This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What Paul calls a "mystery" wasn't that Gentiles would eventually be included, but that they would be equal heirs, members, and partakers with Jewish believers, not as second-class citizens or through a lesser covenant. This profound equality, directly in Christ through the gospel, was a shocking revelation that leveled the ancient playing field of salvation.
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul, writing as Christ's prisoner for the sake of the Gentiles, reveals a "mystery" that was hidden in previous ages: God’s plan to make Gentiles equal heirs with Jewish believers. This profound revelation means they are now part of the same spiritual body and equally share in God's promises, all made possible through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Imagine a truth so explosive, so contrary to the prevailing mindset, that it was kept hidden for centuries. Paul calls this God's 'mystery,' and it completely reshaped the world.
Before Christ, the promises and blessings of God were primarily understood as belonging to the Jewish people. The idea of Gentiles—non-Jews—being equally heirs, part of the same 'family,' and sharing in God's promises was revolutionary.
Paul emphasizes that this wasn't a minor detail; it was a profound 'mystery' (a divine secret, now disclosed).
Paul doesn't just say Gentiles are 'included.' He uses powerful, linked terms to describe their new status: fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise.
These three descriptions unpack the radical unity brought about by the gospel:
1. Fellow Heirs
This means Gentiles share equally with Jewish believers in the eternal inheritance promised by God. It's not a secondary blessing, but the same inheritance from the same Father.
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2. Members of the Same Body
This is a profound metaphor for the Church. Gentiles are now integrated into the one body of Christ, with Jewish believers. There's no longer a division; they are interconnected, vital parts of the same spiritual organism, with Christ as the Head.
3. Partakers of the Promise
The specific promise, often referring back to God's covenant with Abraham ('in you all the nations shall be blessed'), is now fully accessible to Gentiles through Christ. They share in all the benefits and blessings that come from God's faithfulness.
Crucially, all of this is rooted 'in Christ Jesus' and accomplished 'by the gospel.' It's not about earning entry or becoming culturally Jewish, but about a new identity found in union with Christ through faith in the good news.
Understand the original words
mystērion · Greek Noun
A truth once hidden but now revealed by God, specifically concerning the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles into one body in Christ.
ethnē · Greek Noun
A descriptive term for non-Jewish people, who in the Old Testament were considered outside the covenant, but in Christ are now co-heirs and fellow members of God’s people.
synklēronoma · Greek Adjective
Those who share in an inheritance; used biblically to denote believers who receive the eternal inheritance promised by God through faith.
euangelion · Greek Noun
The "good news" regarding Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, which provides salvation and reconciliation to God for all who believe.
The radical idea that Gentiles could be equal heirs with Jewish believers, without becoming Jewish, was a groundbreaking revelation that overturned centuries of religious and cultural separation. Paul's letter to the Ephesians explains this 'mystery' as central to God's plan, now fully revealed through the gospel.
c. 1446 BC
Abrahamic Covenant Established
God makes foundational promises to Abraham, outlining blessings for his descendants and through them, for all nations.
c. 1400 BC - 586 BC
Mosaic Law and Temple Worship
The Law of Moses and the Jerusalem Temple establish a clear distinction between Israelites and Gentiles, with Gentiles generally excluded from full participation in Israel's worship.
c. 8th Century BC onwards
Prophetic Foretelling of Inclusivity
Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah foretell a future day when Gentiles will join God's people and worship Him.
c. 4 BC - c. AD 30/33
Life and Ministry of Jesus
Jesus' earthly ministry, while primarily focused on Israel, includes interactions with Gentiles, hinting at a broader scope of salvation.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ascension and Pentecost
Following Jesus' ascension, the Holy Spirit empowers the apostles, leading to the preaching of the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles.
c. AD 34-36
Conversion of Saul/Paul
Saul, a fierce persecutor of the early church, is dramatically converted and becomes the apostle Paul, a key champion for Gentile inclusion.
c. AD 48-49
Jerusalem Council
A pivotal council in Jerusalem addresses the issue of Gentile believers, affirming that they do not need to become Jews or follow the Mosaic Law to be saved.
This passage directly echoes the 'fellow heir' concept, emphasizing that believers, through adoption in Christ, are heirs with Him and co-heirs of God's promises.
Galatians 3:28-29Here, Paul powerfully states that in Christ, distinctions like Jew/Gentile, slave/free, male/female are nullified, and all are one in Him, becoming heirs according to the promise—a core idea in Ephesians 3:6.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13This passage explains the 'one body' metaphor, illustrating how diverse believers, whether Jewish or Gentile, are all baptized into one Spirit to form Christ's body, directly illuminating the 'same body' aspect of Ephesians 3:6.
Colossians 1:27This verse speaks of the mystery hidden for ages but now revealed as 'Christ in you, the hope of glory,' which parallels Ephesians 3:6's revelation of the mystery that Gentiles share in God's promise through Christ.
Genesis 12:3This foundational promise to Abraham, 'In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed,' is the Old Testament root of the promise that the Gentiles are now partakers of, as revealed in Ephesians 3:6.
cambridgeEphesians 3:6: "That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:"
6 . That the Gentiles , &c.] It is well to pause over a passage like this, and reflect that what seems now to be an axiom of religious thought, the equality of mankind in view of the offer of salvation, was once an immense and long-withheld discovery. See above, on Ephesians 2:11 . should be ] Better, are ; in the plan of God, now disclosed. fellowheirs ] Cp. Rom…
vincentEphesians 3:6: "That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:"
Fellow-heirs - of the same body - partakers (συγκληρόνομα σύσσωμα συμμέτοχα)The second of these words occurs only here; the third only here and Ephesians 5:7. They are strange to classical Greek.
What Paul calls a "mystery" wasn't that Gentiles would eventually be included, but that they would be equal heirs, members, and partakers with Jewish believers, not as second-class citizens or through a lesser covenant. This profound equality, directly in Christ through the gospel, was a shocking revelation that leveled the ancient playing field of salvation.
Paul, writing as Christ's prisoner for the sake of the Gentiles, reveals a "mystery" that was hidden in previous ages: God’s plan to make Gentiles equal heirs with Jewish believers. This profound revelation means they are now part of the same spiritual body and equally share in God's promises, all made possible through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul, writing as Christ's prisoner for the sake of the Gentiles, reveals a "mystery" that was hidden in previous ages: God’s plan to make Gentiles equal heirs with Jewish believers. This profound revelation means they are now part of the same spiritual body and equally share in God's promises, all made possible through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel." — What Paul calls a "mystery" wasn't that Gentiles would eventually be included, but that they would be equal heirs, members, and partakers with Jewish believers, not as second-class citizens or th…
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Last reviewed October 2026