Ephesians 2:11-3:13

New King James Version

Brought Near by His Blood

¹¹ Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called ^(A)the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— ¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Christ Our Peace

¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one ^(B)new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might ^(C)reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby ^(D)putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸ For ^(E)through Him we both have access ^(F)by one Spirit to the Father.

Christ Our Cornerstone

¹⁹ Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been ^(G)built ^(H)on the foundation of the ^(I)apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being ^(J)the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into ^(K)a holy temple in the Lord, ^22 (L)in whom you also are being built together for a ^(M)dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

The Mystery Revealed

3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— ² if indeed you have heard of the ^[a]dispensation of the grace of God ^(N)which was given to me for you, ^3 (O)how that by revelation ^(P)He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, ⁴ by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), ⁵ which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: ⁶ that the Gentiles ^(Q)should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, ^7 (R)of which I became a minister ^(S)according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by ^(T)the effective working of His power.

Purpose of the Mystery

⁸ To me, ^(U)who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles ^(V)the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to make all see what is the ^[b]fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who ^(W)created all things ^[c]through Jesus Christ; ^10 (X)to the intent that now ^(Y)the ^[d]manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church ^(Z)to the ^[e]principalities and powers in the heavenly places, ^11 (AA)according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have boldness and access ^(AB)with confidence through faith in Him. ^13 (AC)Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, ^(AD)which is your glory.