10. God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
11. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
12. Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.
13. So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.
14. When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,
15. the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
16. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
17. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
18. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.