Ephesians 2 - Living Bible (TLB)

2 Once you were under God’s curse, doomed forever for your sins. 2 You went along with the crowd and were just like all the others, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air, who is at work right now in the hearts of those who are against the Lord. 3 All of us used to be just as they are, our lives expressing the evil within us, doing every wicked thing that our passions or our evil thoughts might lead us into. We started out bad, being born with evil natures, and were under God’s anger just like everyone else.

4 But God is so rich in mercy; he loved us so much 5 that even though we were spiritually dead and doomed by our sins, he gave us back our lives again[a] when he raised Christ from the dead—only by his undeserved favor have we ever been saved— 6 and lifted us up from the grave into glory along with Christ, where we sit with him in the heavenly realms—all because of what Christ Jesus did. 7 And now God can always point to us as examples of how very, very rich his kindness is, as shown in all he has done for us through Jesus Christ.

8 Because of his kindness, you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves;[b] it too is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it. 10 It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.

11 Never forget that once you were heathen and that you were called godless and “unclean” by the Jews. (But their hearts, too, were still unclean, even though they were going through the ceremonies and rituals of the godly, for they circumcised themselves as a sign of godliness.) 12 Remember that in those days you were living utterly apart from Christ; you were enemies of God’s children, and he had promised you no help. You were lost, without God, without hope.

13 But now you belong to Christ Jesus, and though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought very near to him because of what Jesus Christ has done for you with his blood.

14 For Christ himself is our way of peace. He has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one family,[c] breaking down the wall of contempt* that used to separate us. 15 By his death he ended the angry resentment between us, caused by the Jewish laws that favored the Jews and excluded the Gentiles, for he died to annul that whole system of Jewish laws. Then he took the two groups that had been opposed to each other and made them parts of himself; thus he fused us together to become one new person, and at last there was peace. 16 As parts of the same body, our anger against each other has disappeared, for both of us have been reconciled to God. And so the feud ended at last at the cross. 17 And he has brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were very far away from him, and to us Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, may come to God the Father with the Holy Spirit’s help because of what Christ has done for us.

19 Now you are no longer strangers to God and foreigners to heaven, but you are members of God’s very own family, citizens of God’s country, and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.

20 What a foundation you stand on now: the apostles and the prophets; and the cornerstone of the building is Jesus Christ himself! 21 We who believe are carefully joined together with Christ as parts of a beautiful, constantly growing temple for God. 22 And you also are joined with him and with each other by the Spirit and are part of this dwelling place of God.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:5 gave us back our lives again, literally, “made us alive.”
  2. Ephesians 2:8 And even trusting is not of yourselves, or “Salvation is not of yourselves.”
  3. Ephesians 2:14 by making us all one family, literally, “by making us one.” breaking down the wall of contempt, implied.

You Might Also Like:

Ephesians 2 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

2 Also you -- being dead in the trespasses and the sins, 2 in 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, 3 among whom also we all did walk once in the desires of our fle...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

2 And when ye were dead in your guilts and sins, 2 in which ye wandered sometime after the course of this world, after the prince of the power of this air, of the spirit that worketh now into the sons of unbelief; 3 in which also we all lived sometime [in whom we all lived sometime] in the desires...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

2 There was a time when you were dead. That was because of the bad and the wrong things you did. 2 At one time you did those wrong things, just like the people around you. You obeyed the ruler who has the power over things in the air. That ruler is the spirit who is working now in the people who do ...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - World English Bible (WEB)

2 You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience. 3 We also all once lived among them in the lusts of our ...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - The Voice (VOICE)

Often in his letters, Paul records his prayers for his churches. He is constantly talking with God about those he considers his spiritual children. He prays that God will grant them wisdom, knowledge, and great power. This is the same power that was at work when God raised Jesus from the dead and se...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Destined for Wrath, Saved by Grace2 You were dead in your trespasses and sins. 2 At that time, you walked in the way of this world, in conformity to the ruler of the domain of the air—the ruler of the spirit who is now operating in the sons of disobedience. 3 We too all lived among them in the cra...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

From Death to Life2 And you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among these we all once lived in...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

From Death to Life2 And you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among these we all once lived in...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

2 And you were dead in trespasses and sins 2 (wherein you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the authority of the ruler of the air, even the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom all of us also once lived in the lusts of our flesh, in fulfilling ...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Warning Signs on the Wrong Road2 So where do you come into it all? Well, you were dead because of your offences and sins! 2 That was the road you used to travel, keeping in step with this world’s ‘present age’; in step, too, with the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is, even now, at w...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

From Death to Life2 You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our fle...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

From Death to Life2 You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world,[a] following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.[b](A)3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of ...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

Paul shows them what manner of people they were before their conversion, and what they are now in Christ. We are ordained for good works. 2 And you he has quickened to life also, who were dead in trespass and sin, 2 in which you walked in time past according to the course of this world, and followe...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Made Alive with Christ2 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All ...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - New Life Version (NLV)

God Saved Us from Sin2 At one time you were dead because of your sins. 2 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 At one time all of us lived to please our old selves. We gave i...
Read More

Ephesians 2 - New King James Version (NKJV)

By Grace Through Faith2 And (A)you He made alive, (B)who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 (C)in which you once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to (D)the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in (E)the sons of disobedience, 3 (F)among whom also we al...
Read More