Add parallel Print Page Options

And you were dead in trespasses and sins

(wherein you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the authority of the ruler of the air, even the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

among whom all of us also once lived in the lusts of our flesh, in fulfilling the will of the flesh, and of the mind; and were, by nature, the children of wrath, just as the rest).

But God, Who is rich in mercy, through His great love with which He loved us,

even when we were dead by sins, has quickened us together in Christ (by grace you are saved)

and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus;

so that He might show, in the ages to come, the exceeding riches of His grace through His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift from God

(not of works, lest anyone should boast).

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works; which God has ordained, so that we would walk in them.

11 Therefore, remember that you, being formerly Gentiles in the flesh (the ones called “uncircumcision” by those called “circumcision” in the flesh, made with hands),

12 that you were, at that time, without Christ; and were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; and were strangers to the covenants of the promise; and had no hope; and were without God in the world.

13 But now, in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off, are made near by the blood of Christ.

14 For He is our peace. He has made of both, one, and has broken the barrier of hostility;

15 having annulled (through His flesh) the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, in order to make (in Himself) one new man from the two. And so, make peace,

16 so that He might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, and thereby slay hostility.

17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to those who were near.

18 For through Him we both have access to the Father, by one Spirit.

19 Now therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 having been built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone.

21 In Him, all the building, fitted together, grows into a holy Temple in the Lord.

22 In Him, you also are being built together, to be the habitation of God by the Spirit.

Made Alive in Christ

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,(A) in which you used to live(B) when you followed the ways of this world(C) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,(D) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.(E) All of us also lived among them at one time,(F) gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a](G) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us,(H) God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions(I)—it is by grace you have been saved.(J) And God raised us up with Christ(K) and seated us with him(L) in the heavenly realms(M) in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,(N) expressed in his kindness(O) to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace(P) you have been saved,(Q) through faith(R)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works,(S) so that no one can boast.(T) 10 For we are God’s handiwork,(U) created(V) in Christ Jesus to do good works,(W) which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

11 Therefore, remember that formerly(X) you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)(Y) 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners(Z) to the covenants of the promise,(AA) without hope(AB) and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once(AC) were far away have been brought near(AD) by the blood of Christ.(AE)

14 For he himself is our peace,(AF) who has made the two groups one(AG) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh(AH) the law with its commands and regulations.(AI) His purpose was to create in himself one(AJ) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,(AK) by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace(AL) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.(AM) 18 For through him we both have access(AN) to the Father(AO) by one Spirit.(AP)

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,(AQ) but fellow citizens(AR) with God’s people and also members of his household,(AS) 20 built(AT) on the foundation(AU) of the apostles and prophets,(AV) with Christ Jesus himself(AW) as the chief cornerstone.(AX) 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple(AY) in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.(AZ)

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.