Ephesians 2

Made Alive with Christ

2Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.G2532G5209G5607G3498G3900G2532G2662You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.

He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.G1722G3739G4218G4043G2596G165G5127G2889G2596G758G1849G109G4151G3568G1754G1722G5207G5433All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else.G1722G3739G2532G2249G3956G390G4218G1722G1939G2257G4561G4160G2307G4561G2532G1271G2532G2258G5449G5043G3709G2532G5613G30624But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,G1161G2316G5607G4145G1722G1656G1223G846G4183G26G3739G25G22485that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)G2532G2248G5607G3498G3900G4806G5547G5485G2075G49826For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.G2532G4891G2532G4776G1722G2032G1722G5547G24247So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.G2443G1722G165G1904G1731G5235G4149G846G5485G1722G5544G1909G2248G1722G5547G24248God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.G1063G5485G2075G4982G1223G4102G2532G5124G3756G1537G5216G1435G23169Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.G3756G1537G2041G3363G5100G274410For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.G1063G2070G846G4161G2936G1722G5547G2424G1909G18G2041G3739G2316G4282G2443G4043G1722G846

Oneness and Peace in Christ

11Don't forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called "uncircumcised heathens" by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.G1352G3421G3754G5210G4218G1484G1722G4561G3588G3004G203G5259G3588G3004G4061G1722G4561G549912In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.G3754G1722G1565G2540G2258G5565G5547G526G4174G2474G2532G3581G1242G1860G2192G3361G1680G2532G112G1722G288913But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.G1161G3570G1722G5547G2424G5210G3588G4218G5607G3112G1096G1451G1722G129G554714For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.G1063G846G2076G2257G1515G3588G4160G297G1520G2532G3089G3320G541815He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.G2673G1722G846G4561G2189G3551G1785G1722G1378G2443G2936G1722G1438G1417G1519G1520G2537G444G4160G151516Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.G2532G604G297G2316G1722G1520G4983G1223G4716G615G2189G1722G84617He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near.G2532G2064G2097G1515G5213G3588G3112G2532G145118Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.G3754G1223G846G2192G297G2192G4318G1722G1520G4151G4314G3962

A Temple for the Lord

19So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family.G3767G686G2075G3765G3581G2532G3941G235G4847G40G2532G3609G231620Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.G2026G1909G2310G652G2532G4396G2424G5547G846G5607G20421We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.G1722G3739G3956G3619G4883G837G1519G40G3485G1722G296222Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.G1722G3739G5210G2532G4925G1519G2732G2316G1722G4151