Ephesians 2
New King James Version
By Grace Through Faith
2 And (A)you He made alive, (B)who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 (C)in which you once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to (D)the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in (E)the sons of disobedience, 3 (F)among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in (G)the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and (H)were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, (I)who is rich in mercy, because of His (J)great love with which He loved us, 5 (K)even when we were dead in trespasses, (L)made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together (M)in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in (N)His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 (O)For by grace you have been saved (P)through faith, and that not of yourselves; (Q)it is the gift of God, 9 not of (R)works, lest anyone should (S)boast. 10 For we are (T)His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Brought Near by His Blood
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called (U)the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Christ Our Peace
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one (V)new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might (W)reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby (X)putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For (Y)through Him we both have access (Z)by one Spirit to the Father.
Christ Our Cornerstone
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been (AA)built (AB)on the foundation of the (AC)apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being (AD)the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into (AE)a holy temple in the Lord, 22 (AF)in whom you also are being built together for a (AG)dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Notas al pie
- Ephesians 2:2 Gr. aion, aeon
Ephesians 2
The Voice
Often in his letters, Paul records his prayers for his churches. He is constantly talking with God about those he considers his spiritual children. He prays that God will grant them wisdom, knowledge, and great power. This is the same power that was at work when God raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him in heaven. Ultimately Paul knows all powers have been subjected to Jesus, the God-man, and He is destined to be head over all creation. In the resurrection of Jesus, the ultimate redemption of the cosmos has begun, and the church is the first act of God’s glorious drama.
2 As for you, don’t you remember how you used to just exist? Corpses, dead in life, buried by transgressions, 2 wandering the course of this perverse world. You were the offspring of the prince of the power of air—oh, how he owned you, just as he still controls those living in disobedience. I’m not talking about the outsiders alone; 3 we were all guilty of falling headlong for the persuasive passions of this world; we all have had our fill of indulging the flesh and mind, obeying impulses to follow perverse thoughts motivated by dark powers. As a result, our natural inclinations led us to be children of wrath, just like the rest of humankind.
4 But God, with the unfathomable richness of His love and mercy focused on us, 5 united us with the Anointed One and infused our lifeless souls with life—even though we were buried under mountains of sin—and saved us by His grace. 6 He raised us up with Him and seated us in the heavenly realms with our beloved Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King. 7 He did this for a reason: so that for all eternity we will stand as a living testimony to the incredible riches of His grace and kindness that He freely gives to us by uniting us with Jesus the Anointed. 8-9 For it’s by God’s grace that you have been saved. You receive it through faith. It was not our plan or our effort. It is God’s gift, pure and simple. You didn’t earn it, not one of us did, so don’t go around bragging that you must have done something amazing. 10 For we are the product of His hand, heaven’s poetry etched on lives, created in the Anointed, Jesus, to accomplish the good works God arranged long ago.
The relationship between faith and works is often misunderstood. Some think that salvation is God’s reward for good deeds. If that’s true, then it can’t possibly be a gift. If it were a reward, then heaven would be a place where people might compare notes on what they did to make it through the gates. But Paul is confident in the truth of the gospel. The truth is that salvation is God’s gift through Jesus. Grace and faith make salvation real in us. When we are transformed by grace, then we become His new creation and begin to live out the good works He has planned for us. Works, then, aren’t the cause of salvation; they are its result. To put it another way, works aren’t the means of salvation; they are its presence.
11 So never forget how you used to be. Those of you born as outsiders to Israel were outcasts, branded “the uncircumcised” by those who bore the sign of the covenant in their flesh, a sign made with human hands. 12 You had absolutely no connection to the Anointed; you were strangers, separated from God’s people. You were aliens to the covenant they had with God; you were hopelessly stranded without God in a fractured world. 13 But now, because of Jesus the Anointed and His sacrifice, all of that has changed. God gathered you who were so far away and brought you near to Him by the royal blood of the Anointed, our Liberating King.
14 He is the embodiment of our peace, sent once and for all to take down the great barrier of hatred and hostility that has divided us so that we can be one. 15 He offered His body on the sacrificial altar to bring an end to the law’s ordinances and dictations that separated Jews from the outside nations. His desire was to create in His body one new humanity from the two opposing groups, thus creating peace. 16 Effectively the cross becomes God’s means to kill off the hostility once and for all so that He is able to reconcile them both to God in this one new body.
