in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all formerly lived in the desires of our flesh, doing the will[a] of the flesh and of the mind, and we were children of wrath[b] by nature, as also the rest of them were.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us,

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:3 Or “desires”
  2. Ephesians 2:3 This phrase is a Semitic idiom which can mean either (1) “children characterized by wrath” or (2) “children destined for wrath”

in which you used to live(A) when you followed the ways of this world(B) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,(C) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.(D) All of us also lived among them at one time,(E) gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a](F) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us,(G) God, who is rich in mercy,

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.