that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
Parallel translations
- WEB which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
- KJV Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
- NKJV which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
- NASB which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight
- NLT He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God lavished this grace on us abundantly, together with all wisdom and insight. It shows the overflowing generosity of God's saving grace.
Overview
Paul emphasizes that God did not measure out his grace sparingly but made it 'abound toward us.' With that grace God also grants 'wisdom and prudence' — the spiritual understanding to grasp his saving plan. This prepares for the next verses, where God reveals the previously hidden 'mystery' of his will in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Rev 5:12In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
- Rom 5:15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many!
- Col 2:3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- Eph 3:10His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
- Prov 8:12I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
- 1 Cor 2:7No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.
- Rom 11:33O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
- Isa 52:13Behold, My Servant will prosper; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
- Eph 1:11In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
- Dan 2:20–21and declared: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.
- 1 Cor 1:19–24For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
- Rom 5:20–21The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,
- Jude 1:25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.
- Ps 104:24How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.
- Matt 11:19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her actions.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Every spiritual blessing is 'in Christ,' the head over all things for the church, in whom Jew and Gentile are made one new man by his blood.
How Ephesians 1:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.