Ephesians 2:11–3:6

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.