EFESIËRS 2
Julle is saam met Christus lewend gemaak
1 As gevolg van julle verkeerde lewe en sondes was ook julle geestelik dood.2 Julle leefstyl destyds is bepaal deur hierdie bose wêreld, ja, deur die regeerder van die mag wat in die lug is. Dit is die gees wat nou nog werk in almal wat aan God ongehoorsaam is.
3 Ons almal het vroeër so gelewe. Ons gedrag is bepaal deur ons sondige begeertes. Elke sondige wens wat in ons gedagtes opgekom het, het ons sommer net gedoen. Soos die ander mense was ons vanselfsprekend vir God se straf bestem.
4 Maar God se ontferming is oorvloedig. Die liefde waarmee Hy ons liefgehad het, was so groot5 dat toe ons verkeerde lewe ons geestelike dood veroorsaak het, Hy ons saam met Christus lewend gemaak het. Dis dus God se genade wat maak dat julle verlos is!6 Omdat ons aan Christus Jesus verbind is, het God ons saam met Hom opgewek en saam met Hom 'n sitplek in die hemel gegee.
7 So sal God ook in die tye wat kom, bewys dat Hy heeltemal oorloop van genade. Die goedheid wat God ons deur Christus Jesus gegee het, sal as bewys dien.
8 Dit is mos dié genade wat julle verlos het deurdat julle tot geloof gekom het. En julle verlossing kom nie uit julleself nie, maar is 'n gawe van God.9 Dit is nie die gevolg van julle dade nie. Niemand kan daaroor grootpraat nie,
10 want ons is God se handewerk. Hy het ons in ons eenheidsband met Christus Jesus só gemaak dat ons die goeie werke wat Hy vir ons bestem het, kan uitlewe.
Julle is één in Christus
11 Dink daarom aan die tyd toe julle wat as nie-Jode gebore is, "onbesnedenes" genoem is deur dié wat "besnedenes" genoem word - al is die besnydenis net mensewerk aan die liggaam.12 Dink daaraan dat julle toe sonder Christus was, nie burgers van God se volk nie, uitlanders wat nie deel gehad het aan die beloftes van die verbonde nie. Julle was sonder toekomsverwagting en sonder God in die wêreld.
13 Maar nou het julle wat toe ver weg was, deur julle verhouding met Christus naby gekom. Dit is moontlik gemaak deur Christus se dood aan die kruis.
14 Christus het inderdaad vrede tussen ons gebring. Deur sy liggaam aan die kruis te gee het Hy die twee groepe één gemaak; ja, die muur van vyandskap het Hy afgebreek.15 Hy het 'n einde gemaak aan die wet met sy voorskrifte. Hy het vrede gebring deur in Homself die twee groepe tot een nuwe mensheid te omskep.16 Ja, deur sy dood aan die kruis het Hy die vyandskap beëindig. Só het Hy albei groepe in een liggaam met God versoen.17 Hy het vrede kom verkondig vir hulle wat ver is, én vir hulle wat naby is.
18 Dit is aan Hom te danke dat albei van ons deur een Gees toegang tot die Vader het.
Julle is die Here se tempel
19 Julle is dus nie meer uitlanders en bywoners nie, maar medeburgers van hulle wat aan God behoort. Ja, julle is lede van God se huisgesin20 wat gebou is op die fondament wat die apostels en die profete gelê het. Christus Jesus is self die hoekklip21 op wie die hele gebou, terwyl dit kunstig inmekaargepas word, verrys tot 'n tempel wat aan die Here toegewy is.
22 Deur julle verhouding met Hom word ook julle saam opgebou tot 'n gebou waarin God deur sy Gees woon.
EPHESIANS 2
From Death to Life
1 t In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. 2 You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn't obey God.
3 Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else.
4-5 But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much he made us alive with Christ, and God's gift of undeserved grace is what saves you. 6 God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven. 7 God did this so in the future world he could show how truly good and kind he is to us because of what Christ Jesus has done. 8 You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve.t This is God's gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. 9 It isn't something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.
10 God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. This is why he sent Christ to make us what we are.United by Christ
11 Don't forget that you are Gentiles. In fact, you used to be called “uncircumcised” by those who take pride in being circumcised. 12 At that time you did not know about Christ. You were foreigners to the people of Israel, and you had no part in the promises God had made to them. You were living in this world without hope and without God,
13 and you were far from God. But Christ offered his life's blood as a sacrifice and brought you near God.
14 Christ has made peace between Jews and Gentiles, and he has united us by breaking down the wall of hatred that separated us. Christ gave his own body 15 t to destroy the Law of Moses with all its rules and commands. He even brought Jews and Gentiles together as though we were only one person, when he united us in peace. 16 t On the cross Christ did away with our hatred for each other. He also made peacet between us and God by uniting Jews and Gentiles in one body. 17 t Christ came and preached peace to you Gentiles, who were far from God, and peace to us Jews, who were near God.
18 And because of Christ, all of us can come to the Father by the same Spirit.
19 You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family of God. 20 You are like a building with the apostles and prophets as the foundation and with Christ as the most important stone. 21 Christ is the one who holds the building together and makes it grow into a holy temple for the Lord. 22 And you are part of that building Christ has built as a place for God's own Spirit to live.