The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

(Colossians 2:6–23)

And as for you, you were dead in your trespasses and sins.

It was in these trespasses and sins that you once lived according to the ways of this world. You were living according to the ruler of the authorities of the air, the spirit that is working in the sons of disobedience.

Once we all lived among these people, fulfilling the evil desires of our sinful nature, and carrying out the desires of the body and of the mind. We were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of humanity.

But God is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us.

While we were dead in trespasses, he made us alive together in Christ-by grace you have been saved.

God raised us up together with Christ, and God made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

so that in the ages to come he might show to us the immeasurably great riches of his grace expressed in his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this did not come from you, it is the gift of God.

Grace is not from works, so no one may boast.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good deeds that God planned long ago for us, so that we would walk in them.

One in Christ

(Philippians 2:1–4)

Therefore, remember that once you were Gentiles in the flesh. You are called “uncircumcision” by what is called the “circumcision” in the flesh made by human hands.

For at that time you were separated from Christ. You were foreigners to the people of Israel. You were strangers to the covenants of the promise. You had no certain hope about the future. You were without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away from God have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace. He made the two one. By his flesh he destroyed the wall of hostility that divided us.

That is, he abolished the law of commandments and regulations so that he might create one new man in himself, and so making peace.

Christ reconciles both peoples into one body to God through the cross, putting to death the hostility.

Jesus came and proclaimed peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

For through Jesus we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Christ Our Cornerstone

(Isaiah 28:14–22; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; 1 Peter 2:1–8)

So then, now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. Instead you are fellow citizens with God’s holy people and members of God’s household.

You have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and Christ Jesus himself was the cornerstone.

In him the whole building fits together and grows as a temple in the Lord.

It is in him that you also are being built together as a dwelling place for God in the Spirit.

(Colossians 2:6–23)

You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins,

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.

We also all once lived among them in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,

even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;

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

not of works, that no one would boast.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.

One in Christ

(Philippians 2:1–4)

Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision” (in the flesh, made by hands),

that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of separation,

having abolished in his flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace,

and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility through it.

He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near.

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

Christ Our Cornerstone

(Isaiah 28:14–22; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; 1 Peter 2:1–8)

So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God,

being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;

in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord;

in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.