1 A lso you -- being dead in the trespasses and the sins,

At one time you were dead because of your sins.

2 i n which once ye did walk according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority 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 whom also we all did walk once in the desires of our flesh, doing the wishes of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath -- as also the others,

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 a nd God, being rich in kindness, 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 being dead in the trespasses, did make us to live together with the Christ, (by grace ye are having 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 did raise up together, and did seat together in the heavenly 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 t hat He might show, in the ages that are coming, the exceeding 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 ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you -- of God the gift,

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 of works, 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 of Him we are workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God did before prepare, that in them we may walk.

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 W herefore, remember, that ye once the nations in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that called Circumcision in the flesh made by 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 t hat ye were at that time apart from Christ, having been alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the 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 a nd now, in Christ Jesus, ye being once afar off became nigh in the blood of the 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 is our peace, who did make both one, and the middle wall of the enclosure did break down,

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 t he enmity in his flesh, the law of the commands in ordinances having done away, that the two he might create in himself into one new man, making 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 both in one body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity in it,

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

17 a nd having come, he did proclaim good news -- peace to you -- the far-off and the nigh,

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 b ecause through him we have the access -- we both -- in one Spirit unto the Father.

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

19 T hen, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens of the saints, and of the household of God,

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 b eing built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being chief corner-,

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 all the building fitly framed together doth increase to an holy sanctuary in the Lord,

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

22 i n whom also ye are builded together, for a habitation 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.