1 And these things include you. You were dead in your offenses and sins, 2 in which at one time you conducted yourselves according to the standards of this evil and rebellious age, according to the wicked ways of the ruler over the powers in the lower heavens, over the spirit that is presently at work among those who refuse to obey God, 3 among whom we, too, all of us, lived our lives at one time according to the sinful desires of our mortal nature, carrying out the evil things that the mortal nature and our corrupt minds wanted us to do. Indeed, we were by nature rebellious sinners destined to suffer God’s wrath, just like the rest of mankind. 4 God, however, because he is so rich in mercy, out of his deep love for us, 5 even though we were dead in our offenses, gave us new life with the Messiah—it is by God’s gift that you have been saved— 6 and “raised” us with him, as it were, and “seated” us with him among the heavenly ones in union with Messiah Jesus, 7 in order to display in the coming ages the extraordinary riches of his grace expressed in the kindness he has shown us through Messiah Jesus. 8 By grace, you see, you have been saved through faith; it comes not from you, but from God, as a gift, 9 not by deeds, so that no one may sing his own praises. 10 We are his workmanship, you see, having been created anew through union with Messiah Jesus for good deeds, which God prepared long ago to be our way of life.

11 For that reason, don’t ever forget that at one time you, the Gentiles of humanity, who are termed “the uncircumcised” by those who are termed “the circumcised” (that performed in the body by human hands)— 12 don’t forget how in that appointed time you were without knowledge of the Messiah, excluded from the national and religious life of Israel and unacquainted with the covenants of the promise, of hope devoid, and living in the world without any relationship to the one true God. 13 Now, however, in union with Messiah Jesus, you who were once far off have been brought near through the blood of the Messiah. 14 He himself, you see, is our peace, the one who has united the two in a single fellowship and broken down the very dividing wall that separated us, the hostility, 15 having made of no effect, through his crucified body, the Torah of commandments consisting of ordinances, so that the two he could create, in union with himself, into one new man, making peace, 16 and reconcile both groups to God in one body through his death on the cross, having killed the hostility there.+ 17 Indeed, when the Messiah came, he announced peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 18 as evidenced by the fact that through him we have both received the right to come, through one and the same Spirit, before the Father.

19 So then, you Gentiles are no longer outsiders and foreign residents with restricted privileges, but fellow-citizens with the Lord’s holy people and members of God’s household, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Messiah Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in union with whom the whole building, being joined together, develops into a holy sanctuary in union with the Lord; 22 in union with whom you Gentiles, too, are being built together with us into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.