Ephesians 3
1 On account of this I Paul the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf [of you] the nations— 2 if you have heard the management of the grace of God given to me towards you— 3 that according to revelation was the mystery made known to me, just as I wrote before in [a] few [words], 4 by which you are able, when reading, to understand my insight in the mystery of Christ, 5 who to other generations was not made known to the sons of men as he is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in [the] spirit, 6 that the nations be co-heirs and co-body and co-sharers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the good-news, 7 of which I became [a] servant according to the working of his ability. 8 To me the least of all [the] holy [ones] he has given this grace: to good-news to the nations the incomprehensible wealth of the Christ, 9 and to enlighten everyone what is the management of the mystery hidden from the ages in God who created everything, 10 in order that now be made known to the principalities and to the authorities in the heavenlies through the assembly1 the multifaceted wisdom of God. 11 According to the purpose of the eternities which he did in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have the boldness and access in confidence through faith in him. 13 Therefore I ask2 [that you] not be despairing in my afflictions in your behalf, which is your glory. 14 On account of this I bend my knees towards the father, 15 from whom every family in [the] heavens and upon [the] earth is named, 16 in order that he give to you, according to the wealth of his glory, to be strengthened with ability through his spirit in the inner man, 17 [that] Christ dwell through faith in your hearts, in agape-love being rooted and being founded, 18 in order that you be strong enough to attain with all the holy [ones] what [is] the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the agape-love of Christ, surpassing knowledge, in order that you be filled in all the fullness of God. 20 So to the [one] being able above everything to do well-beyond what we ask2 or think according to the ability working in us, 21 to him [be] the glory in the assembly1 and in Christ Jesus to all the generations of the eternity of eternities, Amen.1EKKLESIA (εκκλησια) from "called out". Appears 114 times in the N.T., but only in two places in the Gospels ( Matt.16:18 (twice) and Matt.18:17 (twice)). It's worth noting that when Jesus uses the term EKKLESIA, Christian community as we know it didn't yet exist—there were only the disciples. EKKLESIA is apparently different from 'synagogue' (SYNAGOGE (συναγωγη) which occurs 56 times in the N.T.) EKKLESIA is used in secular Greek literature of a popular assembly 'called to assemble', and also of those 'called' to a cult. EKKLESIA is used frequently in the N.T. outside of the Gospels to refer to Christian communities, but in Acts.7:38 it is used of the people of Israel led through the desert by Moses, and in Acts.19:32 ff. of a secular assembly. Thus, all told, the common translation of EKKLESIA as 'church' doesn't really reflect 1st century usage—it seems to mean more like 'a group of people assembled for some specific purpose'.
2AITEO "ay-TEH-oh" (αιτεω) "request", "demand", "beg" something for oneself. Far from humbly requesting—it's more like 'demanding'. Jesus uses AITEO only of the prayer of others, not of His own (cf. John.16:26)—and not requesting things for Himself, only for others. AITEO seems to suppose a lesser degree of intimacy than EROTAO (ερωταω), hence AITEO is used of the requests of the disciples to God, but EROTAO of the requests of the disciples to Jesus, and of those of Jesus to the Father ( John.14:16). AITEO is demanding/begging/pleading, EROTAO is polite and friendlier. Both AITEO and EROTAO occur in John.16:26.