¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork,^(A) created^(B) in Christ Jesus to do good works,^(C) which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

¹¹ Therefore, remember that formerly^(D) you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)^(E)— ¹² remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners^(F) to the covenants of the promise,^(G) without hope^(H) and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once^(I) were far away have been brought near^(J) by the blood of Christ.^(K)

¹⁴ For he himself is our peace,^(L) who has made the two groups one^(M) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh^(N) the law with its commands and regulations.^(O) His purpose was to create in himself one^(P) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,^(Q) by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷ He came and preached peace^(R) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.^{(S) 18} For through him we both have access^(T) to the Father^(U) by one Spirit.^(V)

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,^(W) but fellow citizens^(X) with God’s people and also members of his household,^{(Y) 20} built^(Z) on the foundation^(AA) of the apostles and prophets,^(AB) with Christ Jesus himself^(AC) as the chief cornerstone.^{(AD) 21} In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple^(AE) in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.^(AF)

⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built^(A) into a spiritual house^[a](B) to be a holy priesthood,^(C) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.^{(D) 6} For in Scripture it says:

⁷ Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,^(G)

⁸ and,

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.^(K)

⁹ But you are a chosen people,^(L) a royal priesthood,^(M) a holy nation,^(N) God’s special possession,^(O) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^{(P) 10} Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;^(Q) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

⁴ For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.^{(A) 5} “Moses was faithful as a servant^(B) in all God’s house,”^[a](C) bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. ⁶ But Christ is faithful as the Son^(D) over God’s house. And we are his house,^(E) if indeed we hold firmly^(F) to our confidence and the hope^(G) in which we glory.

²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,^(A) his body, of which he is the Savior.

⁹ God is faithful,^(A) who has called you^(B) into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.^(C)

The Incarnation of the Word of Life

1 That which was from the beginning,^(A) which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,^(B) which we have looked at and our hands have touched^(C)—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. ² The life appeared;^(D) we have seen it and testify to it,^(E) and we proclaim to you the eternal life,^(F) which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,^(G) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.^(H)