Tumefanywa Kuwa Hai Ndani Ya Kristo
12:1 Kol 2:13; Yn 5:24; Kol 2:13; Efe 2:5; 4:18Kwa habari zenu, mlikuwa wafu katika makosa na dhambi zenu, 22:2 Tit 3:3; Yn 12:31; Efe 5:6ambazo mlizitenda mlipofuatisha namna ya ulimwengu huu na za yule mtawala wa ufalme wa anga, yule roho atendaye kazi sasa ndani ya wale wasiotii. 32:3 Gal 5:16-24; Kol 3:6; Tit 3:3; 1Pet 4:3; Gal 5:16; Za 51:5; Rum 5:12, 14Sisi sote pia tuliishi katikati yao hapo zamani, tukitimiza tamaa za asili yetu ya dhambi na kufuata tamaa zake na mawazo yake. Nasi kwa asili tulikuwa wana wa ghadhabu, kama mtu mwingine yeyote. 42:4 Yn 3:16; Rum 10:12; Efe 1:7; 2:7Lakini Mungu kwa upendo wake mwingi kwetu sisi, ambaye ni mwingi wa rehema, 52:5 Efe 2:1; 2:8; Za 103:12; Yn 5:24; Mdo 15:11hata tulipokuwa wafu kwa ajili ya makosa yetu, alitufanya tuwe hai pamoja na Kristo Yesu, yaani, mmeokolewa kwa neema. 62:6 Efe 1:3, 20; Rum 8:10; Flp 3:20Mungu alitufufua pamoja na Kristo na kutuketisha pamoja naye katika ulimwengu wa roho katika Kristo Yesu, 72:7 Tit 3:4; Efe 1:7; Rum 2:4ili katika ule ulimwengu ujao apate kuonyesha wingi wa neema yake isiyopimika, iliyodhihirishwa kwetu kwa wema wake ndani ya Kristo Yesu. 82:8 Rum 4:2; 2Tim 1:9; Tit 3:5Kwa maana mmeokolewa kwa neema, kwa njia ya imani, wala si kwa matendo yenu mema. Hii ni zawadi kutoka kwa Mungu, 92:9 Kum 9:5; 1Kor 1:29si kwa matendo, ili mtu yeyote asije akajisifu. 102:10 Efe 4:24; Tit 2:14; Isa 29:23; 43:7; 60:21; Tit 2:14Kwa maana sisi ni kazi ya mikono ya Mungu, tulioumbwa katika Kristo Yesu, ili tupate kutenda matendo mema, ambayo Mungu alitangulia kuyaandaa tupate kuishi katika hayo.
Wamoja Katika Kristo
112:11 Kol 2:11; Efe 5:8; 2:2Kwa hiyo kumbukeni kwamba ninyi ambao hapo awali mlikuwa watu wa Mataifa kwa kuzaliwa na kuitwa “wasiotahiriwa” na wale wanaojiita “waliotahiriwa” (yaani tohara ifanyikayo katika mwili kwa mikono ya wanadamu), 122:12 Gal 3:17; 1The 4:13kumbukeni kwamba wakati ule mlikuwa mbali na Kristo, mkiwa mmetengwa kutoka jumuiya ya Israeli, na mkiwa wageni katika yale maagano ya ahadi, nanyi mkiwa hamna tumaini wala Mungu duniani. 132:13 Mdo 2:39; Kol 1:20Lakini sasa katika Kristo Yesu, ninyi ambao hapo kwanza mlikuwa mbali na Mungu, sasa mmeletwa karibu kwa njia ya damu ya Kristo.
142:14 1Kor 12:13; Isa 9:5; Gal 3:28; Kol 2:14Kwa maana yeye mwenyewe ndiye amani yetu, aliyetufanya sisi tuliokuwa wawili, yaani, Wayahudi na watu wa Mataifa, tuwe wamoja kwa kuvunja kizuizi na kubomoa ule ukuta wa uadui uliokuwa kati yetu, 152:15 Kol 1:21-22; 2:14; Gal 3:28kwa kuibatilisha ile sheria pamoja na amri zake na maagizo yake alipoutoa mwili wake, ili apate kufanya ndani yake mtu mmoja mpya badala ya hao wawili, hivyo akifanya amani, 162:16 Kol 1:20, 22; Rum 6:6; 8:3; Kol 2:14naye katika mwili huu mmoja awapatanishe wote wawili na Mungu kupitia msalaba, ili kwa huo msalaba akaangamiza uadui wao. 172:17 Za 148:14; Isa 57:19Alikuja na kuhubiri amani kwenu ninyi mliokuwa mbali na pia akahubiri amani kwao waliokuwa karibu. 182:18 Efe 3:12; Kol 1:12; 1Kor 12:13Kwa maana kwa kupitia kwake, sisi sote tunaweza kumkaribia Baba katika Roho mmoja.
192:19 Flp 3:20; Gal 6:10Hivyo basi, ninyi sasa si wageni tena wala wapitaji, bali mmekuwa wenyeji pamoja na watakatifu na pia jamaa wa nyumbani mwake Mungu. 202:20 Mt 16:18; 1Kor 3:10; 1Pet 2:4-8Mmejengwa juu ya msingi wa mitume na manabii, naye Kristo Yesu mwenyewe ndiye jiwe kuu la pembeni. 212:21 1Kor 3:16-17Ndani yake jengo lote limeshikamanishwa pamoja na kusimamishwa ili kuwa Hekalu takatifu katika Bwana. 22Katika yeye ninyi nanyi mnajengwa pamoja ili mpate kuwa makao ambayo Mungu anaishi ndani yake kwa njia ya Roho wake.
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.
