以弗所書 2

出死入生

1 從前，你們因著自己的過犯罪惡而死了。 2 那時，你們在過犯罪惡中生活，隨從今世的風俗，順服空中掌權者的領袖，就是現今在悖逆的人心中運行的邪靈。 3 我們從前也都生活在他們當中，放縱肉體的私慾，隨著肉體和心中的意念去做，和別人一樣，生來就是該受懲罰的人。 4 然而，上帝有豐富的憐憫，因著他愛我們的大愛， 5 竟在我們因過犯而死了的時候，使我們與基督一同活過來—可見你們得救是本乎恩— 6 他又使我們在基督耶穌裏與他一同復活，一同坐在天上， 7 為要把他極豐富的恩典，就是他在基督耶穌裏向我們所施的恩慈，顯明給後來的世代。 8 你們得救是本乎恩，也因著信；這並不是出於自己，而是上帝所賜的； 9 也不是出於行為，免得有人自誇。 10 我們是他所造之物，在基督耶穌裏創造的，為要使我們行善，就是上帝早已預備好要我們做的。

在基督裏合而為一

11 所以，你們要記得：從前你們按肉體是外邦人，是「沒受割禮的」；這名字是那些憑人手在肉身上「受割禮的人」所取的。 12 要記得那時候，你們與基督無關，與以色列選民團體隔絕，在所應許的約上是局外人，而且在世上沒有指望，沒有上帝。 13 從前你們是遠離上帝的人，如今卻在基督耶穌裏，靠著他的血，已經得以親近了。

14 因為他自己是我們的和平t，使雙方合而為一，拆毀了中間隔絕的牆，而且以自己的身體終止了冤仇， 15 廢掉那記在律法上的規條，為要使兩方藉著自己造成一個新人，促成了和平； 16 既在十字架上消滅了冤仇，就藉這十字架使雙方歸為一體，與上帝和好， 17 並且來傳和平的福音給你們遠處的人，也傳和平給那些近處的人， 18 因為我們雙方藉著他，在同一位聖靈裏得以進到父面前。

19 這樣，你們不再是外人或客旅，是與聖徒同國，是上帝家裏的人了， 20 被建造在使徒和先知的根基上，而基督耶穌自己為房角石， 21 靠著他整座房子連接得緊湊，漸漸成為在主裏的聖殿。 22 你們也靠他同被建造，成為上帝藉著聖靈居住的所在。

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.