⁵ even when we were ^(A)dead ^[a]in our wrongdoings, made us alive together ^[b]with Christ (^(B)by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and ^(C)raised us up with Him, and ^(D)seated us with Him in ^(E)the heavenly places in ^(F)Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the ages to come He might show the ^[c]boundless ^(G)riches of His grace in ^(H)kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For ^(I)by grace you have been saved ^(J)through faith; and ^[d]this is not of yourselves, it is ^(K)the gift of God; ^9 (L)not a result of works, so that ^(M)no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, ^(N)created in ^(O)Christ Jesus for ^(P)good works, which God ^(Q)prepared beforehand so that we would ^(R)walk in them.

¹¹ Therefore remember that ^(S)previously ^(T)you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “^(U)Uncircumcision” by the so-called “^(V)Circumcision” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— ¹² remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, ^[e](W)excluded from ^[f]the people of Israel, and strangers to ^(X)the covenants of the promise, having ^(Y)no hope and ^(Z)without God in the world. ¹³ But now in ^(AA)Christ Jesus you who ^(AB)previously were ^(AC)far away ^[g]have ^(AD)been brought near ^[h](AE)by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For He Himself is ^(AF)our peace, ^(AG)who made both groups into one and broke down the ^[i]barrier of the dividing wall, ^15 [j]by ^(AH)abolishing ^[k]in His flesh the hostility, which is ^(AI)the Law composed of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that in Himself He might ^[l](AJ)make the two ^(AK)one new person, in this way establishing ^(AL)peace; ¹⁶ and that He might ^(AM)reconcile them both in ^(AN)one body to God through the cross, ^[m]by it having ^(AO)put to death the hostility. ¹⁷ And ^(AP)He came and preached ^(AQ)peace to you who were ^(AR)far away, and peace to those who were ^(AS)near; ¹⁸ for through Him we both have ^(AT)our access in ^(AU)one Spirit to ^(AV)the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer ^(AW)strangers and foreigners, but you are ^(AX)fellow citizens with the ^[n]saints, and are of ^(AY)God’s household, ²⁰ having been ^(AZ)built on ^(BA)the foundation of ^(BB)the apostles and prophets, ^(BC)Christ Jesus Himself being the ^(BD)cornerstone, ^21 (BE)in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into ^(BF)a holy ^[o]temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being ^(BG)built together into a ^(BH)dwelling of God in the Spirit.

¹² having been ^(A)buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also ^(B)raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who ^(C)raised Him from the dead. ¹³ And ^[a]when you were ^(D)dead ^[b]in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He ^(E)made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, ¹⁴ having canceled ^(F)the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and ^(G)He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ When He had ^[c](H)disarmed the ^(I)rulers and authorities, He ^(J)made a public display of them, having ^(K)triumphed over them through ^[d]Him.

¹⁶ Therefore, no one is to ^[e](L)act as your judge in regard to ^(M)food and ^(N)drink, or in respect to a ^(O)festival or a ^(P)new moon, or a ^(Q)Sabbath ^[f]day— ¹⁷ things which are only a ^(R)shadow of what is to come; but the ^[g]substance ^[h]belongs to Christ. ¹⁸ Take care that no one keeps ^[i](S)defrauding you of your prize by ^(T)delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, ^[j]taking his stand on visions he has seen, ^[k](U)inflated without cause by his ^(V)fleshly mind, ¹⁹ and not holding firmly to ^(W)the head, from whom ^(X)the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ^[l]ligaments, grows with a growth ^[m]which is from God.

^20 (Y)If you have died with Christ ^[n]to the ^(Z)elementary principles of the world, ^(AA)why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to ^(AB)decrees, such as, ²¹ “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” ²² (which all refer ^(AC)to things destined to perish ^[o]with use)—in accordance with the ^(AD)commandments and teachings of man? ²³ These are matters which do have the ^[p]appearance of wisdom in ^[q](AE)self-made religion and humility and ^(AF)severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against ^(AG)fleshly indulgence.