1 A t one time you were dead because of your sins.

Y El les dio vida a ustedes, que estaban muertos en (a causa de) sus delitos y pecados,

2 Y ou 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.

en los cuales anduvieron en otro tiempo según la corriente (la época) de este mundo, conforme al príncipe de la potestad del aire, el espíritu que ahora opera en los hijos de desobediencia.

3 A t 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.

Entre ellos también todos nosotros en otro tiempo vivíamos en las pasiones de nuestra carne, satisfaciendo los deseos de la carne y de la mente (de los pensamientos), y éramos por naturaleza hijos de ira, lo mismo que los demás.

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

Pero Dios, que es rico en misericordia, por causa del gran amor con que nos amó,

5 E ven 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.

aun cuando estábamos muertos en (a causa de) nuestros delitos, nos dio vida juntamente con Cristo (por gracia ustedes han sido salvados),

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

y con El nos resucitó y con El nos sentó en los lugares celestiales en Cristo Jesús,

7 H e 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.

a fin de poder mostrar en los siglos venideros las sobreabundantes riquezas de Su gracia por Su bondad para con nosotros en Cristo Jesús.

8 F or 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.

Porque por gracia ustedes han sido salvados por medio de la fe, y esto no procede de ustedes, sino que es don de Dios;

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

no por obras, para que nadie se gloríe.

10 W e 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

Porque somos hechura Suya, creados en Cristo Jesús para hacer buenas obras, las cuales Dios preparó de antemano para que anduviéramos en ellas. En Cristo hay Paz y Unidad

11 D o 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.

Por tanto, recuerden que en otro tiempo, ustedes los Gentiles en la carne, que son llamados “Incircuncisión” por la tal llamada “Circuncisión,” hecha en la carne por manos humanas,

12 Y ou 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.

recuerden que en ese tiempo ustedes estaban separados de Cristo, excluidos de la ciudadanía (comunidad) de Israel, extraños a los pactos de la promesa, sin tener esperanza y sin Dios en el mundo.

13 B ut 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.

Pero ahora en Cristo Jesús, ustedes, que en otro tiempo estaban lejos, han sido acercados por la sangre de Cristo.

14 W e 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.

Porque El mismo es nuestra paz, y de ambos pueblos hizo uno, derribando la pared intermedia de separación,

15 H e 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.

poniendo fin a la enemistad en Su carne, la Ley de los mandamientos expresados en ordenanzas, para crear en El mismo de los dos un nuevo hombre, estableciendo así la paz,

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

y para reconciliar con Dios a los dos en un cuerpo por medio de la cruz, habiendo dado muerte en ella a la enemistad.

17 T hen 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.

Y vino y anuncio paz a ustedes que estaban lejos, y paz a los que estaban cerca.

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

Porque por medio de Cristo los unos y los otros tenemos nuestra entrada al Padre en un mismo Espíritu.

19 F rom 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.

Así pues, ustedes ya no son extraños ni extranjeros, sino que son conciudadanos de los santos y son de la familia de Dios.

20 T his 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.

Están edificados sobre el fundamento de los apóstoles y profetas, siendo Cristo Jesús mismo la piedra angular,

21 C hrist keeps this building together and it is growing into a holy building for the Lord.

en quien todo el edificio, bien ajustado, va creciendo para ser un templo santo en el Señor.

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

En Cristo también ustedes son juntamente edificados para morada de Dios en el Espíritu.