You've probably seen it on a dusty plaque in your grandmother's hallway or scrolled past it on a high-contrast Instagram graphic. Maybe you heard it murmured at the end of a long wedding ceremony. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. It sounds poetic, sure. But for a lot of people, it’s just one of those "churchy" phrases that stays stuck in the realm of stained glass and Sunday best.
Honestly? That’s a shame.
When you actually dig into the Greek roots and the historical context of Ephesus—the city where this letter was sent—the phrase isn't just some fluffy sentiment. It’s a bold, almost aggressive claim about the nature of reality and human potential. It’s found in the New Testament, specifically Ephesians 3:20. The author, Paul, was writing from a prison cell. Think about that for a second. A guy sitting in chains, likely facing execution, is writing about "immeasurable" abundance. It’s either a total delusion or he knew something most of us don't.
The Greek Math Behind "Immeasurably"
We need to talk about the word huperkpereisou.
Greek is a "stacking" language. You can take a base word and just keep piling prefixes on it until it becomes a linguistic skyscraper. In this specific verse, the word used for "immeasurably" or "exceedingly abundantly" is a triple-compound. It basically means "beyond, out of, and over." It’s like Paul was looking for a word to describe "infinity" and decided that wasn't big enough.
It’s the kind of language that breaks a calculator.
Modern translations struggle with it because we don't have a direct English equivalent that doesn't sound like a toddler trying to describe a very big dinosaur. "Superexuberantly" might be a literal translation, but it sounds ridiculous in a sermon. So, we settle for "immeasurably."
Most people read this and think it’s about getting a bigger house or a promotion. But the context of the letter to the Ephesians isn't about material wealth. It’s about the internal capacity of the human spirit. It’s about being "strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being."
Basically, it’s about a psychological and spiritual expansion that defies logical explanation.
Why the Context of 1st-Century Ephesus Matters
Ephesus was a tech and culture hub. It was the Silicon Valley of the Roman Empire, dominated by the Temple of Artemis—one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. People there were obsessed with power. They were obsessed with "magic" and secret knowledge.
When Paul writes now to him who is able to do immeasurably, he is directly challenging the grandeur of Artemis. He’s telling a group of people living in the shadow of a massive marble monument that there is a power source available to them that makes the temple look like a LEGO set.
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It’s a pivot from external power to internal empowerment.
You’ve likely felt that gap between what you can do and what you need to do. Maybe it’s a crisis in a relationship or a career pivot that feels like jumping off a cliff without a parachute. The promise here isn't that the parachute will magically appear, but that you have an internal reservoir of resilience that is literally unquantifiable.
The Tension Between Imagination and Reality
The verse says "more than all we ask or imagine."
Let’s be real. Human imagination is pretty wild. We can imagine interstellar travel, curing every disease, or finding a perfect partner who never leaves socks on the floor. How can something be more than what we can imagine?
It’s because our imagination is usually limited by our past experiences.
If you’ve only ever known scarcity, your "big" imagination is just a slightly better version of scarcity. If you’ve only known conflict, your "dream" is just a lack of fighting. The "immeasurably more" part suggests that there are categories of peace, joy, and resolution that we don't even have the vocabulary for yet.
I think of it like a 2D character trying to imagine a 3D world. They can’t. They don't have the "Z" axis. Paul is suggesting that the "Him who is able" provides that extra dimension.
What This Actually Looks Like in Practice
It isn't just theology; it’s a framework for how you approach a problem.
- When you’re exhausted: Most of us try to "grind" through. We look for the next 5% of energy. The concept of huperkpereisou suggests there is a "third wind" that isn't dependent on your sleep cycles or caffeine intake.
- When you’re stuck: We often look for the "next logical step." This phrase implies that the solution might not be logical. It might be a total paradigm shift.
- When you’re cynical: This is the hardest one. Cynicism is the death of imagination. To believe in "immeasurably more" is an act of rebellion against a world that tells you "what you see is what you get."
