Ephesians 2NASB
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Ephesians2

New American Standard

1And you were dead in your offenses and sins,

2in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

3Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest.

4But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

5even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

11Therefore remember that previously you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—

12remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

13But now in Christ Jesus you who previously were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,

15by abolishing in His flesh the hostility, which is the Law composed of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two one new person, in this way establishing peace;

16and that He might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the hostility.

17And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near;

18for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

19So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,

20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone,

21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,

22in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ephesians 2.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The riches of God's grace towards men, shown from their deplorable state by nature, and the happy change Divine grace makes in them. (1–10). The Ephesians called to reflect on their state of heathenism. (11–13). And the privileges and blessings of the gospel. (14–22).

vv1-10

Sin is the death of the soul. A man dead in trespasses and sins has no desire for spiritual pleasures. When we look upon a corpse, it gives an awful feeling. A never-dying spirit is now fled, and has left nothing but the ruins of a man. But if we viewed things aright, we should be far more affected by the thought of a dead soul, a lost, fallen spirit. A state of sin is a state of conformity to this world. Wicked men are slaves to Satan. Satan is the author of that proud, carnal disposition which there is in ungodly men; he rules in the hearts of men. From Scripture it is clear, that whether men have been most prone to sensual or to spiritual wickedness, all men, being naturally children of disobedience, are also by nature children of wrath. What reason have sinners, then, to seek earnestly for that grace which will make them, of children of wrath, children of God and heirs of glory! God's eternal love or good-will toward his creatures, is the fountain whence all his mercies flow to us; and that love of God is great love, and that mercy is rich mercy. And every converted sinner is a saved sinner; delivered from sin and wrath. The grace that saves is the free, undeserved goodness and favour of God; and he saves, not by the works of the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus. Grace in the soul is a new life in the soul. A regenerated sinner becomes a living soul; he lives a life of holiness, being born of God: he lives, being delivered from the guilt of sin, by pardoning and justifying grace. Sinners roll themselves in the dust; sanctified souls sit in heavenly places, are raised above this world, by Christ's grace. The goodness of God in converting and saving sinners heretofore, encourages others in after-time, to hope in his grace and mercy. Our faith, our conversion, and our eternal salvation, are not of works, lest any man should boast. These things are not brought to pass by any thing done by us, therefore all boasting is shut out. All is the free gift of God, and the effect of being quickened by his power. It was his purpose, to which he prepared us, by blessing us with the knowledge of his will, and his Holy Spirit producing such a change in us, that we should glorify God by our good conversation, and perseverance in holiness. None can from Scripture abuse this doctrine, or accuse it of any tendency to evil. All who do so, are without excuse.

vv11-13

Christ and his covenant are the foundation of all the Christian's hopes. A sad and terrible description is here; but who is able to remove himself out of it? Would that this were not a true description of many baptized in the name of Christ. Who can, without trembling, reflect upon the misery of a person, separated for ever from the people of God, cut off from the body of Christ, fallen from the covenant of promise, having no hope, no Saviour, and without any God but a God of vengeance, to all eternity? To have no part in Christ! What true Christian can hear this without horror? Salvation is far from the wicked; but God is a help at hand to his people; and this is by the sufferings and death of Christ.

vv14-18

Jesus Christ made peace by the sacrifice of himself; in every sense Christ was their Peace, the author, centre, and substance of their being at peace with God, and of their union with the Jewish believers in one church. Through the person, sacrifice, and mediation of Christ, sinners are allowed to draw near to God as a Father, and are brought with acceptance into his presence, with their worship and services, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, as one with the Father and the Son. Christ purchased leave for us to come to God; and the Spirit gives a heart to come, and strength to come, and then grace to serve God acceptably.

Cross References

Ephesians 2
v1Colossians 2:13allusion

Direct parallel describing being dead in sins and quickened together with Christ.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v17Isaiah 57:19allusion

The Old Testament source for preaching peace to those far off and near.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v15Colossians 2:14thematic

Parallels the blotting out of handwriting of ordinances and abolishing the enmity.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v20Isaiah 28:16allusion

The prophetic foundation for Christ as the chief cornerstone of the spiritual building.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v5Titus 3:5thematic

Reiterates that salvation is not by works of righteousness but by God's mercy.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v9Romans 3:27thematic

Confirms that salvation by grace through faith excludes all human boasting.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v12Ephesians 4:18thematic

Defines being alienated from the life of God, matching the state of unbelieving Gentiles.

Supported by JFB

v221 Peter 2:5thematic

Believers built up as lively stones into a spiritual house and habitation of God.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v4Romans 5:8thematic

Demonstrates God's great love in Christ dying for us while we were yet sinners.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v14Isaiah 9:6allusion

Identifies Jesus as the prophesied Prince of Peace who is our peace.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v14Galatians 3:28thematic

Shows the breakdown of distinction between Jew and Gentile, making both one in Christ.

Supported by JFB