Ephesians 3:16-17
that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Ephesians 3:16-17 (NKJV)
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
Ephesians 3:16-17 (NIV)
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Ephesians 3:16-17 (KJV)
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 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.
Ephesians 3:16-17 (NLT)
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith — that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Ephesians 3:16-17 (ESV)
that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory and His boundless resources, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,
Ephesians 3:16-17 (AMP)Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org
New Covenant Meaning
The Source Is the Riches of His Glory
Paul does not pray that the Ephesians will be strengthened according to the strength they already have, or according to what they deserve, or according to their spiritual maturity. He prays that God would strengthen them according to the riches of His glory. The measure of the strengthening is the limitless resource of God's own glory. This means the strengthening available to you is not capped by your current state. It is sized according to the infinite wealth of God Himself.
Christ Making His Home in Your Heart
Paul prays that Christ may dwell (katoikeo: to settle down and make a permanent home) in your hearts through faith. The word is distinct from paroikeo (to be a temporary resident). Paul is praying for Christ to take up full, settled, permanent residence in the heart — not as a visitor but as the One who lives there. The mechanism is faith. This is not a salvation prayer for unbelievers. Paul is writing to believers who are already saved. He is praying for the depth and settledness of Christ's residence in hearts that are already His to increase.
The prayer of Ephesians 3:14-21 climaxes in verses 20-21: "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." The power Paul is referencing is the power of Christ dwelling in the inner man (v. 16-17). The "exceedingly abundantly above" is not distant — it operates in you, through the indwelling Spirit and the settled Christ. Paul's prayer is not for external circumstances to change. It is for inner strengthening that produces the capacity to comprehend the love of God (v. 18) and be filled with all the fullness of God (v. 19).
Application for Your Life
The Work Is in the Inner Man
Paul's prayer focuses on the inner man. Not outward circumstances, not reputation, not material provision — the inner man. This is the New Covenant priority: the inside. Jeremiah 31:33 says the new covenant is the law written on the heart. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says the inner man is being renewed day by day even as the outer man is perishing. When Paul prays for strength, he targets the inner person because that is where the Christ-life lives. Outer strength is temporary. Inner strength through the Spirit is transformative and lasting.
Rooted and Grounded in Love
The result of the inner strengthening is being rooted and grounded in love. Two metaphors: rooted like a tree (deep, invisible, source of stability) and grounded like a building (foundational, structural). Both describe the quality of love as the foundation of the believer's inner life. When Christ settles in your heart and the Spirit strengthens your inner man, love becomes the soil and bedrock of everything you are. From that foundation, Paul prays you will comprehend the fullness of Christ's love (v. 18) and be filled with all the fullness of God (v. 19).
Prayer Based on This Verse
Father, I pray Paul's prayer for myself: grant me, according to the riches of Your glory, to be strengthened with might through Your Spirit in my inner man. Let Christ settle down and make His permanent home in my heart through faith. Root me and ground me in love so deep that nothing shakes me from my foundation. I want to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge and to be filled with all the fullness of God. Strengthen my inner man today. In Jesus' name. Amen.