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.
1 Arī jūs bijāt miruši savos pārkāpumos un grēkos, 2 kuros reiz dzīvojāt, pakļauti šīs pasaules varas nesējam, gaisa valsts valdniekam, garam, kas vēl tagad darbojas nepaklausības bērnos. 3 Kopā ar tiem arī mēs visi reiz dzīvojām savas miesas kārībās, ļaudamies miesas un miesas prāta iegribām, pēc savas dabas būdami Dieva dusmības bērni kā visi pārējie. 4 Bet Dievs, bagāts būdams žēlastībā, Savā lielajā mīlestībā, ar ko Viņš mūs ir mīlējis, 5 arī mūs, kas savos pārkāpumos bijām miruši, darījis dzīvus līdz ar Kristu: žēlastībā jūs esat izglābti! 6 Viņš iekš Kristus Jēzus un līdz ar Viņu mūs ir uzmodinājis un paaugstinājis debesīs, 7 lai nākamajos laikmetos Kristū Jēzū mums parādītu Savas žēlastības un laipnības pāri plūstošo bagātību. 8 Jo no žēlastības jūs esat pestīti ticībā, un tas nav no jums, tā ir Dieva dāvana. 9 Ne ar darbiem, lai neviens nelielītos. 10 Jo mēs esam Viņa darbs, Kristū Jēzū radīti labiem darbiem, kurus Dievs iepriekš sagatavojis, lai mēs tajos dzīvotu. 11 Tāpēc pieminiet, ka jūs, kas citkārt pēc miesas bijāt pagāni, tādi, kurus tā saucamie rokām miesīgi apgraizītie sauc par neapgraizītajiem, 12 reiz senajos laikos bijāt bez Kristus, šķirti no Israēla draudzes un izslēgti no apsolītiem iestādījumiem, bez Dieva šinī pasaulē. 13 Bet tagad jūs esat Kristū Jēzū; jūs, kas kādreiz bijāt tālu, Kristus asinīs esat kļuvuši tuvi. 14 Jo Viņš ir mūsu miers: Viņš abus darījis par vienu un noārdījis starpsienu, kas mūs šķīra, proti, ienaidu, 15 atceldams pats Savā miesā bauslību ar viņas daudzajiem priekšrakstiem, lai Sevī abus pārradītu par vienu jaunu cilvēku un nodibinātu mieru, 16 lai, nonāvējot ienaidu pie krusta, salīdzinātu vienā miesā gan vienus, gan otrus ar Dievu. 17 Un atnācis pasludināja mieru jums, kas bijāt tālu, un tiem, kas bija tuvu, 18 jo caur Viņu gan mums, gan viņiem ir dota pieeja pie Tēva vienā Garā. 19 Tātad jūs tagad vairs neesat svešinieki un piedzīvotāji, bet vienas valsts pilsoņi ar svētajiem un Dieva saime, 20 nams, uzcelts uz apustuļu un praviešu pamata, kura stūra akmens ir Kristus Jēzus. 21 Viņā visa celtne, kopā salaista, aug par svētu templi Tam Kungam. 22 Un Viņā arī jūs līdzi tiekat uzcelti par Dieva mājokli Garā.
