Made Alive in Christ

1And [a]you [b]were dead [c]in your offenses and sins, 2in which you previously walked according to the [d]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the [e]sons of disobedience. 3Among them [f]we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, [g]indulging the desires of the flesh and of the [h]mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest. 4But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead [i]in our wrongdoings, made us alive together [j]with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come He might show the [k]boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [l]this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

11Therefore remember that previously you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, [m]excluded from [n]the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who previously were far away [o]have been brought near [p]by the blood of Christ. 14For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the [q]barrier of the dividing wall, 15[r]by abolishing [s]in His flesh the hostility, which is the Law composed of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that in Himself He might [t]make the two one new person, in this way establishing peace; 16and that He might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, [u]by it having put to death the hostility. 17And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; 18for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the [v]saints, and are of God’s household, 20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, 21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy [w]temple in the Lord, 22in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

[a] 1 Lit being
[b] 1 I.e., Gentile believers
[c] 1 Or by reason of
[d] 2 Lit age
[e] 2 I.e., people opposed to God
[f] 3 I.e., Jewish believers
[g] 3 Lit doing
[h] 3 Lit thoughts
[i] 5 Or by reason of
[j] 5 Two early mss in Christ
[k] 7 Lit surpassing
[l] 8 I.e., this salvation
[m] 12 Or alienated
[n] 12 Or citizenship in Israel
[o] 13 Lit became; or were made
[p] 13 Or in
[q] 14 Lit the dividing wall of the barrier
[r] 15 Or the hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the Law
[s] 15 I.e., by His death
[t] 15 Lit create
[u] 16 Or in Himself
[v] 19 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
[w] 21 Or sanctuary