Ephesians3:1

This phrase is often rendered in situations like this as “for this reason” but the words used in this phrase are “this” and “favor, pleasure.” The key word in it comes from the word “grace.” Therefore, I wanted to include something about “favor” in my translation column. Much like the use of the word “therefore,” the inclusion of this phrase shows that what he will say next is built on what he has been saying regarding the acceptance of the Gentiles into the family of God.

The name Paul means “little or small.” I have expanded it a bit in my paraphrase to read “the little man.”

This seems to imply that it was Christ Jesus who imprisoned him and is holding him prisoner. In one way, this was true, but there are two ways to look at this. First, some people think Paul was under house-arrest when he wrote to the Ephesians; if that was true, then he could mean that he was imprisoned for the sake of Christ Jesus as a result of trying to reach them and others with the Gospel. It can also mean that Christ Jesus had taken Paul captive in every way except physically, and was governing his entire life (with Paul’s consent). Thus Paul was obliged to preach the Gospel. He was like Jeremiah who had become weary of holding in God’s word for it was “like a fire burning in his heart and shut up in his bones” (Jer 20:9). I think it is likely that both were intended.

This verse ends in an unnatural way because Paul will now launch into a long parenthetical statement before getting to what he really wants to say. You will have to wait until verse 14 to find that.