Ephesians 2

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

Formerly, because you were habitually sinning [DOU], you were ([spiritually] dead/[as unable to please God as a] corpse [MET] is).

2 in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. (aiōn g165)

You were acting in the same [evil] way as those who oppose Christ [MTY] act. That is, you were behaving in the [evil] ways [that Satan wanted you to behave]. He rules over evil spiritual beings that no person can see [MTY]. He is the spirit who now powerfully controls the people who disobey God. (aiōn g165)

3 All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.

Formerly, we all used to disobey God as they do. We did the things that our self-centered nature wanted us to do. We habitually did those [evil] deeds that our bodies and our minds wanted to do. When we were acting like that, it was certain that [God] would punish [MTY] us, just like he will certainly punish all other [evil people].

4 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

But God always acts very mercifully, and he loves us very much.

5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

As a result, even when we were ([spiritually] dead/[as unable to please God as] a corpse [MET] is) because we were habitually sinning, he enabled us to receive [spiritual]/[eternal] life because of our relationship with Christ. [Do not forget this: It is only] because God has acted so kindly toward you, in a way that you did not deserve, that you are saved {that [he] saved you} [from the guilt of your sin]

6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

And [it is as though] God gave us spiritual life when he caused Christ Jesus to be alive again after he died [MET]. And [it is as though] God caused us to sit [and rule] [MTY] with him in heaven,

7 in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (aiōn g165)

in order that he might show to everyone at all times in the future that he has acted toward us in an extremely kind way because of what Christ Jesus [did for us]. (aiōn g165)

8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,

It is [only] by [God] acting [PRS] [toward you] in a way that you did not deserve that you have been saved {that he has saved you} as a result of your trusting [in Christ]. You did not save yourselves. His saving you was his gift to you.

9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

He did not save any of you because of anything you yourselves did. Because you have done nothing [to save yourselves], you cannot be proud of your efforts to save yourselves.

10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

It is God who has made us what we are now. Because of our relationship with Christ Jesus, he has enabled us to receive [spiritual/eternal] life in order that we should conduct our lives habitually doing the good deeds that God previously planned for us to do.

11 Therefore remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision (that done in the body by human hands)—

You [Ephesians] have been non-Jews from the time that you were born. The Jews ([insult you/say that you are not God’s people]) [by] calling you ‘those who are not circumcised’. They [proudly] call themselves ‘we [(exc)] who are circumcised’. [They have allowed people to] circumcise [them to indicate that they are God’s people, but] that has [only] changed their bodies, [not their] ([inner beings/hearts]).

12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

You should constantly remember these things: Formerly you did not have any relationship with Christ. You did not belong to the people of Israel, [the people whom God chose]. You did not know about the things God promised in his agreements [with his people]. You did not confidently expect to go to heaven after you die (OR, [that God would save you]). You [lived] in this world without knowing God.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

But now, because of your relationship with Christ Jesus, God has brought you, who had no relationship with him [MET], into his family [MET]. He did that because [you trusted in what Christ accomplished when] his blood [MTY] [flowed from his body when he died on the cross].

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility

Christ himself [has caused us Jewish and non-Jewish believers] to have peace [with each other]. He has made both [of our groups] to become one [group]. [Just like people] (tear down/demolish) a wall that separates [groups of people] [MET], he has destroyed the hatred [between Jews and non-Jews].

15 by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace

By dying [MTY] [for us on the cross] he made it no longer [necessary for us to obey] all the [Jewish] laws and rituals [in order to be saved]. He did that in order to enable the two [groups] to become one new group because of our relationship with him. The result was that he has caused us to have peace [with each other].

16 and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He extinguished their hostility.

By [dying on] the cross [MTY] he caused both Jews and non-Jews to have a peaceful relationship with God. That is how he caused us to no longer be [MET] enemies [with God] (OR, [with each other]).

17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

He came [to earth] and proclaimed that you [non-Jews], who did not have a relationship with [MET] [God], and [us(exc) Jews], who [considered that we(exc) belonged to] [MET] God’s [family], can [all] now have peace [with God].

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

[We know that he has done that] because we both, [Jews and non-Jews], are [now] able to approach God the Father in prayer by the help of his Spirit, because of what Christ [has done].

19 Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household,

So [God no longer treats] you [non-Jews] as [people treat] [MET] foreigners and strangers [who live among them] [MET]. Instead, along with all God’s people, [it is as though] you have become citizens of a country that he rules over, and [as though you have become] members of the family [of which he is the father] [MET].

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.

[Just like] a building is built {[as someone] builds a building} on a foundation, [God has joined you into one group that originated/began] from what the apostles and prophets [taught]. Christ Jesus is the [most important one in that group, just like a] cornerstone [is the most important part of a building]. And

21 In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

just like [a builder might] join together all the parts of a building to make it a temple that [people will] dedicate to the Lord [MET], [Christ is continually causing all of] you who have a relationship with [him to be united, in order that you will become one holy group].

22 And in Him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit.

And because of your relationship with Christ, [God] is joining you [non-Jews] together with [Jewish believers] to be [like] one building [MET] in which his Spirit lives.