Chapter 2

You also, when you were dead by reason of your offenses and sins,

wherein once you walked according to the fashion of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air about us, the prince of the spirit which now works on the unbelievers---

indeed, in the company of these even we, all of us, once led our lives in the desires of our flesh, doing the promptings of our flesh and of our thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest.

But God, who is rich in mercy, by reason of his very great love wherewith he has loved us

even when we were dead by reason of our sins, brought us to life together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

and raised us up together, and seated us together in heaven in Christ Jesus,

that he might show in the ages to come the overflowing riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not from yourselves, for it is the gift of God;

not as the outcome of works, lest anyone may boast.

For his workmanship we are, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God has made ready beforehand that we may walk in them. Gentile and Jew United

Wherefore, bear in mind that once you, the Gentiles in flesh, who are called "uncircumcision" by the so-called "circumcision" in flesh made by human hand---

bear in mind that you were at that time without Christ, excluded as aliens from the community of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise; having no hope, and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you, who were once afar off, have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, he it is who has made both one, and has broken down the intervening wall of the enclosure, the enmity, in his flesh.

The Law of the commandments expressed in decrees he has made void, that of the two he might create in himself one new man, and make peace

and reconcile both in one body to God by the cross, having slain the enmity in himself.

And coming, he announced the good tidings of peace to you who were afar off, and of peace to those who were near;

because through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Therefore, you are now no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are citizens with the saints and members of God's household:

you are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the chief corner stone.

In him the whole structure is closely fitted together and grows into a temple holy in the Lord;

in him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in the Spirit.