The Power That Works Within Us
Here’s the kicker that people often miss. The verse ends with: "according to his power that is at work within us."
It’s not a magic wand being waved from the sky.
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The "immeasurable" stuff happens through the human vessel. It’s a partnership. In the Greek, the word for "work" is energeia. Sound familiar? It’s where we get the word energy. It’s an active, pulsating, kinetic force.
It means that the "immeasurably more" is often found in the very things you are already doing, just supercharged. It’s the conversation you were going to have anyway, but suddenly you have the words to heal a decade-old wound. It’s the work you were doing anyway, but suddenly you see a solution that saves the company.
It’s not about waiting for a miracle. It’s about realizing you are the conduit for one.
Misconceptions and What Most People Get Wrong
We need to address the "Prosperity Gospel" elephant in the room.
Many people use now to him who is able to do immeasurably as a sort of spiritual ATM card. They think if they pray hard enough, they’ll get a Lamborghini because, hey, that’s "more than they could imagine."
That’s a shallow reading.
If you look at the life of the person who wrote these words, he didn't end up rich. He ended up executed in Rome. If the "immeasurably more" was about money, Paul was a failure.
Instead, the "more" was the fact that his letters, written on scraps of parchment in a dark cell, are still being read by billions of people 2,000 years later. His "immeasurably more" was an impact that transcended his physical life.
The "more" is often about purpose, not possessions.
Moving Beyond the Cliché
If you want to actually apply this, you have to stop asking for outcomes and start asking for capacity.
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Instead of saying, "Make this problem go away," the "immeasurably" mindset says, "Give me the internal depth to handle this and the wisdom to see the opportunity inside it." It’s a subtle shift, but it changes everything.
It turns you from a victim of your circumstances into a participant in something much larger.
Most people are terrified of the unknown. We like certainties. We like spreadsheets. We like five-year plans. But the phrase "now to him who is able to do immeasurably" is a direct invitation into the unknown. It’s a reminder that the most significant things in your life—love, sacrifice, epiphany—can’t be measured anyway.
Actionable Steps for an "Immeasurable" Mindset
If you’re feeling capped out or like you’ve hit a ceiling, here is how you practically pivot:
- Audit your "asks." Look at what you are currently hoping for. Is it just a slightly better version of your current mess? Try to strip away the "how" and focus on the "what." If resources weren't an issue, what would the resolution actually look like?
- Practice "Inner Being" strengthening. Paul emphasizes the "inner man." This is about meditation, prayer, and silence. You can't tap into an immeasurable reservoir if you’re constantly distracted by the measurable noise of social media.
- Identify the "Energy." Where do you feel a sense of energeia? Often, the "more than you can imagine" starts as a small nudge or a weirdly persistent idea. Don't ignore those.
- Accept the "Un-limit." Stop saying "I can't see a way out." Of course you can't. That’s why it’s called "beyond what you can imagine." Start saying, "I don't see the way yet, but I’m open to a solution I haven't thought of."
The real power of now to him who is able to do immeasurably isn't that it fixes your life overnight. It’s that it changes the scale you use to measure your life. You stop looking at your bank account or your follower count as the final word on your worth. You start looking at the infinite potential of a spirit that is connected to the source of everything.
That’s not just a nice thought. It’s a survival strategy.
Final Takeaway
Don't let the familiarity of the words dull their edge. This is a radical statement of hope in a world that often feels hopeless. It’s a reminder that you are not the sum of your mistakes or the limit of your current resources. There is a "more" that is available, but it requires a willingness to let go of your own small-scale plans.
Stop trying to measure the immeasurable. Just start moving in it.
Start by identifying one area where you’ve "settled" for a mediocre outcome. Write down what the "logical" solution is. Then, deliberately leave space for the "illogical" one. Sit with the discomfort of not knowing how it will work, and focus instead on the character of the "Him" who is doing the work. This shift in focus—from the problem to the Power—is the first step in seeing the immeasurable become your reality.