Made alive in Christ
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit. and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – 9not by works, so that no-one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Jew and Gentile reconciled through Christ
11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision’ (which is done in the body by human hands) – 12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Oživljeni s Kristom
1I vi ste nekoć bili mrtvi zbog svojih prijestupa i grijeha. 2Živjeli ste poput ostaloga svijeta, u grijehu, poslušni Sotoni, vladaru zračnih prostora. Taj je duh na djelu u srcima onih koji odbijaju poslušati Božju riječ. 3Svi smo mi tako živjeli, udovoljavajući požudama tijela i prohtjevima svoje zle naravi. Po svojoj smo naravi bili predodređeni za Božji gnjev2:3 U grčkome: Po svojoj smo naravi bili djeca gnjeva… kao i ostali.
4Ali Bog je tako bogat milosrđem da nas je, zaradi velike ljubavi prema nama, 5iako smo bili mrtvi zbog svojih prijestupa, oživio s Kristom. Božjom ste milošću spašeni! 6Podignuo nas je od mrtvih i posjeo nas s Kristom u nebu zato što smo njegovi, 7da bi u predstojećim vjekovima pokazao neizmjerno bogatstvo svoje milosti svojom dobrotom prema nama u Kristu Isusu.
8Spašeni ste milošću, po vjeri. A i to je Božji dar. Nije vaša zasluga. 9Spasenje nije nagrada za dobra djela koja smo učinili, da se nitko ne može time hvaliti. 10Jer mi smo Božja stvorenja, stvoreni u Kristu Isusu da živimo čineći dobra djela koja je on za nas unaprijed pripremio.
Jedinstvo i mir u Kristu
11Ne zaboravite da ste vi pogani rođenjem bili izopćenici. Židovi, ponosni na svoje obrezanje—iako im je ono mijenjalo samo tijela, ali ne i srca—nazivali su vas “neobrezanima”. 12Tada ste živjeli daleko od Krista. Bili ste isključeni iz Božjega naroda, Izraela; bili ste tuđinci za koje nije vrijedio Savez obećanja; bili ste u svijetu bez Boga i bez nade. 13Ali sada pripadate Kristu Isusu. Iako ste nekada bili daleko od Boga, sada ste mu prišli blizu—po Kristovoj krvi.
14Jer sam je Krist sklopio mir između Židova i pogana učinivši nas sve jednim narodom. Srušio je zid neprijateljstva koji nas je dijelio. 15Učinio je nevaljanim cijeli sustav židovskih zakona da uspostavi mir, stvarajući u sebi od Židova i pogana jednoga, novog čovjeka. 16U jednom je Tijelu izmirio obje skupine s Bogom svojom smrću na križu, usmrtivši neprijateljstvo. 17Došao je “navijestiti mir” vama poganima koji ste bili daleko od njega i nama Židovima koji smo mu bili blizu. 18Sada svi mi, i Židovi i pogani, možemo pristupiti Ocu u jednomu, Svetom Duhu, zbog onoga što je Krist učinio za nas.
Gospodnji Hram
19Vi pogani sada više niste tuđinci ni pridošlice, nego sugrađani svetih i Božji ukućani. 20Božja ste građevina nazidana na temelju apostola i proroka, a zaglavni je kamen sam Isus Krist. 21U njemu je cijela građevina čvrsto povezana i raste u sveti Hram u Gospodinu. 22U njemu ste i vi pogani uzidani, dio ste građevine u kojoj Bog prebiva svojim Duhom.
