6:9–10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Ephesians

This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gaius Marius Victorinus, EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 1.3.13; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Ephesians 7; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Ephesians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Ephesians.
