2 1 The better to set out the grace of Christ, he useth a comparison, calling them to mind, 5 that they were altogether castaways and aliants, 8 that they are saved by grace, 13 and brought near, 16 by reconciliation through Christ, 17 published by the Gospel.
1 And (A)[a]you hath he quickened, that were [b]dead in [c]trespasses and sins,
2 [d]Wherein, in times past ye walked, [e]according to the course of this world, and [f]after the prince that ruleth in the air, even the spirit, that now [g]worketh in the [h]children of disobedience,
3 [i]Among whom we also had our conversation in time past in the lusts of our [j]flesh, in fulfilling the will of the flesh, and of the mind, and [k]were by nature the [l]children of wrath, as well as [m]others.
4 [n]But God which is rich in mercy, through his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead by sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, by whose grace ye are saved,
6 And hath raised us up [o]together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 That he might show in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by [p]grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God,
9 [q]Not of works, lest any man should boast himself.
10 For we are [r]his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath ordained, that we should walk in them.
11 [s]Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, and [t]called uncircumcision of them, which are [u]called circumcision in the flesh, made with hands,
12 That ye were, I say, at that time [v]without Christ, and were [w]aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and were (B)strangers from the covenants of promise, and had no hope, and were without God in the world.
13 [x]But now in Christ Jesus, ye which once were far off, are made near by the blood of Christ.
14 [y]For he is our peace, which hath made of both one, and hath broken the stop of the partition wall,
15 (C)In abrogating through his flesh the hatred, that is, the Law of commandments which standeth in ordinances, for to make of twain one new man in himself, so making peace,
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in [z]one body by his cross, and [aa]slay hatred thereby,
17 [ab]And came, and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were near.
18 For [ac]through him we both have an entrance unto the Father by one Spirit.
19 [ad]Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners: but citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God.
20 [ae]And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the [af]chief cornerstone,
21 In whom all the building [ag]coupled together, groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord.
22 In whom ye also are built together to be the habitation of God by the Spirit.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 2:1 He declareth again the greatness of God’s good will, by comparing that miserable state wherein we are born, with that dignity whereunto we are advanced by God the Father in Christ. So he describeth that condition in such sort, that he saith, that touching spiritual motions we are not only born half dead, but wholly and altogether dead.
- Ephesians 2:1 See Rom. 6:2. So then he calleth them dead, which are not regenerate: for as the immortality of them which are damned, is no life, so this knitting together of body and soul is properly no life, but death in them which are not ruled by the Spirit of God.
- Ephesians 2:1 He showeth the cause of death, to wit, sins.
- Ephesians 2:2 He proveth by the effects that all were spiritually dead.
- Ephesians 2:2 He proveth this evil to be universal, insomuch as all are slaves of Satan.
- Ephesians 2:2 At the pleasure of the prince.
- Ephesians 2:2 Men are therefore slaves to Satan, because they are willingly rebellious against God.
- Ephesians 2:2 They are called the children of disobedience, which are given to disobedience.
- Ephesians 2:3 After that he hath severally condemned the Gentiles, he confesseth that the Jews, amongst whom he numbereth himself, are not a whit better.
- Ephesians 2:3 By the name of flesh in the first place, he meaneth the whole man, which he divideth into two parts: into the flesh, which is the part that the Philosophers term without reason, and into the thought, which they call reasonable: so that he leaveth nothing in man half dead, but concludeth that the whole man is of nature the son of wrath.
- Ephesians 2:3 The conclusion: All men are born subject to the wrath and curse of God.
- Ephesians 2:3 Men are said to be children of wrath passively, that is to say, guilty of everlasting death by the judgment of God, who is angry with them.
- Ephesians 2:3 Profane people which knew not God.
- Ephesians 2:4 Now hereof followeth another member of the comparison, declaring our excellency, to wit, that by the virtue of Christ we are delivered from that death, and made partakers of eternal life, to the end that at length we may reign with him. And by divers and sundry means he beateth this into their heads, that the efficient cause of this benefit is the free mercy of God: and Christ himself is the material cause: and faith is the instrument which also is the free gift of God: and the end is God’s glory.
- Ephesians 2:6 To wit, as he addeth afterward in Christ, for as yet this is not fulfilled in us, but only in our head, by whose spirit we have begun to die to sin, and live to God, until that work be fully brought to an end: but yet the hope is certain, for we are as sure of that we look for: as we are of that we have received already.
- Ephesians 2:8 So then, Grace, that is to say, the gift of God, and faith, do stand one with another, to which two these are contrary, To be saved by ourselves, or by our works. Therefore what mean they which would join together things of so contrary nature?
- Ephesians 2:9 He taketh away expressly and namely from our works the praise of justification, seeing that the good works themselves are the effects of grace in us.
- Ephesians 2:10 He speaketh here of grace, and not of nature: therefore be the works never so good, look what they are, they are it of grace.
- Ephesians 2:11 Applying the former doctrine to the Gentiles, he showeth that they were not only as the Jews, by nature, but also after an especial sort, strangers and without God: and therefore they ought so much the rather remember that same so great a benefit of God.
- Ephesians 2:11 You were called no otherwise than Gentiles, that all the world might witness of your uncleanness.
- Ephesians 2:11 Of the Jews which were known from you by the mark of circumcision, the mark of the covenant.
- Ephesians 2:12 He beginneth first with Christ, who was the end of all the promises.
- Ephesians 2:12 You had no right or title, to the common wealth of Israel.
- Ephesians 2:13 Christ is the only bond of the Jews and Gentiles, whereby they be reconciled to God.
- Ephesians 2:14 As by the ceremonies and worship appointed by the Law, the Jews were divided from the Gentiles, so now Christ, having broken down the partition wall, joineth them both together, both in himself, and betwixt themselves, and to God. Whereby it followeth, that whosoever established the ceremonies of the Law, maketh the grace of Christ void and of none effect.
- Ephesians 2:16 He alludeth to the sacrifices of the Law, which represented that true and only sacrifice.
- Ephesians 2:16 For he destroyed death by death, and fastened it as it were to the cross.
- Ephesians 2:17 The preaching of the Gospel is an effectual instrument of this grace, common as well to the Jews as to the Gentiles.
- Ephesians 2:18 Christ is the gate as it were, by whom we come to the Father, and the holy Ghost is as it were our lodes man who leadeth us.
- Ephesians 2:19 The conclusion: The Gentiles are taken into the fellowship of salvation. And he describeth the excellency of the Church, calling it the city and house of God.
- Ephesians 2:20 The Lord committed the doctrine of salvation, first to the Prophets, and then to the Apostles, the end whereof and matter as it were and substance, is Christ. Therefore that is indeed the true and Catholic Church, which is builded upon Christ by the Prophets and Apostles, as a spiritual temple consecrated to God.
- Ephesians 2:20 That is, the head of the building, for the foundations are as it were the heads of the buildings.
- Ephesians 2:21 So that God is the workman not only of the foundation, but also of the whole building.