Ephesians Chapter 2

New Testament Epistle (Pauline) 22 Verses

What is Ephesians 2 about?

The riches of God's grace and the mystery of the church as Christ's body, culminating in the armor of God. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1And you [did he make alive,] when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins,
2wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience;
3among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:--
4but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved),
6and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly [places], in Christ Jesus:
7that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus:
8for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God;
9not of works, that no man should glory.
10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.
11Wherefore remember, that once ye, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands;
12that ye were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13But now in Christ Jesus ye that once were far off are made nigh in the blood of Christ.
14For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition,
15having abolished in the flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the two one new man, [so] making peace;
16and might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17and he came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh:
18for through him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father.
19So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,
20being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone;
21in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord;
22in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“And you hath he quickened, &c.] The design of the apostle in this and some following verses, is to show the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and to set forth the sad estate and condition of man by nature, and to magnify the riches of the grace of God, and represent the exceeding greatness of his power in conversion: the phrase hath he quickened, is not in the original text, but is supplied from (<490205>Ephesians 2:5), where it will be met with and explained: here those who are quickened with Christ, and by the power and grace of God, are described in their natural and unregenerate estate, who were dead in trespasses…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“GOD'S LOVE AND GRACE IN QUICKENING US, ONCE DEAD, THROUGH CHRIST. HIS PURPOSE IN DOING SO: EXHORTATION BASED ON OUR PRIVILEGES AS BUILT TOGETHER, AN HOLY TEMPLE, IN CHRIST, THROUGH THE SPIRIT. (Eph. 2:1-22) And you--"You also," among those who have experienced His mighty power in enabling them to believe (Eph 1:19-23). hath he quickened--supplied from the Greek (Eph 2:5). dead--spiritually. (Col 2:13). A living corpse: without the gracious presence of God's Spirit in the soul, and so unable to think, will, or do aught that is holy. in trespasses . . . sins--in them, as the element in which the unbeliever is, and…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“And you hath he quickened - The words “hath he quickened,” or “made to live,” are supplied, but not improperly, by our translators. The object of the apostle is to show the great power which God had evinced toward the people Ephesians 1:19; and to show that this was put forth in connection with the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and his exaltation to the right hand of God in heaven; see the notes at Romans 6:4-11; compare Colossians 2:12-13; Colossians 3:1. The words “hath he quickened” mean, hath he made alive, or made to live; John 5:21; Rom 4:17; 1 Corinthians 15:36. Who were dead in trespasses and sins - On…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“And he hath quickened you - In Eph 1:19-20, St. Paul spoke of God's working in them by the same almighty power whereby he raised Christ from the dead. On the mention of this he, in the fulness of his heart, runs into a flow of thought concerning the glory of Christ's exaltation in the three following verses. He here resumes the thread of his discourse. Who were dead - Not only diseased, but dead; absolutely void of all spiritual life; and as incapable of quickening yourselves, as persons literally dead. In trespasses and sins - Sins seem to be spoken chiefly of the gentiles, who knew not God; trespasses, of the…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“2:1-10 Paul reflects on the terrible situation of the believers before they believed in Christ and the grace of God that has spared them. 2:1-3 Paul’s readers were once like dead people before God (see 2:5; Col 2:13). Because of their disobedience and sins, driven by the power of the devil, they were condemned along with the rest of the world to suffer God’s judgment.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“you: Eph 2:5, Eph 2:6, Eph 1:19, Eph 1:20; Joh 5:25, Joh 10:10, Joh 11:25, Joh 11:26, Joh 14:6; Rom 8:2; Co1 15:45; Col 2:13, Col 3:1-4 dead: Eph 2:5, Eph 4:18, Eph 5:14; Mat 8:22; Luk 15:24, Luk 15:32; Joh 5:21; Co2 5:14; Ti1 5:6; Jo1 3:14; Rev 3:1 Ephesians 2:2”
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