²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies^(A) in your minds^(B) because of^[a] your evil behavior.

¹² remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners^(A) to the covenants of the promise,^(B) without hope^(C) and without God in the world.

³ At one time^(A) we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness^(B) and love of God our Savior^(C) appeared,^{(D) 5} he saved us,^(E) not because of righteous things we had done,^(F) but because of his mercy.^(G) He saved us through the washing^(H) of rebirth and renewal^(I) by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us^(J) generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace,^(K) we might become heirs^(L) having the hope^(M) of eternal life.^(N)

¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding^(A) and separated from the life of God^(B) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.^(C)

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,^{(A) 2} in which you used to live^(B) when you followed the ways of this world^(C) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,^(D) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.^{(E) 3} All of us also lived among them at one time,^(F) gratifying the cravings of our flesh^[a](G) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

⁹ Since we have now been justified^(A) by his blood,^(B) how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath^(C) through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies,^(D) we were reconciled^(E) to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!^(F)

¹⁵ To the pure, all things are pure,^(A) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.^(B) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.^{(C) 16} They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.^(D) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.^(E)

³⁰ slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;^(A)

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,^(A) but fellow citizens^(B) with God’s people and also members of his household,^(C)