Ephesians 2:2-3:14

English Standard Version

^2 (A)in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following ^(B)the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in ^(C)the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in ^(D)the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body^[a] and the mind, and ^(E)were by nature ^(F)children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.^{[b] 4} But^[c] God, being ^(G)rich in mercy, ^(H)because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even ^(I)when we were dead in our trespasses, ^(J)made us alive together with Christ—^(K)by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and ^(L)seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable ^(M)riches of his grace in ^(N)kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For ^(O)by grace you have been saved ^(P)through faith. And this is ^(Q)not your own doing; ^(R)it is the gift of God, ^9 (S)not a result of works, ^(T)so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For ^(U)we are his workmanship, ^(V)created in Christ Jesus ^(W)for good works, ^(X)which God prepared beforehand, ^(Y)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 ^(Z)the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— ¹² remember ^(AA)that you were at that time separated from Christ, ^(AB)alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to ^(AC)the covenants of promise, ^(AD)having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were ^(AE)far off have been brought near ^(AF)by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For ^(AG)he himself is our peace, ^(AH)who has made us both one and has broken down ^(AI)in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ^(AJ)ordinances, that he might create in himself one ^(AK)new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶ and might ^(AL)reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and ^(AM)preached peace to you who were ^(AN)far off and peace to those who were ^(AO)near. ¹⁸ For ^(AP)through him we both have ^(AQ)access in ^(AR)one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer ^(AS)strangers and aliens,^[d] but you are ^(AT)fellow citizens with the saints and ^(AU)members of the household of God, ^20 (AV)built on the foundation of the ^(AW)apostles and prophets, ^(AX)Christ Jesus himself being ^(AY)the cornerstone, ^21 (AZ)in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into ^(BA)a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him ^(BB)you also are being built together ^(BC)into a dwelling place for God by^[e] the Spirit.

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

3 For this reason I, Paul, ^(BD)a prisoner of Christ Jesus ^(BE)on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming that you have heard of ^(BF)the stewardship of ^(BG)God's grace that was given to me for you, ^3 (BH)how the mystery was made known to me ^(BI)by revelation, ^(BJ)as I have written briefly. ^4 (BK)When you read this, you can perceive my insight into ^(BL)the mystery of Christ, ⁵ 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. ⁶ This mystery is^[f] that the Gentiles are ^(BM)fellow heirs, ^(BN)members of the same body, and ^(BO)partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

^7 (BP)Of this gospel I was made ^(BQ)a minister according to the gift of ^(BR)God's grace, which was given me ^(BS)by the working of his power. ⁸ To me, ^(BT)though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, ^(BU)to preach to the Gentiles the ^(BV)unsearchable ^(BW)riches of Christ, ⁹ and ^(BX)to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery ^(BY)hidden for ages in^[g] God, ^(BZ)who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold ^(CA)wisdom of God ^(CB)might now be made known to ^(CC)the rulers and authorities ^(CD)in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was ^(CE)according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have ^(CF)boldness and ^(CG)access with ^(CH)confidence through our ^(CI)faith in him. ¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering ^(CJ)for you, ^(CK)which is your glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,