From Death to Life

1And you were deada in your trespasses and sins 2in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world,a according to the ruler of the power of the air,b the spiritc now working in the disobedient.A 3We too all previously lived among them in our fleshlya desires, carrying out the inclinationsb of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrathc as the others were also. 4But God, who is rich in mercy,a because of his great loveb that he had for us,A 5made us alivea with Christ even though we were deadb in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,a 7so that in the coming agesa he might display the immeasurable richesb of his grace through his kindnessc to us in Christ Jesus. 8For you are saved by gracea through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift —  9not from works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are his workmanship, createda in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of timeb for us to do.

Unity in Christ

11So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh — called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,”a which is done in the flesh by human hands.b 12At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise,a without hopeb and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blooda of Christ. 14For he is our peace, who made both groups onea and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, 15he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might createa in himself oneb new man from the two, resulting in peace. 16He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one bodya through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.A 17He came and proclaimed the good newsa of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.b 18For through him we both have accessa in one Spirit to the Father.b 19So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,a with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21In him the whole building, being put together,a grows into a holy temple in the Lord.b 22In him you are also being built togethera for God’s dwellingb in the Spirit.