Limitless Word
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
Ephesians 3:20 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
  • KJV Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
  • NKJV Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
  • NASB Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
  • NLT Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

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 is able to do far more than we ask or imagine, by his power at work in us. It exalts God's limitless power active within believers.

Overview

Paul breaks into doxology, praising God 'who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.' God's power exceeds even our boldest prayers and imaginings, and it operates 'according to the power that works in us' — the same Spirit who indwells believers. This grounds confidence in prayer and Christian growth.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 31

  • 2 Cor 9:8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
  • Rom 4:21being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.
  • Jer 32:27“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?
  • Jude 1:24Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—
  • 1 Cor 2:9Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
  • Eph 1:19and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength,
  • Jer 32:17“Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!
  • Heb 7:25Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
  • Ps 36:8–9They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.
  • Eph 3:7I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power.
  • Rom 16:25Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past
  • Heb 13:20–21Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
  • 1 Kgs 3:13Moreover, I will give you what you did not request—both riches and honor—so that during all your days no man in any kingdom will be your equal.
  • John 10:29–30My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
  • Gen 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.
  • Dan 3:17If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king.
  • Col 1:29To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me.
  • John 10:10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.
  • Exod 34:6Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,
  • 2 Chr 25:9Amaziah asked the man of God, “What should I do about the hundred talents I have given to the army of Israel?” And the man of God replied, “The LORD is able to give you much more than this.”
  • Jas 4:12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
  • Isa 55:7Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.
  • Heb 11:19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death.
  • 1 Tim 1:14And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
  • Dan 6:20When he reached the den, he cried out in a voice of anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
  • 2 Pet 1:11and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
  • Isa 35:2It will bloom profusely and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.
  • 2 Sam 7:19And as if this was a small thing in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, You have also spoken about the future of the house of Your servant. Is this Your custom with man, O Lord GOD?
  • Matt 3:9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
  • Song 5:1I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; drink freely, O beloved.
  • Gen 18:4Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Ephesians videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Ephesians 3:20YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on EphesiansMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 3:20 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.