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2
1 At one time you were dead in your sins and evil actions, 2 living your lives according to the ways of the world, under the control of the devil,* Literally, “the ruler of the power of the air.” whose spirit is at work in those who disobey God. 3 All of us were once like that, our behavior determined by the desires of our sinful human nature and our evil way of thinking. Like everyone else, in our nature we were children of anger.† The Greek literally says “Children in nature of anger.” Following the previous thought about human nature, this could mean we are “naturally angry” or rebellious towards God. Alternatively, this could be viewed that we are the object of divine anger, though God is not specifically mentioned here.
4 But God in his generous mercy, because of the amazing love he had for us 5 even while we were dead in our sins, has made us alive together with Christ. Trusting in him has saved you! 6 He raised us up with Christ, and in Christ Jesus seated us with him in heaven, 7 so that in all eternity to come he could demonstrate the amazing extent of his grace in showing us kindness through Christ Jesus. 8 For you've been saved by grace through trusting in him—it's not through yourselves, it's the gift of God! 9 This has nothing to do with human effort, so don't be proud of yourselves. 10 We're the product of what God does, created in Christ Jesus to do good, which God already planned that we should do.
11 So you who are “foreigners” humanly-speaking, called “uncircumcised” by those who are “circumcised”‡ That is, the Jews (circumcised) and the Gentiles (uncircumcised). (which is only a procedure carried out by human beings), you need to remember 12 that once you had no relationship to Christ. You were barred as foreigners from being citizens of Israel, strangers to the covenant God had promised. You had no hope and you lived in the world without God. 13 But now, in Christ Jesus, you who were once a long way off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 Christ is our peace. Through his body§ From the context it appears that Paul is referring here to Jesus' crucifixion. he made the two into one, and broke down the separating wall of hostility that divided us, 15 freeing us from the law with its requirements and regulations. He did this so he could create in himself one new person out of the two and so make peace, 16 and completely reconcile both of them to God through the cross as if they were just one body, having destroyed our hostility towards each other.
17 He came and shared the good news of peace with those of you who were far away, and those who were nearby, 18 because through him we both gain access to the Father through the same Spirit. 19 That means you're no longer strangers and foreigners; you are fellow citizens of God's people and belong to God's family 20 that's being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together, growing to form a holy temple for the Lord. 22 You too are being built together in him as a place for God to live by the Spirit.

- Ephesians
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*2:2 Literally, “the ruler of the power of the air.”

†2:3 The Greek literally says “Children in nature of anger.” Following the previous thought about human nature, this could mean we are “naturally angry” or rebellious towards God. Alternatively, this could be viewed that we are the object of divine anger, though God is not specifically mentioned here.

‡2:11 That is, the Jews (circumcised) and the Gentiles (uncircumcised).

§2:14 From the context it appears that Paul is referring here to Jesus' crucifixion.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher