Ephesians 2–3

From Death to Life

2And you were dead ^vin your trespasses and sins ²in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, ^waccording to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens, ^xythe spirit ^znow working in the disobedient. ^a3We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly ^bdesires, carrying out the inclinations ^cof our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath ^das the others were also. ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, ^ebecause of His great love ^fthat He had for us, ^g5made us alive ^hwith the Messiah even though we were dead ⁱin trespasses. You are saved by grace! ⁶Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens, ^j7so that in the coming ages ^kHe might display the immeasurable riches ^lof His grace through His kindness ^mto us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For you are saved by grace ⁿthrough 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 creation, created ^oin Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time ^pso that we should walk in them.

Unity in Christ

¹¹So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” ^qwhich is done in the flesh by human hands. ^r12At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, ^swithout hope ^tand without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood ^uof the Messiah. ¹⁴For He is our peace, who made both groups one ^vand 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 ^win Himself one ^xnew man from the two, resulting in peace. ¹⁶He did this so that He might reconcile both to God in one body ^ythrough the cross and put the hostility to death by it. ^z17When the Messiah came, He proclaimed the good news ^aof peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ^b18For through Him we both have access ^cby one Spirit to the Father. ^d19So 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, ^ewith Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. ²¹The whole building, being put together ^fby Him, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord. ^g22You also are being built together ^hfor God’s dwelling ⁱin the Spirit.

Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles

3For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner ^jof Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— ²you have heard, haven’t you, about the administration of God’s grace that He gave to me for you? ³The mystery was made known to me by revelation, ^kas I have briefly written above. ⁴By reading this you are able to understand my insight about the mystery of the Messiah. ^l5This was not made known to people ^min other generations as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets ⁿby the Spirit: ⁶The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners of the promise ^oin 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. ^p

⁸This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches ^qof the Messiah, ⁹and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created ^rall things. ¹⁰This is so God’s multi-faceted wisdom ^smay now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. ^t11This is according to His eternal purpose ^uaccomplished in the Messiah, Jesus our Lord. ¹²In Him we have boldness and confident access ^vthrough faith in Him. ^w13So then I ask you not to be discouraged ^xover my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory. ^y

Prayer for Spiritual Power

¹⁴For this reason I kneel ^zbefore the Father ^a15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. ¹⁶I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches ^bof His glory, ^cto be strengthened with power ^din the inner man ^ethrough His Spirit, ¹⁷and that the Messiah 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, ^f19and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to Him who is able ^gto do above and beyond all that we ask or think ^haccording to the power ⁱthat works in us— ²¹to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. ^j