Ephesians 2
Christian Standard Bible
From Death to Life
2 And you were dead(A) in your trespasses and sins 2 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] 3 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. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy,(H) because of his great love(I) that he had for us,[b] 5 made us alive(J) with Christ even though we were dead(K) in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,(L) 7 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. 8 For you are saved by grace(P) through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 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.
Unity in Christ
11 So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,”(S) which is done in the flesh by human hands.(T) 12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise,(U) without hope(V) and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood(W) of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who made both groups one(X) and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, 15 he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create(Y) in himself one(Z) new man from the two, resulting in peace. 16 He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body(AA) through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.[c] 17 He came and proclaimed the good news(AB) of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.(AC) 18 For through him we both have access(AD) in one Spirit to the Father.(AE) 19 So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,(AF) with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building, being put together,(AG) grows into a holy temple in the Lord.(AH) 22 In him you are also being built together(AI) for God’s dwelling(AJ) in the Spirit.
Ephesians 2
Common English Bible
Saved from sin to life
2 At one time you were like a dead person because of the things you did wrong and your offenses against God. 2 You used to live like people of this world. You followed the rule of a destructive spiritual power. This is the spirit of disobedience to God’s will that is now at work in persons whose lives are characterized by disobedience. 3 At one time you were like those persons. All of you used to do whatever felt good and whatever you thought you wanted so that you were children headed for punishment just like everyone else.
4-5 However, God is rich in mercy. He brought us to life with Christ while we were dead as a result of those things that we did wrong. He did this because of the great love that he has for us. You are saved by God’s grace! 6 And God raised us up and seated us in the heavens with Christ Jesus. 7 God did this to show future generations the greatness of his grace by the goodness that God has shown us in Christ Jesus.
8 You are saved by God’s grace because of your faith.[a] This salvation is God’s gift. It’s not something you possessed. 9 It’s not something you did that you can be proud of. 10 Instead, we are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives.
The reconciliation of God’s people
11 So remember that once you were Gentiles by physical descent, who were called “uncircumcised” by Jews who are physically circumcised. 12 At that time you were without Christ. You were aliens rather than citizens of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of God’s promise. In this world you had no hope and no God. 13 But now, thanks to Christ Jesus, you who once were so far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 Christ is our peace. He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us. 15 He canceled the detailed rules of the Law so that he could create one new person out of the two groups, making peace. 16 He reconciled them both as one body to God by the cross, which ended the hostility to God.
17 When he came, he announced the good news of peace to you who were far away from God and to those who were near. 18 We both have access to the Father through Christ by the one Spirit. 19 So now you are no longer strangers and aliens. Rather, you are fellow citizens with God’s people, and you belong to God’s household. 20 As God’s household, you are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 The whole building is joined together in him, and it grows up into a temple that is dedicated to the Lord. 22 Christ is building you into a place where God lives through the Spirit.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 2:8 Or through his faithfulness
以弗所书 2
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
靠恩典、凭信心
2 你们从前死在过犯和罪恶之中。 2 那时，你们随从今世的风俗，顺服在空中掌权的魔鬼，就是如今在一切叛逆上帝之人心中运行的邪灵。 3 我们以前也在他们当中随从罪恶的本性[a]，放纵肉体和心中的私欲，与其他人一样本是惹上帝发怒的人。
4 然而上帝有丰富的怜悯，祂深爱我们， 5 尽管我们死在过犯之中，祂仍然使我们和基督一同活了过来。你们得救是因为上帝的恩典。 6 在基督耶稣里，上帝使我们与基督一同复活，一同坐在天上， 7 好借着祂在基督耶稣里向我们所施的恩慈，向后世显明祂无可比拟的丰富恩典。 8 你们得救是靠恩典，凭信心。这不是出于你们自己，而是上帝的礼物； 9 也不是由于你们的行为，以免有人自夸。 10 我们是上帝的杰作，是在基督耶稣里创造的，为要叫我们做祂预先安排给我们的美善之事。
在基督里合而为一
11 因此，你们要记住，从前按照肉体来说你们是外族人，那些肉体上受过人手所行割礼的以色列人称你们为“没有受过割礼的”。 12 那时，你们与基督无关，又不是以色列人，在上帝应许的诸约上是局外人，你们活在世上没有盼望，没有上帝。 13 但你们这些从前远离上帝的人，如今在基督耶稣里，靠着祂所流的血已经被带到上帝面前。 14 因为基督耶稣亲自给我们带来了和平，以自己的身体拆毁了以色列人和外族人之间充满敌意的隔墙，使双方合而为一， 15 并废除了以诫命和规条为内容的律法制度。祂这样做是为了在自己里面把双方造成一个新人，成就和平， 16 并借着十字架消灭彼此间的敌意，使双方借着一个身体与上帝和好。 17 祂来传扬这平安的福音给你们这些离上帝很远的外族人，也给我们这些离上帝很近的以色列人。 18 我们双方都是靠着祂在同一位圣灵的引导下来到父上帝面前。
19 从此，你们不再是外人或过客，你们与众圣徒一样是天国的子民，是上帝家里的人了。 20 你们已被建立在众使徒和先知们的基础上，基督耶稣自己是房角石。 21 整座建筑的各部分都靠祂巧妙地连接在一起，逐渐成为主的圣殿。 22 你们也靠着祂被建造在一起，成为上帝借着圣灵居住的地方。
Footnotes
- 2:3 “罪恶的本性”希腊文是“肉体”。
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