Ephesians 2

1 You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins,

And as for you, you were dead in your trespasses and sins.

2 in which you once walked according to the course of this age (aiōn g165), according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience.

It was in these trespasses and sins that you once lived according to the ways of this world. You were living according to the ruler of the authorities of the air, the spirit that is working in the sons of disobedience. (aiōn g165)

3 We also all once lived among them in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Once we all lived among these people, fulfilling the evil desires of our sinful nature, and carrying out the desires of the body and of the mind. We were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of humanity.

4 But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,

But God is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us.

5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

While we were dead in trespasses, he made us alive together in Christ—by grace you have been saved.

6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

God raised us up together with Christ, and God made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 that in the ages (aiōn g165) to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;

so that in the ages to come he might show to us the immeasurably great riches of his grace expressed in his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (aiōn g165)

8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this did not come from you, it is the gift of God,

9 not of works, that no one would boast.

not from works and so no one may boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good deeds that God planned long ago for us, so that we would walk in them.

11 Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision” (in the flesh, made by hands),

Therefore remember that once you were Gentiles in the flesh. You are called “uncircumcision” by what is called the “circumcision” in the flesh made by human hands.

12 that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

For at that time you were separated from Christ, foreigners to the people of Israel, strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away from God have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of separation,

For he is our peace. He made the two one. By his flesh he destroyed the wall of hostility that divided us.

15 having abolished in his flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace,

That is, he abolished the law of commandments and regulations so that he might create one new man in himself, and so making peace.

16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility through it.

Christ reconciles both peoples into one body to God through the cross, putting to death the hostility.

17 He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near.

Jesus came and proclaimed peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

18 For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

For through Jesus we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God,

So then, now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. Instead you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household.

20 being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;

You have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and Christ Jesus himself was the cornerstone.

21 in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord;

In him the whole building fits together and grows as a temple in the Lord.

22 in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

It is in him that you also are being built together as a dwelling place for God in the Spirit.