me to you -ward: how that by revelation He made known unto me the

mystery ... unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this

grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable

riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the dispensation

(R.V.) of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world (since the

ages) hath been hid in God' (Eph. 3:1 -9).

Here is a prisoner, `for you Gentiles'.  Here is a dispensation, `the

grace of God which is given me to you -ward'.  Here is a mystery, revealed

for the first time.  For the `mystery of the gospel' the apostle was an

`ambassador in bonds' (Eph. 6:19,20).  This new dispensation of the Mystery

was for the church which is His Body (Col. 1:24 -26).  This second ministry

of the apostle fulfilled his ardent desires expressed in Acts 20:24:

`I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the

faith' (2 Tim. 4:7).