Chiasm of Eph 2:11–22

Translation and [Explanations]

A—11 Διὸ μνημονεύετε ὅτι ποτὲ ὑμεῖς τὰ ἔθνη ἐν σαρκί (Dio mnēmoneuete hoti pote hymeis ta ethnē en sarki), οἱ λεγόμενοι ἀκροβυστία ὑπὸ τῆς λεγομένης περιτομῆς ἐν σαρκὶ χειροποιήτου (hoi legomenoi akrobystia hypo tēs legomenēs peritomēs en sarki cheiropoiētou),

A—11 “Therefore, remember that once you, the gentiles in flesh, who are called uncircumcision by the so-called handmade circumcision in flesh” [Gentiles are separated socially and in worship by human conditions “in flesh” and agency by speech.]

B—12 ὅτι ἦτε τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ (hoti ēte tō kairō ekeinō) (1) χωρὶς Χριστοῦ (chōris Christou), (2) ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι τῆς πολιτείας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ (apēllotriōmenoi tēs politeias tou Israēl kai) (3) ξένοι τῶν διαθηκῶν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας (xenoi tōn diathēkōn tēs epangelias), (4) ἐλπίδα μὴ ἔχοντες καὶ (elpida mē echontes kai) (5) ἄθεοι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ (atheoi en tō kosmō).

B—12 “that you were at that time (1) without Messiah, (2) alienated from the citizenship of Israel and (3) foreigners of the covenants of the promise, (4) having no hope and (5) being godless in the world.” [The Gentile audience had an foreign status—they were lacking various attributes.]

C—13 νυνὶ δὲ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ὑμεῖς οἵ ποτε ὄντες μακρὰν ἐγενήθητε ἐγγὺς ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ (nyni de en Christō Iēsou hymeis hoi pote ontes makran egenēthēte engys en tō haimati tou Christou).

C—13 “But now, in Messiah Jesus you who once were far away have come near by the blood of the Messiah.”

D—14a Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν (Autos gar estin hē eirēnē hēmōn),

D—14a “For He is our peace,” [stated positively; “peace” is opposite to “enmity” in D’—16b]

E—14b ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἓν (ho poiēsas ta amphotera hen)

E—14b “who made both groups one”

F—14c καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας (kai to mesotoichon tou phragmou lysas), τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ (tēn echthran en tē sarki autou),

F—14c “even by destroying the dividing wall of hostility, that is, the enmity by means of his flesh” [“Destroying” and “enmity” are opposite to “creating” and “peace” in F’—15b]

G—15a τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας (ton nomon tōn entolōn en dogmasin katargēsas),

G—15a “by having annulled the law of commandments in decrees” [forward position—center of chiasm]

F’—15b ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον ποιῶν εἰρήνην (hina tous dyo ktisē en autō eis hena kainon anthrōpon poiōn eirēnēn)

F’—15b “in order that he would create in himself one new humanity making continuous peace” [“creating” and “peace” are opposite to “destroying” and “enmity” in F—14c]

E’—16a καὶ ἀποκαταλλάξῃ τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι τῷ θεῷ (kai apokatallaxē tous amphoterous en heni sōmati tō theō)

E’—16a “and would reconcile to God both groups in one body”

D’—16b διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν αὐτῷ (dia tou staurou apokteinas tēn echthran en autō).

D’—16b “by killing through the cross the enmity in himself” [stated negatively; “enmity” is opposite to “peace” in D—14a]

C’—17 καὶ ἐλθὼν εὐηγγελίσατο εἰρήνην ὑμῖν τοῖς μακρὰν καὶ εἰρήνην τοῖς ἐγγύς (kai elthōn euēngelisato eirēnēn hymin tois makran kai eirēnēn tois engys)

C’—17 “And when he came, he proclaimed peace to you far away and peace to those near,”

B’—18–20 (5) & (4) ὅτι δι᾿ αὐτοῦ ἔχομεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν οἱ ἀμφότεροι ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα (hoti di᾿ autou echomen tēn prosagōgēn hoi amphoteroi en heni pneumati pros ton patera). 19 3 Ἄρα οὖν οὐκέτι ἐστὲ ξένοι καὶ πάροικοι ἀλλὰ (Ara oun ouketi este xenoi kai paroikoi alla) 2 ἐστὲ συμπολῖται τῶν ἁγίων καὶ οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ (este sympolitai tōn hagiōn kai oikeioi tou theou), 20 ἐποικοδομηθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν (epoikodomēthentes epi tō themeliō tōn apostolōn kai prophētōn), 1 ὄντος ἀκρογωνιαίου αὐτοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ (ontos akrogōniaiou autou Christou Iēsou),

B’—18–20 “(4) & (5) because through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 (3) Therefore then, no longer are you foreigners and aliens, (2) but you are co-citizens of the saints and (5) household members of God, 20 being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, (1) with Messiah Jesus himself being the capstone,”

A’—21–22 (5) ἐν ᾧ πᾶσα οἰκοδομὴ συναρμολογουμένη αὔξει εἰς ναὸν ἅγιον ἐν κυρίῳ (en hō pasa oikodomē synarmologoumenē auxei eis naon hagion en kyriō), 22 ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε εἰς κατοικητήριον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν πνεύματι (en hō kai hymeis synoikodomeisthe eis katoikētērion tou theou en pneumati).

A’—21–22 “(5) in whom the whole structure being bound together grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in which even you are being built into the dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” [Gentiles are converted in worship and bound by divine action in the Messiah Jesus by the Spirit.]