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From Death to Life

You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world,[a] following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.[b](A) All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, doing the will of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else,(B) but God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us(C) even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ[c]—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places[d] in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

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Footnotes

  1. 2.2 Gk according to the aeon
  2. 2.2 Gk sons of disobedience
  3. 2.5 Other ancient authorities read in Christ
  4. 2.6 Gk heavenlies

Made Alive with Christ

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:2 Greek obeying the commander of the power of the air.