< Ndị Efesọs 2 >
1 Ma unu onwe unu, unu nwụrụ anwụ site na njehie ụzọ na mmehie unu.
You yourselves were once dead because of your offences and sins.
2 Nke unu biri ndụ nʼime ha mgbe unu na-agbaso ụzọ niile nke ụwa a, na ụzọ onye ọchịchị nke alaeze ikuku, bụ mmụọ ahụ na-arụ ọrụ ugbu a na ndụ ndị ahụ na-enupu isi. (aiōn )
For at one time you lived in sin, following the ways of the world, in subjection to the Ruler of the Powers of the air — the Spirit who is still at work among the disobedient. (aiōn )
3 Anyị niile bikwara ndụ anyị nʼetiti ha, nʼoge gara aga, na-emejupụta agụụ nke anụ ahụ mmehie, ma na-agbaso ọchịchọ ya na ebumnuche ya. Nʼihi na site nʼọdịdị anyị, anyị na ndị ọzọ nọ nʼọmụma ikpe ya.
And it was among them that we all once lived our lives, indulging the cravings of our earthly nature, and carrying out the desires prompted by that earthly nature and by our own thoughts. Our very nature exposed us to the Divine Wrath, like the rest of mankind.
4 Chineke onye jupụtara nʼobi ebere, maka oke ịhụnanya o nwere nʼebe anyị nọ,
Yet God, in his abundant compassion, and because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 mere ka anyị soro Kraịst dịrị ndụ ọzọ; ọ bụladị mgbe anyị bụ ndị nwụrụ anwụ nʼime ajọ omume. Ọ bụ site nʼamara ya ka e ji zọpụta unu.
even though we were ‘dead’ because of our offences, gave Life to us in giving Life to the Christ. (By God’s loving-kindness you have been saved.)
6 Ọ kpọlitere anyị na ya, mee ka anyị nọdụ ọdụ nʼebe niile nke eluigwe nʼime Kraịst Jisọs.
And, through our union with Christ Jesus, God raised us with him, and caused us to sit with him on high,
7 O mere nke a igosi ọgbọ nke na-abịa, ịdị ukwuu nke akụ amara ya, nke o sitere nʼobiọma ya gosi anyị nʼime Kraịst Jisọs. (aiōn )
in order that, by his goodness to us in Christ Jesus, he might display in the ages to come the boundless wealth of his loving-kindness. (aiōn )
8 Nʼihi na ọ bụ site nʼamara ka e ji zọpụta unu site nʼokwukwe. Nke a abụghị ihe unu rụpụtara nʼonwe unu, ọ bụ onyinye nke Chineke.
For it is by God’s loving-kindness that you have been saved, through your faith. It is not due to yourselves; the gift is God’s.
9 O siteghị nʼọrụ, ka onye ọbụla ghara ịnya isi.
It is not due to obedience to Law, lest any one should boast.
10 Nʼihi na anyị bụ akaọrụ ya, nke o kere nʼime Kraịst Jisọs nʼihi ịrụ ezi ọrụ. Ọ bụ otu a ka Chineke siri kwadoo na anyị kwesiri ibi ndụ ụbọchị niile.
For we are God’s handiwork, created, by our union with Christ Jesus, for the good actions in doing which God had pre-arranged that we should spend our lives.
11 Ya mere, chetanụ na nʼoge gara aga, unu bụ ndị mba ọzọ site nʼọmụmụ nke a mụrụ unu. Chetakwanụ na “ndị e biri ugwu” na-akpọkwa unu “ndị a na-ebighị ugwu” (nʼihi obibi ugwu nʼanụ ahụ nke eji aka bie).
Remember, therefore, that you were once Gentiles yourselves, as your bodies showed; you were called ‘The Uncircumcised’ by those who were called ‘The Circumcised’ — circumcised only by the hand of man!
12 Nʼoge ahụ, ọ dịghị ihe jikọtara unu na Kraịst. E kewapụtara unu site na mmekọrịta nke Izrel, bụrụkwa ndị ọbịa nʼọgbụgba ndụ ahụ, na-enweghị olileanya na-enweghịkwa Chineke nʼime ụwa.
Remember that you were at that time far from Christ; you were shut out from the citizenship of Israel; you were strangers to the Covenants founded on God’s Promise; you were in the world without hope and without God.
13 Ma ugbu a nʼime Kraịst Jisọs, unu bụ ndị nọ nʼebe dị anya nʼoge gara aga, ka e mere ka unu bịaruo nso site nʼọbara Kraịst nke a wụsiri.
But now, through your union with Christ Jesus, you who once were ‘far off’ have, by the shedding of the blood of the Christ, been brought ‘near.’
14 Nʼihi na ya onwe ya bụ udo anyị, o mere ka ụzọ otu abụọ bụrụ otu ihe nʼime ahụ ya, site na ịkwatu mgbidi kewara ha na mgbe ochie, bụ mgbidi nke ịkpọ asị dị nʼetiti anyị.
He it is who is our Peace. He made the two divisions of mankind one, broke down the barrier that separated them,
15 Ọ bụ nʼime anụ ahụ ya ka ọ mere ka iwu ahụ na ụkpụrụ ya niile ghara ịdị ire. Ebumnobi ya bụ i kee nʼime onwe ya otu onye ọhụrụ site na mmadụ abụọ ahụ, si otu a mee ka udo dịrị.
and in his human nature put an end to the cause of enmity between them — the Law with its injunctions and ordinances — in order to create, through union with himself, from Jew and Gentile, one New Man and thus make peace.
16 Nʼụzọ dị otu a ka ọ ga-esi kpeziere anyị na Chineke site nʼobe ya, wetakwa nʼisi ngwụcha, iro dị nʼetiti ha abụọ.
And when, upon the cross, he had destroyed their mutual enmity, he sought by means of his cross to reconcile them both to God, united in one Body.
17 Ya mere, ọ bịara kwusaa udo nye unu ndị nọ ebe dị anya na unu ndị nọ nso,
He came with the Good News of peace for you who were ‘far off,’ and of peace for those who were ‘near’;
18 Nʼihi na anyị abụọ sitere nʼaka ya nweta nnabata anyị ịbịa nʼihu Nna site nʼotu Mmụọ ahụ.
for it is through him that we, the Jews and the Gentiles, united in the one Spirit, are now able to approach the Father.
19 Matakwanụ ugbu a na unu abụkwaghị ndị mba ọzọ na ndị ọbịa. Unu esorola ndị nsọ bụrụ diala na ndị so nʼezinaụlọ Chineke,
It follows, then, that you are no longer strangers and aliens, but are fellow-citizens with Christ’s People and members of God’s Household.
20 nke a rụkwasara nʼelu ntọala nke ndị ozi na ndị amụma, nke Kraịst Jisọs nʼonwe ya bụ nkume isi ntọala ya.
You have been built up upon the foundation laid by the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus himself being ‘the corner-stone.’
21 Ọ bụkwa nʼime ya ka a na-ejikọta ụlọ ahụ niile nke ọma, na-aba ụba, too bụrụ ụlọnsọ, nʼime Onyenwe anyị.
United in him, every part of the building, closely joined together, will grow into a Temple, consecrated by its union with the Lord.
22 Onye a na-ewukọkwa unu onwe unu nʼotu nʼime ya, ka unu niile bụrụ ebe obibi Chineke nʼime Mmụọ.
And, through union in him, you also are being built up together, to be a dwelling-place for God through the Spirit.