This word of exhortation concludes the section and calls the readers back to verse 1, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles. Then introduces the logical consequence of the boldness and confidence expressed in the preceding verse: the readers should not lose them because of the writer’s suffering on their behalf.

There are two exegetical problems in this verse: the main verb in Greek “to ask” can mean (1) “I pray” or (2) “I request”; and the lack of an explicit subject for “(not to) become discouraged” makes it possible to take it to be (a) “for you not to be discouraged” or (b) “for me not to be discouraged.” Opinions vary:

1a “I pray to God that you not be discouraged”: Barth; Barclay
2a “I ask you not to be discouraged”: Westcott, Salmond, Abbott, Robinson, Murray, Caragounis, Beare; Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, and most others
1b “I pray to God that I will not become discouraged”: Dodd; Goodspeed, Revised Standard Version margin

As the chart shows, the vast majority understand it as does Good News Translation. The verb “to ask” is used also in 3.20 (of prayer to God; see also Col 1.9).

The verb translated “(not) to be discouraged” is used also in Galatians 6.9; 2 Corinthians 4.1, 16; Luke 18.2; 2 Thessalonians 3.13. And for the noun translated “suffering” see Colossians 1.24.

The statement I beg you is best represented in some languages as “I strongly urge you.” But in some cases the better equivalent is a request implied by some such word as “please,” for example, “Please do not be discouraged.”

Not to be discouraged may be expressed in a number of ways, often idiomatically, for example, “not to lose heart,” “not to give up,” “not to run away,” or “not to think that all is lost.”

There is a problem involved in the English use of because introducing a clause immediately following a negative statement, for this could be interpreted to mean “do not be discouraged because I’m suffering for you,” but rather be discouraged for some other reason. So it may be better to say “do not be discouraged that I’m suffering for you,” or else to begin a new sentence “… do not be discouraged that I’m suffering. It is all for your benefit.”

I am suffering for you can be rendered as “I am suffering for your benefit” or “what I am suffering is actually to help you” or “… will be of help to you.” Other renderings are “the troubles that I am going through for you” (Barclay) and “trials that I go through on your account.”

It is possible to take the Greek relative clause “which is your glory” to refer back to the readers’ lack of discouragement; but it is much more natural to take it to refer to the writer’s sufferings. The relative “which” is more than the simple relative; it has the element of reason in it, “because this is…” (so Abbott).

What is meant by “glory”? In all passages in which the word has appeared (1.6, 12, 14, 17, 18) it refers to God’s glory, as it does also in 3.16; and in 3.21 it is directed to God. As Caragounis points out, “the meaning of ‘glory’ has puzzled all interpreters.” Barth translates “your glorification,” which may be taken to mean progressive growth in Christian virtues and perfection, finally to be attained in the future life with God (so Caragounis: “will lead to your being glorified”). When used of people, the word may have the sense of “honor, prestige, reason for boasting”; so Translator’s New Testament “You should be proud of this”; Phillips “Indeed, you should be honoured” (Moffatt, Goodspeed, Twentieth Century New Testament, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy all have the idea of honor). Or the word may have the general sense of benefit, advantage; so Good News Translation, Bible en français courant; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “It has happened for your benefit, and you should be proud of it.” Perhaps something like the meaning expressed in Colossians 1.27, “the hope of glory” (Good News Translation you will share in the glory of God), is intended here.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .