1 A nd you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

At one time you were dead because of your sins.

2 i n which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

You followed the sinful ways of the world and obeyed the leader of the power of darkness. He is the devil who is now working in the people who do not obey God.

3 A mong them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

At one time all of us lived to please our old selves. We gave in to what our bodies and minds wanted. We were sinful from birth like all other people and would suffer from the anger of God.

4 B ut God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

But God had so much loving-kindness. He loved us with such a great love.

5 e ven when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ ( by grace you have been saved),

Even when we were dead because of our sins, He made us alive by what Christ did for us. You have been saved from the punishment of sin by His loving-favor.

6 a nd raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

God raised us up from death when He raised up Christ Jesus. He has given us a place with Christ in the heavens.

7 s o that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

He did this to show us through all the time to come the great riches of His loving-favor. He has shown us His kindness through Christ Jesus.

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

For by His loving-favor you have been saved from the punishment of sin through faith. It is not by anything you have done. It is a gift of God.

9 n ot as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

It is not given to you because you worked for it. If you could work for it, you would be proud.

10 F or we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

We are His work. He has made us to belong to Christ Jesus so we can work for Him. He planned that we should do this. Followers Now Become the Body of Christ

11 T herefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “ Uncircumcision” by the so-called “ Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—

Do not forget that at one time you did not know God. The Jews, who had gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew by man’s hands, said you were people who do not know God.

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

You were living without Christ then. The Jewish people who belonged to God had nothing to do with you. The promises He gave to them were not for you. You had nothing in this world to hope for. You were without God.

13 B ut now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

But now you belong to Christ Jesus. At one time you were far away from God. Now you have been brought close to Him. Christ did this for you when He gave His blood on the cross.

14 F or He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,

We have peace because of Christ. He has made the Jews and those who are not Jews one people. He broke down the wall that divided them.

15 b y abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,

He stopped the fighting between them by His death on the cross. He put an end to the Law. Then He made of the two people one new kind of people like Himself. In this way, He made peace.

16 a nd might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

He brought both groups together to God. Christ finished the fighting between them by His death on the cross.

17 A nd He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near;

Then Christ came and preached the Good News of peace to you who were far away from God. And He preached it to us who were near God.

18 f or through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

Now all of us can go to the Father through Christ by way of the one Holy Spirit.

19 S o then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,

From now on you are not strangers and people who are not citizens. You are citizens together with those who belong to God. You belong in God’s family.

20 h aving been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,

This family is built on the teachings of the missionaries and the early preachers. Jesus Christ Himself is the cornerstone, which is the most important part of the building.

21 i n whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,

Christ keeps this building together and it is growing into a holy building for the Lord.

22 i n whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

You are also being put together as a part of this building because God lives in you by His Spirit.