From Death to Life
1 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. 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 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 On the cross Christ did away with our hatred for each other. He also made peace between us and God by uniting Jews and Gentiles in one body. 17 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.
Dzīvi darīti Kristū
1 Arī jūs bijāt miruši savos pārkāpumos un grēkos, 2 kuros reiz dzīvojāt, piederēdami šīs pasaules laikmetam, pakļaudamies valdniekam, kas valda pār gaisa valstību, pār to garu, kas vēl tagad darbojas nepaklausības dēlos. 3 Viņu vidū arī mēs reiz dzīvojām savās miesas iekārēs, rīkodamies pēc miesas iegribām un iedomām, un pēc savas dabas bijām dusmības bērni tāpat kā visi pārējie. 4 Bet Dieva žēlastība ir bagātīga, savas lielās mīlestības dēļ, ar ko viņš mūs mīlēja, 5 viņš līdz ar Kristu atdzīvināja arī mūs, kas bijām miruši savos pārkāpumos, – žēlastībā jūs esat izglābti –, 6 viņš mūs līdz ar Kristu ir augšāmcēlis un līdz ar viņu sēdinājis debesīs Kristū Jēzū, 7 lai savā labvēlībā pret mums Dievs mums parādītu nākamajos laikmetos savas žēlastības neizmērojamo bagātību, kas ir Kristū Jēzū. 8 Jo žēlastībā jūs esat izglābti caur ticību, tas nenāk no jums, tā ir Dieva dāvana, 9 tas nav arī no darbiem, lai kāds nesāk dižoties. 10 Mēs paši esam viņa darinājums, Kristū Jēzū radīti labiem darbiem, kurus Dievs iepriekš sagatavojis, lai mēs tajos dzīvotu.
Vienoti Kristū
11 Tādēļ atcerieties, ka jūs, kas reiz pēc savas izcelsmes bijāt pagāni, ko miesā apgraizītie sauca par neapgraizītajiem, 12 tolaik bijāt šķirti no Kristus un Israēla sabiedrība jums bija slēgta, jūs bijāt svešinieki apsolījuma derībai, bez cerības un bez Dieva pasaulē. 13 Bet tagad jūs, kas bijāt tālu, Kristū Jēzū esat kļuvuši tuvi viņa asinīs. 14 Viņš ir mūsu miers, jo viņš savā miesā abus darījis par vienu un noārdījis šķērsli – ienaida sienu, kas tos šķīra, 15 atceldams savā miesā likuma spēku bauslības pavēlēm, lai šos divus pārradītu sevī par vienu jaunu cilvēku, tā panākdams mieru 16 un abiem dodams izlīgumu ar Dievu vienā miesā, nonāvēdams ienaidu pie krusta. 17 Viņš atnākdams ir pasludinājis mieru – gan jums, kas bijāt tālu, gan viņiem, kas bija tuvu, 18 lai caur viņu mums, gan vieniem, gan otriem, būtu dota pieeja pie Tēva vienā Garā. 19 Tagad jūs vairs neesat svešinieki un piemājotāji, bet esat līdzpilsoņi svētajiem un Dieva saime, 20 kas uzcelta uz apustuļu un praviešu pamata, tās stūrakmens ir Jēzus Kristus. 21 Viņā visa celtne, kopā salaista, aug par svētu templi Kungam. 22 Viņā arī jūs tiekat uzcelti par Dieva mājokli Garā.
