Ephesians 2:3

“Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, &c.] What the apostle says of the Gentile Ephesians before conversion, he says of himself and other Jews; and this he does, partly to show that it was not from ill will, or with a design to upbraid the Gentiles, that he said what he did; and partly to beat down the pride of the Jews, who thought themselves better than the sinners of the Gentiles; as well as to magnify the grace of God in the conversion of them both: the sense is, that the apostle and other Jews in the time of their unregeneracy, had their conversation according to the customs of the world, and to the prince of the air, and among unbelievers, as well as the Gentiles;…”

“also we--that is, we also. Paul here joins himself in the same category with them, passing from the second person (Eph 2:1-2) to the first person here. all--Jews and Gentiles. our conversation--"our way of life" (Co2 1:12; Pe1 1:18). This expression implies an outwardly more decorous course, than the open "walk" in gross sins on the part of the majority of Ephesians in times past, the Gentile portion of whom may be specially referred to in Eph 2:2. Paul and his Jewish countrymen, though outwardly more seemly than the Gentiles (Act 26:4-5, Act 26:18), had been essentially like them in living to the unrenewed flesh, without the Spirit of God. fulfilling--Greek, doing. mind--Greek, "our…”

“We all had our conversation - see the notes at 2 Corinthians 1:12; compare 1 Peter 4:3. In the lusts of our flesh - Living to gratify the flesh, or the propensities of a corrupt nature. It is observable here that the apostle changes the form of the address from “ye” to “we,” thus including himself with others, and saying that this was true of “all” before their conversion. He means undoubtedly to say, that whatever might have been the place of their birth, or the differences of religion under which they had been trained, they were substantially alike by nature. It was a characteristic of all that they lived to fulfil the desires of the flesh and of the mind. The “design” of the apostle in…”

“Among whom we - Jews. Also, formerly had our conversation: doing the will of the flesh - In gross, brutal sins. And of the mind - By spiritual, diabolical wickedness. In the former clause, flesh denotes the whole evil nature; in the latter, the body opposed to the soul. And were by nature - That is, in our natural state. Children of wrath - Having the wrath of God abiding on us, even as the gentiles. This expression, by nature, occurs also, Gal 4:8; Rom 2:14; and thrice in Rom 11:24. But in none of these places does it signify, by custom, or practice, or customary practice, as a late writer affirms. Nor can it mean so here For this would make the apostle guilty of gross tautology, their…”

“2:3 Unconverted people are naturally under the control of the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature (see Rom 3:9-20, 23). Because of their sin, they are subject to God’s anger, because God hates sin (see Eph 5:6; Rom 1:18; 2:5, 8; 3:5, 19; 4:15; 5:9; 9:22; 12:19; 13:4-5; Col 3:6; 1 Thes 1:10; 2:16; 5:9).”

“we: Isa 53:6, Isa 64:6, Isa 64:7; Dan 9:5-9; Rom 3:9-19; Co1 6:9-11; Gal 2:15, Gal 2:16, Gal 3:22; Tit 3:3; Pe1 4:3; Jo1 1:8-10 in times: Eph 4:17-19; Act 14:16, Act 17:30, Act 17:31; Rom 11:30; Pe1 2:10; Jo1 2:8 in the: Eph 4:22; Mar 4:19; Joh 8:44; Rom 1:24, Rom 6:12, Rom 13:14; Gal 5:16-24; Ti1 6:9; Jam 4:1-3; Pe1 1:14, Pe1 2:11, Pe1 4:2; Pe2 2:18; Jo1 2:16; Jde 1:16-18 fulfilling: Rom 8:7, Rom 8:8; Co2 7:1; Gal 5:19-21 desires: Gr. wills, Joh 1:13 by: Gen 5:3, Gen 6:5, Gen 8:21; Job 14:4, Job 15:14-16, Job 25:4; Psa 51:5; Mar 7:21, Mar 7:22; Joh 3:1-6; Rom 5:12-19, Rom 7:18; Gal 2:15, Gal 2:16 children: Eph 2:2; Rom 9:22 even: Rom 3:9, Rom 3:22, Rom 3:23; Co1 4:7 Ephesians 2:4”