Made Alive in Christ

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,(A) 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) 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. But because of his great love for us,(H) God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions(I)—it is by grace you have been saved.(J) And God raised us up with Christ(K) and seated us with him(L) in the heavenly realms(M) in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,(N) expressed in his kindness(O) to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace(P) you have been saved,(Q) through faith(R)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works,(S) so that no one can boast.(T) 10 For we are God’s handiwork,(U) created(V) in Christ Jesus to do good works,(W) which God prepared in advance for us to do.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.

And kai you hymeis were eimi dead nekros by reason of ho your hymeis trespasses paraptōma and kai · ho sins hamartia, in en which hos you once pote lived peripateō according kata to the ho course aiōn of ho this houtos world kosmos, according kata to the ho ruler archōn of ho the realm exousia of the ho air aēr, of the ho spirit pneuma that ho is now nyn energizing energeō en the ho sons hyios of ho disobedience apeitheia. Among en them hos we hēmeis also kai all pas once pote lived anastrephō in en the ho passions epithumia of ho our hēmeis flesh sarx, gratifying poieō the ho desires thelēma and kai impulses dianoia of the ho flesh sarx, · ho and kai were eimi by nature physis children teknon of wrath orgē, just kai like hōs · ho everyone else loipos. · ho But de God theos, being eimi rich plousios in en mercy eleos, because dia of · ho his autos great polys love agapē with which hos he loved agapaō us hēmeis, even kai though we hēmeis were eimi dead nekros in our ho trespasses paraptōma, made us alive together syzōopoieō with · ho Christ Christos by grace charis you have been eimi saved sōzō and kai raised synegeirō us up with him and kai seated synkathizō us with him in en the ho heavenly epouranios places in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous, to hina demonstrate endeiknymi in en the ho ages aiōn · ho to come eperchomai the ho incomparable hyperballō riches ploutos of ho his autos grace charis in en kindness chrēstotēs to epi us hēmeis in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous. For gar by ho grace charis you have been eimi saved sōzō through dia faith pistis, and kai this houtos is not ou of ek yourselves hymeis, it is the ho gift dōron of God theos; it is not ou of ek works ergon, so that hina no one tis may boast kauchaomai. 10 For gar we are eimi his autos work poiēma, created ktizō in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous for epi good agathos works ergon, which hos God theos prepared in advance proetoimazō · ho that hina we should do peripateō them autos.

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From Death to Life

You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world,[a] following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.[b](A) All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, doing the will of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else,(B) but God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us(C) even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ[c]—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places[d] in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.2 Gk according to the aeon
  2. 2.2 Gk sons of disobedience
  3. 2.5 Other ancient authorities read in Christ
  4. 2.6 Gk heavenlies

Made Alive with Christ

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:2 Greek obeying the commander of the power of the air.

From Death to Life

And you were dead(A) in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world,(B) according to the ruler of the power of the air,(C) the spirit(D) now working in the disobedient.[a] We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly(E) desires, carrying out the inclinations(F) of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath(G) as the others were also. But God, who is rich in mercy,(H) because of his great love(I) that he had for us,[b] made us alive(J) with Christ even though we were dead(K) in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,(L) so that in the coming ages(M) he might display the immeasurable riches(N) of his grace through his kindness(O) to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace(P) through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created(Q) in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time(R) for us to do.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:2 Lit sons of disobedience
  2. 2:4 Lit love with which he loved us