By Grace Through Faith

(A)And you were (B)dead in the trespasses and sins (C)in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following (D)the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in (E)the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in (F)the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body[a] and the mind, and (G)were by nature (H)children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.[b] But[c] God, being (I)rich in mercy, (J)because of the great love with which he loved us, even (K)when we were dead in our trespasses, (L)made us alive together with Christ—(M)by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and (N)seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable (O)riches of his grace in (P)kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For (Q)by grace you have been saved (R)through faith. And this is (S)not your own doing; (T)it is the gift of God, (U)not a result of works, (V)so that no one may boast. 10 For (W)we are his workmanship, (X)created in Christ Jesus (Y)for good works, (Z)which God prepared beforehand, (AA)that we should walk in them.

One in Christ

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called (AB)the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember (AC)that you were at that time separated from Christ, (AD)alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to (AE)the covenants of promise, (AF)having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were (AG)far off have been brought near (AH)by the blood of Christ. 14 For (AI)he himself is our peace, (AJ)who has made us both one and has broken down (AK)in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in (AL)ordinances, that he might create in himself one (AM)new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might (AN)reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and (AO)preached peace to you who were (AP)far off and peace to those who were (AQ)near. 18 For (AR)through him we both have (AS)access in (AT)one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer (AU)strangers and aliens,[d] but you are (AV)fellow citizens with the saints and (AW)members of the household of God, 20 (AX)built on the foundation of the (AY)apostles and prophets, (AZ)Christ Jesus himself being (BA)the cornerstone, 21 (BB)in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into (BC)a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him (BD)you also are being built together (BE)into a dwelling place for God by[e] the Spirit.

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

For this reason I, Paul, (BF)a prisoner of Christ Jesus (BG)on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of (BH)the stewardship of (BI)God's grace that was given to me for you, (BJ)how the mystery was made known to me (BK)by revelation, (BL)as I have written briefly. (BM)When you read this, you can perceive my insight into (BN)the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is[f] that the Gentiles are (BO)fellow heirs, (BP)members of the same body, and (BQ)partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

(BR)Of this gospel I was made (BS)a minister according to the gift of (BT)God's grace, which was given me (BU)by the working of his power. To me, (BV)though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, (BW)to preach to the Gentiles the (BX)unsearchable (BY)riches of Christ, and (BZ)to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery (CA)hidden for ages in[g] God, (CB)who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold (CC)wisdom of God (CD)might now be made known to (CE)the rulers and authorities (CF)in the heavenly places. 11 This was (CG)according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have (CH)boldness and (CI)access with (CJ)confidence through our (CK)faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering (CL)for you, (CM)which is your glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom (CN)every family[h] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to (CO)the riches of his glory (CP)he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit (CQ)in your inner being, 17 (CR)so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being (CS)rooted and (CT)grounded in love, 18 may have strength to (CU)comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and (CV)height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ (CW)that surpasses knowledge, that (CX)you may be filled with all (CY)the fullness of God.

20 (CZ)Now to (DA)him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, (DB)according to the power at work within us, 21 (DC)to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:3 Greek flesh
  2. Ephesians 2:3 Greek like the rest
  3. Ephesians 2:4 Or And
  4. Ephesians 2:19 Or sojourners
  5. Ephesians 2:22 Or in
  6. Ephesians 3:6 The words This mystery is are inferred from verse 4
  7. Ephesians 3:9 Or by
  8. Ephesians 3:15 Or from whom all fatherhood; the Greek word patria in verse 15 is closely related to the word for Father in verse 14

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