17 The Great Preacher of peace and love came for you, and His voice found those of you who were near and those who were far away. 18 By Him both have access to the Father in one Spirit. 19 And so you are no longer called outcasts and wanderers but citizens with God’s people, members of God’s holy family, and residents of His household. 20 You are being built on a solid foundation: the message of the prophets and the voices of God’s chosen emissaries[a] with Jesus, the Anointed Himself, the precious cornerstone. 21 The building is joined together stone by stone—all of us chosen and sealed in Him, rising up to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In Him you are being built together, creating a sacred dwelling place among you where God can live in the Spirit.
Notas al pie
- 2:20 Literally, apostles
Efesios 2
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
De muerte a vida por Cristo
2 Y Él les dio vida a ustedes, que estaban[a] muertos en[b] sus delitos y pecados(A), 2 en los cuales anduvieron en otro tiempo(B) según la corriente[c] de este mundo(C), conforme al príncipe de la potestad del aire(D), el espíritu que ahora opera en los hijos de desobediencia(E). 3 Entre ellos también todos nosotros en otro tiempo vivíamos(F) en las pasiones de nuestra carne(G), satisfaciendo[d] los deseos de la carne y de la mente, y éramos por naturaleza(H) hijos de ira(I), lo mismo que los demás(J).
4 Pero Dios, que es rico en misericordia(K), por causa del[e] gran amor con que nos amó(L), 5 aun cuando estábamos muertos en[f] nuestros delitos(M), nos dio vida juntamente con Cristo (por gracia ustedes han sido salvados)(N), 6 y con Él nos resucitó(O) y con Él nos sentó en los lugares celestiales(P) en Cristo Jesús(Q), 7 a fin de poder mostrar en los siglos venideros las sobreabundantes riquezas de Su gracia(R) por Su bondad para con nosotros en Cristo Jesús.
8 Porque por gracia ustedes han sido salvados(S) por medio de la fe(T), y esto no procede de ustedes, sino que es don de Dios(U); 9 no por[g] obras(V), para que nadie se gloríe(W). 10 Porque somos hechura Suya, creados(X) en Cristo Jesús(Y) para hacer buenas obras(Z), las cuales Dios preparó de antemano(AA) para que anduviéramos en ellas(AB).
En Cristo hay paz y unidad
11 Por tanto, recuerden que en otro tiempo(AC), ustedes los gentiles en la carne(AD), que son llamados «Incircuncisión» por la tal llamada «Circuncisión», hecha en la carne por manos humanas(AE), 12 recuerden que en ese tiempo ustedes estaban separados de Cristo, excluidos de la ciudadanía de Israel(AF), extraños a los pactos(AG) de la promesa, sin tener esperanza(AH) y sin Dios(AI) en el mundo. 13 Pero ahora en Cristo Jesús(AJ), ustedes, que en otro tiempo(AK) estaban lejos, han sido acercados(AL) por[h] la sangre de Cristo(AM).
14 Porque Él mismo es nuestra paz(AN), y de ambos pueblos hizo uno(AO), derribando la pared intermedia de separación, 15 poniendo fin a la enemistad en Su carne(AP), la ley de los mandamientos expresados en ordenanzas(AQ), para crear en Él mismo de los dos un nuevo hombre(AR), estableciendo así la paz(AS), 16 y para reconciliar con Dios(AT) a los dos en un cuerpo(AU) por medio de la cruz, habiendo dado muerte en ella a la enemistad(AV). 17 Y vino y anunció(AW) paz(AX) a ustedes que estaban lejos, y paz a los que estaban cerca(AY). 18 Porque por medio de Cristo los unos y los otros[i] tenemos nuestra entrada(AZ) al Padre(BA) en un mismo Espíritu(BB).
19 Así pues, ustedes ya no son extraños ni extranjeros(BC), sino que son conciudadanos(BD) de los santos y son de la familia[j] de Dios(BE). 20 Están edificados(BF) sobre el fundamento(BG) de los apóstoles y profetas(BH), siendo Cristo Jesús mismo la piedra angular(BI), 21 en quien todo el edificio, bien ajustado, va creciendo(BJ) para ser un templo santo en el Señor(BK). 22 En Cristo también ustedes son juntamente edificados(BL) para morada de Dios en el Espíritu(BM).
Notas al pie
- Efesios 2:1 Lit. estando.
- Efesios 2:1 O a causa de.
- Efesios 2:2 Lit. la época.
- Efesios 2:3 Lit. haciendo.
- Efesios 2:4 Lit. de Su.
- Efesios 2:5 O a causa de.
- Efesios 2:9 Lit. de; i.e. como resultado de.
- Efesios 2:13 O en.
- Efesios 2:18 Lit. ambos.
- Efesios 2:19 Lit. los de la casa.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Nueva Biblia de las Américas™ NBLA™ Copyright © 2005 por The Lockman Foundation
