New Living Translation | New International Version |
1Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. | 1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, |
2You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. | 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. |
3All 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. | 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. |
4But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, | 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, |
5that 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!) | 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. |
6For 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. | 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, |
7So 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. | 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. |
8God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. | 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- |
9Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. | 9not by works, so that no one can boast. |
10For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Oneness and Peace in Christ | 10For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. |
11Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. | 11Therefore, remember that formerly 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)-- |
12In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. | 12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. |
13But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. | 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. |
14For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. | 14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, |
15He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. | 15by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, |
16Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. | 16and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. |
17He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. | 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. |
18Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. A Temple for the Lord | 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. |
19So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. | 19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, |
20Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. | 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. |
21We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. | 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. |
22Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. | 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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