Destined for Wrath, Saved by Grace

2 You were dead in your trespasses and sins. ² At that time, you walked in the way of this world, in conformity to the ruler of the domain of the air—the ruler of the spirit who is now operating in the sons of disobedience. ³ We too all lived among them in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind. By nature we were children of wrath, just like the others. ⁴ But God was rich in mercy,^[a] because of His great love with which He loved us. ⁵ Even when we were dead in our trespasses, He made us alive together with Messiah. (By grace you have been saved!) ⁶ And He raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Messiah Yeshua— ⁷ to show in the olam ha-ba the measureless richness of His grace in kindness toward us in Messiah Yeshua.

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves—it is the gift of God. ⁹ It is not based on deeds, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship—created in Messiah Yeshua for good deeds, which God prepared beforehand so we might walk in them.

Jew and Gentile, One in Messiah

¹¹ Therefore, keep in mind that once you—Gentiles in the flesh—were called “uncircumcision” by those called “circumcision” (which is performed on flesh by hand). ¹² At that time you were separate from Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Messiah Yeshua, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. ¹⁴ For He is our shalom, the One who made the two into one and broke down the middle wall of separation. Within His flesh He made powerless the hostility— ¹⁵ the law code of mitzvot contained in regulations. He did this in order to create within Himself one new man from the two groups, making shalom, ¹⁶ and to reconcile both to God in one body through the cross—by which He put the hostility to death. ¹⁷ And He came and proclaimed shalom to you who were far away and shalom to those who were near^[b]— ¹⁸ for through Him we both have access to the Father by the same Ruach. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household. ²⁰ You have been built on the foundation made up of the emissaries and prophets, with Messiah Yeshua Himself being the cornerstone. ^{[c] 21} In Him the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple for the Lord. ²² In Him, you also are being built together into God’s dwelling place^[d] in the Ruach.

The Mystery of the Gentiles Revealed

3 For this reason I, Paul, am a prisoner of Messiah Yeshua for the sake of you Gentiles. ² Surely you have heard about the plan of God’s grace given to me for you— ³ that the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote before briefly. ⁴ When you read this, you can understand my insight into the mystery of Messiah— ⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, as it has now been revealed by the Ruach to His holy emissaries and prophets. ⁶ This mystery is that the Gentiles are joint heirs and fellow members of the same body and co-sharers of the promise in Messiah Yeshua through the Good News. ⁷ I became a servant of this Good News by the gift of God’s favor given to me through the exercise of His power.

⁸ This favor was given to me, the very least of His kedoshim, to proclaim to the Gentiles the endless riches of the Messiah ⁹ and to bring to light the plan of the mystery—which for ages was hidden in God, who created all things. ¹⁰ The purpose is that through Messiah’s community the multi-faceted wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places, ¹¹ which is in keeping with the eternal purpose that He carried out in Messiah Yeshua our Lord. ¹² In Him we have boldness and access with confidence through trusting in Him. ^{[a] 13} So I ask you not to be discouraged by my troubles on your behalf—they are your glory.

Prayer for Power and Understanding

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father^[b]— ¹⁵ from Him every family in heaven and on earth receives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that from His glorious riches He would grant you to be strengthened in your inner being with power through His Ruach, ¹⁷ so that Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to grasp with all the kedoshim what is the width and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Messiah which surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled up with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do far beyond all that we ask or imagine, by means of His power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be the glory in the community of believers and in Messiah Yeshua throughout all generations^[c] forever and ever! Amen.