Ephesians - Chapter 2

1And to you did he give life, when you were dead through your wrongdoing and sins, 2In which you were living in the past, after the ways of this present world, doing the pleasure of the lord of the power of the air, the spirit who is now working in those who go against the purpose of God; 3Among whom we all at one time were living in the pleasures of our flesh, giving way to the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and the punishment of God was waiting for us even as for the rest. 4But God, being full of mercy, through the great love which he had for us, 5Even when we were dead through our sins, gave us life together with Christ (by grace you have salvation), 6So that we came back from death with him, and are seated with him in the heavens, in Christ Jesus; 7That in the time to come he might make clear the full wealth of his grace in his mercy to us in Christ Jesus: 8Because by grace you have salvation through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is given by God: 9Not by works, so that no man may take glory to himself. 10For by his act we were given existence in Christ Jesus to do those good works which God before made ready for us so that we might do them. 11For this reason keep it in mind that in the past you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are looked on as being outside the circumcision by those who have circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands; 12That you were at that time without Christ, being cut off from any part in Israel's rights as a nation, having no part in God's agreement, having no hope, and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who at one time were far off are made near in the blood of Christ. 14For he is our peace, who has made the two into one, and by whom the middle wall of division has been broken down, 15Having in his flesh put an end to that which made the division between us, even the law with its rules and orders, so that he might make in himself, of the two, one new man, so making peace; 16And that the two might come into agreement with God in one body through the cross, so putting an end to that division. 17And he came preaching peace to you who were far off, and to those who were near; 18Because through him the two of us are able to come near in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer as those who have no part or place in the kingdom of God, but you are numbered among the saints, and of the family of God, 20Resting on the base of the Apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief keystone, 21In whom all the building, rightly joined together, comes to be a holy house of God in the Lord; 22In whom you, with the rest, are united together as a living-place of God in the Spirit.