Ephesians 2–3

FROM DEATH TO LIFE

2And you were dead^aj in your trespasses and sins ²in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world,^ak according to the ruler of the power of the air,^al the spirit^am now working in the disobedient.^{D 3}We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly^an desires, carrying out the inclinations^ao of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath^ap as the others were also. ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy,^aq because of his great love^ar that he had for us,^{E 5}made us alive^as with Christ even though we were dead^at in trespasses. You are saved by grace! ⁶He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,^{au 7}so that in the coming ages^av he might display the immeasurable riches^aw of his grace through his kindness^a to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For you are saved by grace^b through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—⁹not from works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created^c in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time^d for us to do.

UNITY IN CHRIST

¹¹So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,”^e which is done in the flesh by human hands.^{f 12}At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise,^g without hope^h and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the bloodⁱ of Christ. ¹⁴For he is our peace, who made both groups one^j and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, ¹⁵he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create^k in himself one^l new man from the two, resulting in peace. ¹⁶He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body^m through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.^{F 17}He came and proclaimed the good newsⁿ of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.^{o 18}For through him we both have access^p in one Spirit to the Father.^{q 19}So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,^r with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole building, being put together,^s grows into a holy temple in the Lord.^{t 22}In him you are also being built together^u for God’s dwelling^v in the Spirit.

PAUL’S MINISTRY TO THE GENTILES

3For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner^w of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—²assuming you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that he gave me for you. ³The mystery was made known to me by revelation,^x as I have briefly written above. ⁴By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.^{y 5}This was not made known to people^A in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets^z by the Spirit: ⁶The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise^aa in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ⁷I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power.^ab

⁸This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches^ac of Christ, ⁹and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created^ad all things. ¹⁰This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom^ae may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.^{af 11}This is according to his eternal purpose^ag accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹²In him we have boldness and confident access^ah through faith in him.^{B 13}So, then, I ask you not to be discouraged^ai over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.^aj

PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL POWER

¹⁴For this reason I kneel^ak before the Father^{C 15}from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. ¹⁶I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches^al of his glory,^am to be strengthened with power^an in your inner being^ao through his Spirit, ¹⁷and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, ¹⁸may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,^{ap 19}and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to him who is able^aq to do above and beyond all that we ask or think^ar according to the power^as that works in us—²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.^at