Ephesians 2

1 At one time you were dead in your sins and evil actions,

And you, when you were dead in your offences, and sins,

2 living your lives according to the ways of the world, under the control of the devil, whose spirit is at work in those who disobey God. (aiōn g165)

Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of this air, of the spirit that now worketh on the children of unbelief: (aiōn g165)

3 All of us were once like that, our behavior determined by the desires of our sinful human nature and our evil way of thinking. Like everyone else, in our nature we were children of anger.

In which also we all conversed in time past, in the desires of our flesh, fulfilling the will of the flesh and of our thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:

4 But God in his generous mercy, because of the amazing love he had for us

But God, (who is rich in mercy, ) for his exceeding charity wherewith he loved us,

5 even while we were dead in our sins, has made us alive together with Christ. Trusting in him has saved you!

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, (by whose grace you are saved, )

6 He raised us up with Christ, and in Christ Jesus seated us with him in heaven,

And hath raised us up together, and hath made us sit together in the heavenly places, through Christ Jesus.

7 so that in all eternity to come he could demonstrate the amazing extent of his grace in showing us kindness through Christ Jesus. (aiōn g165)

That he might shew in the ages to come the abundant riches of his grace, in his bounty towards us in Christ Jesus. (aiōn g165)

8 For you've been saved by grace through trusting in him—it's not through yourselves, it's the gift of God!

For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God;

9 This has nothing to do with human effort, so don't be proud of yourselves.

Not of works, that no man may glory.

10 We're the product of what God does, created in Christ Jesus to do good, which God already planned that we should do.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them.

11 So you who are “foreigners” humanly-speaking, called “uncircumcised” by those who are “circumcised” (which is only a procedure carried out by human beings), you need to remember

For which cause be mindful that you, being heretofore Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh, made by hands;

12 that once you had no relationship to Christ. You were barred as foreigners from being citizens of Israel, strangers to the agreement God had promised. You had no hope and you lived in the world without God.

That you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the conversation of Israel, and strangers to the testament, having no hope of the promise, and without God in this world.

13 But now, in Christ Jesus, you who were once a long way off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

But now in Christ Jesus, you, who some time were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14 Christ is our peace. Through his body he made the two into one, and broke down the separating wall of hostility that divided us,

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and breaking down the middle wall of partition, the enmities in his flesh:

15 freeing us from the law with its requirements and regulations. He did this so he could create in himself one new person out of the two and so make peace,

Making void the law of commandments contained in decrees; that he might make the two in himself into one new man, making peace;

16 and completely reconcile both of them to God through the cross as if they were just one body, having destroyed our hostility towards each other.

And might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, killing the enmities in himself.

17 He came and shared the good news of peace with those of you who were far away, and those who were nearby,

And coming, he preached peace to you that were afar off, and peace to them that were nigh.

18 because through him we both gain access to the Father through the same Spirit.

For by him we have access both in one Spirit to the Father.

19 That means you're no longer strangers and foreigners; you are fellow citizens of God's people and belong to God's family

Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners; but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and the domestics of God,

20 that's being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.

Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone:

21 In him the whole building is joined together, growing to form a holy temple for the Lord.

In whom all the building, being framed together, groweth up into an holy temple in the Lord.

22 You too are being built together in him as a place for God to live by the Spirit.

In whom you also are built together into an habitation of God in the Spirit.