Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Parallel translations
- WEB which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
- BSB that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
- 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 5:12Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
- Rom 5:15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
- Col 2:3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- Eph 3:10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
- Prov 8:12I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
- 1 Cor 2:7But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
- Rom 11:33O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
- Isa 52:13Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
- Eph 1:11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
- Dan 2:20–21Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
- 1 Cor 1:19–24For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
- Rom 5:20–21Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
- Jude 1:25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
- Ps 104:24O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
- Matt 11:19The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
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.