Ephesians 3:5
in Ephesians 3which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
KJV
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
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This verse in Ephesians 3
Commentary
14 notes on this verseMen must then be saved by learning the truth through Christ, even if they attain philosophy. For now that is clearly shown "which was not made known to other ages, which is now revealed to the sons of men." For there was always a natural manifestation of the one Almighty God, among all right-thinking men; and the most, who had not quite divested themselves of shame with respect to the truth, apprehended the eternal beneficence in divine providence.
This site's exposition
God’s holy apostles and prophets
Not made known to men in other generations stands against as it has now been revealed, a mystery held hidden until Christ. God’s holy apostles and prophets most naturally names the New Testament's office holders, the same pairing found at 2:20 and 4:11. The disclosure comes by the Spirit.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusInterpretation of the Epistle to the Ephesians 3.5 · Written before 458.
proposed
It was made known incrementally to the prophets of old, but not fully then as it is now. For they did not see the whole picture but wrote down words about aspects of it. … Remember that in the apostles' day there were many who …
He teaches that there is a perfect harmony—a complete unity and identity—between the revelations given to him and those given to the apostles. His purpose is to avoid discord and any appearance of having received by revelation something that was not given to the apostles …
What then, tell me, did not the Prophets know it? How then doth Christ say, that Moses and the Prophets wrote "these things concerning Me?" And again, "If ye believed Moses, ye would believe Me." And again, "Ye search the Scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life, and these are they which bear witness of me." His meaning is this, either that it was not revealed unto all men, for he adds, "which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed;" or else, that it was not thus made known by the very facts and realities themselves, "as it hath now been revealed unto His holy Apostles and Prophets in the Spirit." For reflect. Peter, had he not been instructed by the Spirit, never would have gone to the Gentiles. For hear what he says, "Then hath God given unto them the Holy Ghost, as well as unto us." That it was by the Spirit that God chose that they should receive the grace. The Prophets then spoke, yet they knew it not thus perfectly; so far from it, that not even did the Apostles, after they had heard it. So far did it surpass all human calculation, and the common expectation.
The Medieval Church2 voices
It is also eminent since it was revealed to the Apostles alone. Hence he adds which in other generations was not known. For although the mysteries of Christ were revealed to the prophets and patriarchs, they were more clearly revealed to the Apostles. To the …
What then? Did the prophets truly not know? But how then does Christ say: "Moses and the prophets wrote about Me"; and "search the Scriptures..." and "they testify of Me" (Jn. 5:39)? But Paul, first of all, says what was not revealed to all people, …
7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Which in other - In former, ages was not so clearly or fully made known to the sons of men - To any man, no, not to Ezekiel, so often styled, "son of man;" nor to any of the ancient prophets. Those here spoken of are New Testament prophets.
Here we may observe that the coalition of Jews and Gentiles in the gospel church was a mystery, a great mystery, what was designed in the counsel of God before all worlds, but what could not be fully understood for many ages, till the accomplishment expounded the prophecies of it.
); that is, "It was not so fully and clearly discovered in the ages before Christ as it is now revealed unto the prophets of this age, the prophets of the New Testament, who are immediately inspired and taught by the Spirit." Let us observe, that the conversion of the Gentile world to the faith of Christ was an adorable mystery, and we ought to bless God for it.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Which in other ages was not made known unto, the sons of men,.... That is, which mystery of Christ, and of the Gospel, was not made known to men in general, nor so clearly as under the Gospel dispensation.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Which in other ages - The great purposes of God in regard to the salvation of mankind were not revealed; see the notes at Rom 16:25. And prophets - Those who exercised the office of a prophet or inspired teacher in the Christian church; see the notes at 1Co 12:1. By the Spirit - This proves that those who exercised the office of prophet in the Christian church were inspired. They were persons endowed in this manner for the purpose of imparting to the newly formed churches the doctrines of the Christian system.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
They probably did not know that the Gentiles were to be admitted without circumcision or that they were to be on a level with the Jews in partaking of the grace of God. The gift of "the Spirit" in its fulness was reserved for the New Testament that Christ might thereby be glorified.
Which in other ages was not made known - That the calling of the Gentiles was made known by the prophets in different ages of the Jewish Church is exceedingly clear; but it certainly was not made known in that clear and precise manner in which it was now revealed by the Spirit unto the ministers of the New Testament: nor was it made known unto them at all, that the Gentiles should find salvation without coming under the yoke of the Mosaic law, and that the Jews themselves should be freed from that yoke of bondage; these were discoveries totally new, and now revealed for the first time by the Spirit of God.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὃ | ho | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἑτέραις | heterais | in other | G2087 → | |
| γενεαῖς | geneais | generations | G1074 → | |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἐγνωρίσθη | egnoristhe | was made known | G1107 → | 24 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| υἱοῖς | huiois | sons | G5207 → | 377 times |
| τῶν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνθρώπων | anthropon | of men | G444 → | 549 times |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| νῦν | nun | now | G3568 → | 145 times |
| ἀπεκαλύφθη | apekaluphthe | it has been revealed | G601 → | |
| τοῖς | tois | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁγίοις | hagiois | holy | G40 → | 220 times |
| ἀποστόλοις | apostolois | apostles | G652 → | 79 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of His | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| προφήταις | prophetais | to [his] prophets | G4396 → | 144 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| πνεύματι, | pneumati | [the] Spirit, | G4151 → | 378 times |
ὃwhich
hoG3739 →1405 times
ἑτέραιςin other
heteraisG2087 →
γενεαῖςgenerations
geneaisG1074 →
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἐγνωρίσθηwas made known
egnoristheG1107 →24 times
τοῖςto the
toisG3588 →19766 times
υἱοῖςsons
huioisG5207 →377 times
τῶν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀνθρώπωνof men
anthroponG444 →549 times
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
νῦνnow
nunG3568 →145 times
ἀπεκαλύφθηit has been revealed
apekaluphtheG601 →
τοῖςto the
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἁγίοιςholy
hagioisG40 →220 times
ἀποστόλοιςapostles
apostoloisG652 →79 times
αὐτοῦof His
autouG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
προφήταιςto [his] prophets
prophetaisG4396 →144 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
πνεύματι,[the] Spirit,
pneumatiG4151 →378 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
Jude 1:17But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ
it leads to
- 2 Peter 3:2
by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
- 1 John 4:6
We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.
- 2 Peter 3:2
Through
Ephesians 3:9and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
it leads to
- Colossians 1:26
the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints.
- Matthew 13:35
So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”
- 2 Timothy 1:9
He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
- Colossians 1:26
Through
2 Peter 3:2by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
it leads to
- Jude 1:17
But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ
- 2 Peter 2:21
It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.
- Luke 1:70
as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,
- Jude 1:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
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About Ephesians
This page draws on 12 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); Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 5; Gaius Marius Victorinus, EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 1.3.5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Ephesians 6; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, Interpretation of the Epistle to the Ephesians 3.5; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Ephesians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Ephesians.