Nanyi aliwafanya muwe hai, mlipokuwa mmekufa kiroho kwa ajili ya makosa na dhambi zenu. Hapo zamani mliishi maisha ya jinsi hiyo, mkimtii mfalme wa nguvu za anga, ambaye ndiye ile roho inayowatawala wote wanaomwasi Mungu. Sisi sote pia tuliishi miongoni mwao hapo zamani, tukiridhisha na kutawaliwa na tamaa mbaya za mwili na mawazo. Kwa hiyo sisi pia tulikuwa kwa asili tunastahili ghadhabu ya Mungu kama binadamu wengine wote. Lakini Mungu, ambaye ana huruma nyingi, kutokana na upendo wake mkuu ambao alitupenda nao, japokuwa tulikuwa bado tumekufa kiroho kwa sababu ya makosa yetu, alitufanya tuwe hai pamoja na Kristo Yesu. Mmeokolewa kwa neema. Mungu alitufufua pamoja na Kristo, akatufanya tukae pamoja naye katika makao ya mbinguni tukiwa ndani yake Kristo; ili katika vizazi vijavyo aonyeshe wingi wa neema yake isiyo na mfano, ambayo imedhihirishwa kwa wema wake kwetu sisi tunaoishi ndani ya Kristo Yesu. Kwa maana mmeokolewa kwa neema, kwa njia ya imani; na si kwa sababu ya matendo yenu mema. Hii ni zawadi kutoka kwa Mungu mwenyewe. Na kwa sababu hamkuifanyia kazi, mtu ye yote asije akajisifu juu ya wokovu wake. 10 Kwa maana sisi ni matokeo ya kazi ya Mungu tulioumbwa katika Kristo Yesu, ili tuwe na matendo mema ambayo Mungu alikwisha andaa, tuishi katika hayo. 11 Kwa hiyo kumbukeni kwamba ninyi ambao kwa asili ni watu wa mataifa mengine, mnaoitwa ‘wasiotahiriwa’ na wale ‘waliotahi riwa’ kwa kanuni za binadamu; 12 kumbukeni kwamba wakati ule ninyi mlikuwa mmetengwa na Kristo, mkiwa mmefarakana na jumuia ya Israeli na mkiwa wageni kuhusu yale maagano ya ahadi. Mlikuwa hamna matumaini wala Mungu duniani. 13 Lakini kwa kuwa mmeungana na Kristo Yesu, ninyi mliokuwa mbali zamani, sasa mmeletwa karibu kwa njia ya damu ya Kristo. 14 Kwa maana yeye ndiye amani yetu; yeye aliyetufanya tuwe jamii moja, akavunjavunja ule ukuta wa uadui uliotutenga 15 kwa kuifuta ile sheria na amri zake na kan uni zake alipoutoa mwili wake. Alifanya hivyo ili aumbe taifa jipya kutokana na jamii mbili: Wayahudi na watu wa mataifa, na hivyo alete amani. 16 Kwa kutoa mwili wake pale msalabani, ali patanisha jamii zote mbili na Mungu; na kwa njia hiyo akaua ule uadui uliokuwepo kati yao. 17 Alikuja akahubiri amani kwenu ninyi watu wa mataifa ambao mlikuwa mbali na Mungu, na pia kwa wale waliokuwa karibu na Mungu. 18 Kwa maana, kwa kupitia kwake, sisi sote, Wayahudi na watu wa mataifa, tunaweza kumkaribia Baba katika Roho mmoja. 19 Kwa hiyo, ninyi sasa siyo wageni tena wala wapita njia, bali mmekuwa raia halisi pamoja na watu wa Mungu na familia ya Mungu. 20 Ninyi mmejengwa juu ya msingi wa mitume na manabii, na Kristo Yesu mwenyewe ndiye jiwe kuu la pembeni. 21 Ndani yake yeye, jengo lote limeunganishwa pamoja na kusimam ishwa kuwa Hekalu takatifu la Mungu. 22 Katika yeye ninyi pia mnajengwa pamoja ili mpate kuwa makao ambamo Mungu anaishi kwa njia ya Roho wake. Paulo, Mhudumu Kwa Watu Wa Mataifa

Made Alive in Christ

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,(A) in which you used to live(B) when you followed the ways of this world(C) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,(D) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.(E) All of us also lived among them at one time,(F) gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a](G) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us,(H) God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions(I)—it is by grace you have been saved.(J) And God raised us up with Christ(K) and seated us with him(L) in the heavenly realms(M) in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,(N) expressed in his kindness(O) to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace(P) you have been saved,(Q) through faith(R)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works,(S) so that no one can boast.(T) 10 For we are God’s handiwork,(U) created(V) in Christ Jesus to do good works,(W) which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

11 Therefore, remember that formerly(X) 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)(Y) 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners(Z) to the covenants of the promise,(AA) without hope(AB) and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once(AC) were far away have been brought near(AD) by the blood of Christ.(AE)

14 For he himself is our peace,(AF) who has made the two groups one(AG) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh(AH) the law with its commands and regulations.(AI) His purpose was to create in himself one(AJ) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,(AK) by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace(AL) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.(AM) 18 For through him we both have access(AN) to the Father(AO) by one Spirit.(AP)

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,(AQ) but fellow citizens(AR) with God’s people and also members of his household,(AS) 20 built(AT) on the foundation(AU) of the apostles and prophets,(AV) with Christ Jesus himself(AW) as the chief cornerstone.(AX) 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple(AY) in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.(AZ)

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:3 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.