1 A ustedes, él les dio vida cuando aún estaban muertos en sus delitos y pecados,

At one time you were dead because of your sins.

2 l os cuales en otro tiempo practicaron, pues vivían de acuerdo a la corriente de este mundo y en conformidad con el príncipe del poder del aire, que es el espíritu que ahora opera en los hijos de desobediencia.

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 E ntre ellos todos nosotros también vivimos en otro tiempo. Seguíamos los deseos de nuestra naturaleza humana y hacíamos lo que nuestra naturaleza y nuestros pensamientos nos llevaban a hacer. Éramos por naturaleza objetos de ira, como los demás.

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 P ero Dios, cuya misericordia es abundante, por el gran amor con que nos amó,

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

5 n os dio vida junto con Cristo, aun cuando estábamos muertos en nuestros pecados (la gracia de Dios los ha salvado),

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 y también junto con él nos resucitó, y asimismo nos sentó al lado de Cristo Jesús en los lugares celestiales,

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

7 p ara mostrar en los tiempos venideros las abundantes riquezas de su gracia y su bondad para con nosotros en Cristo Jesús.

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 C iertamente la gracia de Dios los ha salvado por medio de la fe. Ésta no nació de ustedes, sino que es un don de Dios;

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 i es resultado de las obras, para que nadie se vanaglorie.

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

10 N osotros somos hechura suya; hemos sido creados en Cristo Jesús para realizar buenas obras, las cuales Dios preparó de antemano para que vivamos de acuerdo con ellas. Reconciliación por medio de la cruz

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 P or lo tanto ustedes, que por nacimiento no son judíos, y que son llamados «incircuncisos» por los que desde su nacimiento han sido físicamente circuncidados, deben recordar esto:

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 E n aquel tiempo ustedes estaban sin Cristo, vivían alejados de la ciudadanía de Israel y eran ajenos a los pactos de la promesa; vivían en este mundo sin Dios y sin esperanza.

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

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 P orque él es nuestra paz. De dos pueblos hizo uno solo, al derribar la pared intermedia de separación

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 y al abolir en su propio cuerpo las enemistades. Él puso fin a la ley de los mandamientos expresados en ordenanzas, para crear en sí mismo, de los dos pueblos, una nueva humanidad, haciendo la paz,

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 y para reconciliar con Dios a los dos en un solo cuerpo mediante la cruz, sobre la cual puso fin a las enemistades.

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

17 É l vino y a ustedes, que estaban lejos, les anunció las buenas nuevas de paz, lo mismo que a los que estaban cerca.

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 P or medio de él, unos y otros tenemos acceso al Padre en un mismo Espíritu.

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

19 P or lo tanto, ustedes ya no son extranjeros ni advenedizos, sino conciudadanos de los santos y miembros de la familia de Dios,

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 y están edificados sobre el fundamento de los apóstoles y profetas, cuya principal piedra angular es Jesucristo mismo.

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 E n Cristo, todo el edificio, bien coordinado, va creciendo para llegar a ser un templo santo en el Señor;

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

22 e n Cristo, también ustedes son edificados en unión con él, para que allí habite Dios en el Espíritu.

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