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Ephesians 2
New Catholic Bible
Ephesians 2
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 2
Christ Brought Us from Death to Life.[a] 1 You formerly were dead as a result of your transgressions and sins, 2 which were your way of life in this worldly era,[b] obeying the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit that is now at work among the children of rebellion. 3 We too were all numbered among them at one time. We were ruled by our sinful nature, succumbing to the temptations of the flesh and desires. And like all others, we were by nature children of wrath.
4 But God is rich in his mercy, and because he had such great love for us, 5 he brought us to life with Christ when we were already dead through sin—it is by grace that you have been saved. 6 He raised us up in union with Christ Jesus and enthroned us with him in the heavens, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace evidenced by his mercy to us in Christ Jesus.
8 [c]For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith. This has not come from you but from the gift of God. 9 It does not come from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for a life of good works that God had prepared for us to do.
11 Jews and Gentiles Reconciled in the Church.[d] Therefore, do not forget that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcised by those who refer to themselves as the circumcised because of a physical rite. 12 Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, excluded from the community of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants[e] of promise. You were in the world without hope and without God.
13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace,
who has made the two into one,
by breaking down the barrier of hostility.
In his flesh
15 he has abolished the Law
with its commandments and ordinances,
so that he might create in himself
a single new person[f] out of the two,
thereby making peace,
16 and that he might reconcile both groups
to God in one body
through the cross,
thereby putting that enmity to death.
17 Therefore, 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 access to the Father
in the one Spirit.
19 As a result, you are no longer strangers and foreigners. Rather, you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 Through him the entire structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you are also being built together into a dwelling place for God in the Spirit.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 2:1 In Greek, these verses comprise a single sentence.
- Ephesians 2:2 This worldly era: i.e., synonymous with “rulers of this world.” It may also refer to the first of the two ages of the world—the present evil age and the age to come (see 1 Cor 3:19; 5:10; 7:31; Gal 1:4; Tit 2:12).
- Ephesians 2:8 We are saved by God’s gift, not by the works of the Law (see Rom 3:20-21).
- Ephesians 2:11 On the esplanade of the Jewish temple a wall separated Gentiles from Jews, symbolizing the deep division within humanity. Gentiles seemed definitively excluded from any call of God. The death of Jesus radically alters the situation: Jews and Gentiles alike have access to God; God’s plan embraces the entire human race.
- Ephesians 2:12 The covenants: i.e., those made with Abraham, with Moses, and with David (see note on Rom 9:4).
- Ephesians 2:15 A single new person: i.e., a new humanity made up of Jews and Gentiles in the Christian community.
Ephesians 2
New International Version
Ephesians 2
New International Version
Made Alive in Christ
2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,(A) 2 in which you used to live(B) when you followed the ways of this world(C) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,(D) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.(E) 3 All of us also lived among them at one time,(F) gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a](G) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us,(H) God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions(I)—it is by grace you have been saved.(J) 6 And God raised us up with Christ(K) and seated us with him(L) in the heavenly realms(M) in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,(N) expressed in his kindness(O) to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace(P) you have been saved,(Q) through faith(R)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works,(S) so that no one can boast.(T) 10 For we are God’s handiwork,(U) created(V) in Christ Jesus to do good works,(W) which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ
11 Therefore, remember that formerly(X) you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)(Y)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners(Z) to the covenants of the promise,(AA) without hope(AB) and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once(AC) were far away have been brought near(AD) by the blood of Christ.(AE)
14 For he himself is our peace,(AF) who has made the two groups one(AG) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh(AH) the law with its commands and regulations.(AI) His purpose was to create in himself one(AJ) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,(AK) by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace(AL) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.(AM) 18 For through him we both have access(AN) to the Father(AO) by one Spirit.(AP)
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,(AQ) but fellow citizens(AR) with God’s people and also members of his household,(AS) 20 built(AT) on the foundation(AU) of the apostles and prophets,(AV) with Christ Jesus himself(AW) as the chief cornerstone.(AX) 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple(AY) in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.(AZ)
Footnotes
- Ephesians 2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
New International Version (NIV) 
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