Ephesians 2:1-10 - Made Alive In Christ

¹ And although you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you formerly lived according to this world's present path, according to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom all of us also formerly lived out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ -- by grace you are saved! -- ⁶ and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹ it is not from works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.

⁶ Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

⁸ Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For in him all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. ¹¹ In him you also were circumcised -- not, however, with a circumcision performed by human hands, but by the removal of the fleshly body, that is, through the circumcision done by Christ. ¹² Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead. ¹³ And even though you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions. ¹⁴ He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.