From Death to Life
1 In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins. 2 At that time you followed the world's evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God. 3 Actually all of us were like them and lived according to our natural desires, doing whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and minds. In our natural condition we, like everyone else, were destined to suffer God's anger.
4 But God's mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great, 5 that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience he brought us to life with Christ. It is by God's grace that you have been saved. 6 In our union with Christ Jesus he raised us up with him to rule with him in the heavenly world. 7 He did this to demonstrate for all time to come the extraordinary greatness of his grace in the love he showed us in Christ Jesus. 8-9 For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it. 10 God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.
One in Christ
11 You Gentiles by birth—called “the uncircumcised” by the Jews, who call themselves the circumcised (which refers to what men do to their bodies)—remember what you were in the past. 12 At that time you were apart from Christ. You were foreigners and did not belong to God's chosen people. You had no part in the covenants, which were based on God's promises to his people, and you lived in this world without hope and without God. 13 But now, in union with Christ Jesus you, who used to be far away, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For Christ himself has brought us peace by making Jews and Gentiles one people. With his own body he broke down the wall that separated them and kept them enemies. 15 He abolished the Jewish Law with its commandments and rules, in order to create out of the two races one new people in union with himself, in this way making peace. 16 By his death on the cross Christ destroyed their enmity; by means of the cross he united both races into one body and brought them back to God. 17 So Christ came and preached the Good News of peace to all—to you Gentiles, who were far away from God, and to the Jews, who were near to him. 18 It is through Christ that all of us, Jews and Gentiles, are able to come in the one Spirit into the presence of the Father.
19 So then, you Gentiles are not foreigners or strangers any longer; you are now citizens together with God's people and members of the family of God. 20 You, too, are built upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, the cornerstone being Christ Jesus himself. 21 He is the one who holds the whole building together and makes it grow into a sacred temple dedicated to the Lord. 22 In union with him you too are being built together with all the others into a place where God lives through his Spirit.
1 Ari jūs bijāt miruši savos pārkāpumos un grēkos,
2 Kuj-os reiz dzīvojāt, pakļauti šis pasaules varas nesējam, gaisa valsts valdniekam, garam, kas vēl tagad ir spēcīgs nepaklausības bērnos.
3 Kopā ar tiem arī mēs visi reiz dzīvojām savas miesas kārībās, izpildī-dami miesas un miesas prāta iegribas, 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 lidz 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, kujus Dievs iepriekš sagatavojis, lai mēs tajos dzīvotu.
11 Tāpēc pieminiet, ka jūs, kas citkārt pēc miesas bijāt pagāni, tādi, kujus tā saucamie rokām, miesīgi apgraizītie sauc par neapgraizītiem,
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 Jēzu; jūs, kas kādreiz bijāt tālu, Kristus asinis 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 savā personā abus pārradītu par vienu jaunu cilvēku un nodibinātu mieru,
16 Lai, nonāvējot ienaidu pie krusta, salīdzinātu vienā miesā ir vienus, ir otrus ar Dievu.
17 Tā viņš nākdams (pasaulē) ir pasludinājis mieru jums, kas bijāt tālu, un tiem, kas bija tuvu,
18 Jo caur viņu ir mums, ir viņiem ir dota pieeja pie Tēva vienā garā.
19 Tā tad jūs tagad vairs neesat svešnieki un piedzīvotāji, bet vienas valsts pilsoņi ar svētajiem un Dieva saime,
20 Nams, uzcelts uz apustuļu un praviešu pamata, kupa stūrakmens 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.
