3:9a
and: Notice the word and at the beginning of 3:9. God gave Paul two things to do:
(a) preach the gospel to the Gentiles (3:8b) and
(b) explain how God will accomplish his plan (3:9a).
to illuminate: Some other ways to say to illuminate are:
explain (as in God’s Word and New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
help everyone understand (Contemporary English Version)
the stewardship of this mystery: The Greek word which the Berean Standard Bible translates as stewardship refers to how something is put into effect, accomplished, administered or caused to be done. For example:
how God’s secret plan is to be put into effect (Good News Translation)
-or-
the way people/someone will accomplish God’s hidden plan
See how you translated “administration of God’s grace” in 3:2b.
mystery: The word mystery in this context means “something that was formerly unknown to people but has recently been revealed or explained.” See how you translated it in 3:3a, 3:4b, and 3:6a.
3:9b
which: The word which refers back to “the mystery” that Paul just mentioned.
for ages past: The phrase for ages past refers to all of past time, including all the time before God created the world. In all that time, God had not revealed his plan to anyone. But now he had revealed it clearly to Paul and the other apostles and prophets.
Some other ways this phrase has been translated include:
through all the past ages (Good News Translation)
-or-
from the beginning (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
since the beginning of time (New Century Version)
was kept hidden in God: The phrase was kept hidden in God is a figure of speech. Its meaning here is “God kept it hidden from people”
Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
was kept secret by God
-or-
God never revealed it to anyone before
It is also passive. Some ways to make this active are:
God kept his plan hidden ⌊from people⌋
-or-
He kept his plan to himself, in his own heart
-or-
He did not tell anyone about it.
who created all things: Consider what is the best way to translate this clause in your language:
• literally, as a relative clause (“God who created…”) This is how the Berean Standard Bible and many other English versions have translated it.
• as an independent clause (“God created…”). For example:
God created everything
If you translate it as a relative clause, the reader must not think that it means that there is more than one God. It does not mean that there are two Gods: one God who created all things, and another God who did not create all things.
General Comment on 3:9b
In Greek the phrase “who created all things” occurs at the end of 3:9b, however many English versions have moved this clause to the beginning of 3:9b. For example:
God, who is the Creator of all things, kept his secret hidden through all the past ages (Good News Translation)
-or-
God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
God, the one who created everything
Place this phrase in 3:9 where it would be most natural to occur.
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