Ephesians 2:1-10 - Made Alive In Christ

¹ You yourselves were once dead because of your offenses and sins. ² For at one time you lived in sin, following the ways of the world, in subjection to the Ruler of the Powers of the air--the Spirit who is still at work among the disobedient. ³ And it was among them that we all once lived our lives, indulging the cravings of our earthly nature, and carrying out the desires prompted by that earthly nature and by our own thoughts. Our very nature exposed us to the Divine Wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴ Yet God, in his abundant compassion, and because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ Even though we were 'dead' because of our offenses, gave Life to us in giving Life to the Christ. (By God's loving-kindness you have been saved.) ⁶ And, through our union with Christ Jesus, God raised us with him, and caused us to sit with him on high, ⁷ In order that, by his goodness to us in Christ Jesus, he might display in the ages to come the boundless wealth of his loving- kindness. ⁸ For it is by God's loving-kindness that you have been saved, through your faith. It is not due to yourselves; the gift is God's. ⁹ It is not due to obedience to Law, lest any one should boast. ¹⁰ For we are God's handiwork, created, by our union with Christ Jesus, for the good actions in doing which God had pre-arranged that we should spend our lives.

⁶ Since, therefore, you have received Jesus, the Christ, as your Lord, live your lives in union with him-- ⁷ Rooted in him, building up your characters through union with him, growing stronger through your faith, as you were taught, overflowing with faith and thanksgiving.

⁸ Take care there is not some one who will carry you away by his 'philosophy'--a hollow sham!--following, as it does, mere human traditions, and dealing with puerile questions of this world, and not with Christ. ⁹ For in Christ the Godhead in all its fulness dwells incarnate; ¹⁰ And, by your union with him, you also are filled with it. He is the Head of all Archangels and Powers of Heaven. ¹¹ By your union with him you received a circumcision that was not performed by human hands, when you threw off the tyranny of the earthly body, and received the circumcision of the Christ. ¹² For in baptism you were buried with Christ; and in baptism you were also raised to Life with him, through your faith in the omnipotence of God, who raised him from the dead. ¹³ And to you, who once were 'dead,' by reason of your sins and your uncircumcised nature--to you God gave Life in giving life to Christ! He pardoned all our sins! ¹⁴ He canceled the bond which stood against us--the bond that consisted of ordinances--and which was directly hostile to us! He has taken it out of our way by nailing it to the cross! ¹⁵ He rid himself of all the Powers of Evil, and held them up to open contempt, when he celebrated his triumph over them on the cross!