1For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles, 2if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you, 3how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words, 4by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ, 5which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, 6that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News, 7of which I was made a servant according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power. 8To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ, 10to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places, 11according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12In him we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him. 13Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory.
14For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, 17that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, 19and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Grace (Gk. χάρις, charis). Strong's 5485.
Not surprisingly, this word is common in the NT (155 times). This word can refer to attractiveness, goodwill, a gift, favor, gratitude. It is a profoundly important theological word in the NT. In its theological sense, “grace” is the favor shown by God to the undeserving. No human being deserves anything good from God (Rom 3:23; 6:23; 2 Cor 8:9; Gal 2:21), yet every human being does receive good from God, even if it is short of salvation (Matt 5:45; 1 John 2:2). This passage makes it clear that salvation is utterly dependent on grace, that is, on unmerited favor. There is grace from God that brings eternal salvation, and this grace is the necessary instrument and cause to bring it about. Grace is such an important term because people need it so much, and because it is integral to God’s nature. Since grace is an attribute of God, winsome behavior and giving to the undeserving is rooted in the divine ground of reality.