Ephesians 2 and 3 ~ IV. Steps Toward the Fulfillment of God's Purpose (chs. 2-3)

Ephesians 2 NLT

1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 

2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 

3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 

5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 

6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 

7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 

9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 

10For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 

11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. 

12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 

13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. 

14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 

15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 

16Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 

17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 

18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. 

19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.

20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 

21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 

22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

Ephesians 3 NLT

1 When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles.

2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. 

3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. 

4As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. 

5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. 

6 And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. 

7 By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. 

8Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 

9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.

10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 

11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. 

12Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. 

13 So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored. 

14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 

15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 

16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 

17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 

18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 

19May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 

21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.