< Ephesians 2 >

1 At one time you were dead in your sins and evil actions,
And you hath he made alive who were dead in trespasses 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)
in which ye formerly walked after the manner of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that still operates in the children of disobedience: (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.
among whom also we were all conversant heretofore in our carnal desires, indulging the appetites of the flesh and of our imaginations; and were by nature children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God in his generous mercy, because of the amazing love he had for us
But God being rich in mercy, through his great love 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!
hath made us alive in Christ, even when we were dead in trespasses, (for by grace ye are saved) and hath raised us up together,
6 He raised us up with Christ, and in Christ Jesus seated us with him in heaven,
and made us sit together in heavenly places in 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 in the ages to come He might shew the superabundant riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through 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 ye are saved, through faith: and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not by works, that no one may boast:
9 This has nothing to do with human effort, so don't be proud of yourselves.
for we are his workmanship,
10 We're the product of what God does, created in Christ Jesus to do good, which God already planned that we should do.
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, for which God before prepared us, that we might 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
Wherefore remember that ye were formerly Gentiles in the flesh, called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision made by hands in the flesh;
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.
and ye were at that time without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus,
13 But now, in Christ Jesus, you who were once a long way off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
ye, who were formerly 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 removed the wall of partition from between us;
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,
having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that He might form the two into one new man, in Himself, so 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 that He might reconcile both in one body unto God, by the cross, having thereby slain the enmity:
17 He came and shared the good news of peace with those of you who were far away, and those who were nearby,
and He came and preached peace to you that were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 because through him we both gain access to the Father through the same Spirit.
For through Him we both have access by 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 ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the houshold of God;
20 that's being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.
being built on 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 the whole building fitly joined together increaseth to 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 ye also are built up together for an habitation of God by the Spirit.

< Ephesians 2 >