Ephesians 2-3
By Grace Through Faith
aAnd you were bdead in the trespasses and sins 2 ain which you once walked, following the course of this world, following bthe prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in cthe sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in athe passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and bwere by nature cchildren of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being arich in mercy, bbecause of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even awhen we were dead in our trespasses, bmade us alive together with Christ—cby grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and aseated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable ariches of his grace in bkindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For aby grace you have been saved bthrough faith. And this is cnot your own doing; dit is the gift of God, 9 anot a result of works, bso that no one may boast. 10 For awe are his workmanship, bcreated in Christ Jesus cfor good works, dwhich God prepared beforehand, ethat we should walk in them.
One in Christ
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called athe circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember athat you were at that time separated from Christ, balienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to cthe covenants of promise, dhaving no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were afar off have been brought near bby the blood of Christ. 14 For ahe himself is our peace, bwho has made us both one and has broken down cin his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in aordinances, that he might create in himself one bnew man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might areconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and apreached peace to you who were bfar off and peace to those who were cnear. 18 For athrough him we both have baccess in cone Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer astrangers and aliens, but you are bfellow citizens with the saints and cmembers of the household of God, 20 abuilt on the foundation of the bapostles and prophets, cChrist Jesus himself being dthe cornerstone, 21 ain whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into ba holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him ayou also are being built together binto a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed
For this reason I, Paul, aa prisoner of Christ Jesus bon behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of athe stewardship of bGod’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 ahow the mystery was made known to me bby revelation, cas I have written briefly. 4 aWhen you read this, you can perceive my insight into bthe mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are afellow heirs, bmembers of the same body, and cpartakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
7 aOf this gospel I was made ba minister according to the gift of cGod’s grace, which was given me dby the working of his power. 8 To me, athough I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, bto preach to the Gentiles the cunsearchable driches of Christ, 9 and ato bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery bhidden for ages in God, cwho created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold awisdom of God bmight now be made known to cthe rulers and authorities din the heavenly places. 11 This was aaccording to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have aboldness and baccess with cconfidence through our dfaith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering afor you, bwhich is your glory.
Prayer for Spiritual Strength
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom aevery family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to athe riches of his glory bhe may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit cin your inner being, 17 aso that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being brooted and cgrounded in love, 18 may have strength to acomprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and bheight and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ athat surpasses knowledge, that byou may be filled with all cthe fullness of God.
20 aNow to bhim who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, caccording to the power at work within us, 21 ato him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.