¹⁷ If anyone belongs to Christ, ·there is a new creation [the new creation has arrived; or that person has become a new creation]. The old things have gone; [^Llook; ^Tbehold] ·everything is made new [the new has come]!

⁵ he saved us because of his mercy. It was not because of ·good deeds we did to be right with him [or righteous deeds we did]. He saved us through the washing ·that made us new people [^Lof new-birth/regeneration and renewal] ·through [by] the Holy Spirit.

We Now Have Life

2 In the past you were ·spiritually dead [^Ldead] ·because of [or in] your sins and ·the things you did against God [transgressions].

⁴ But ·God’s mercy is great [^LGod is rich in mercy], and he loved us very much. ⁵ Though we were spiritually dead because of ·the things we did against God [our transgressions], he ·gave us new life [brought us to life] with Christ. You have been saved by God’s grace. ⁶ And he raised us up with Christ and gave us a seat with him in the ·heavens [heavenly places/realms]. He did this for those in Christ Jesus ⁷ so that ·for all future time [^Lin the ages to come] he could show the ·very great [exceeding; overwhelming] riches of his grace by being kind to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ ·I mean that [or For; Because] you have been saved by grace through ·believing [faith]. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. ⁹ It was not the result of ·your own efforts [works], so ·you cannot [no one can] ·brag about it [boast].