Bible Strands
Ephesians 3:20
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,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Ephesian church, closing the prayer he opened in 3:14. This is the doxology that caps his petition for them to know Christ's love.
The words — ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ (huperekperissou) stacks three intensifiers—hyper- "beyond," ek- "out," perissou "surplus"—to produce a single word meaning "super-abundantly beyond excess." It is not merely "more" but a quantity that overflows the category of measurement.
The thread — The same claim on God's ability runs through Jeremiah 32:27 ("Is anything too difficult for Me?") and 2 Corinthians 9:8 (God able to make grace abound). Romans 4:21 anchors it in Abraham's conviction that God could do what He had promised.
Why it lands — The verse is a doxology, not a command, but it forces a recalibration: the power at work within the believer is the same power that exceeds all asking and imagining. It asks the reader to stop treating "more than we can imagine" as a platitude and treat it as a factual claim about what is already active in them.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
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,
Cross-references
- 2 Corinthians 9:8 And 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.
- Romans 4:21 being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.
- Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?
- 1 Corinthians 2:9 Rather, 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.”
- Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—
- Ephesians 1:19 and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength,
- Jeremiah 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!
- Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- Psalms 36:8 They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.
- Ephesians 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power.