Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Living Translation NLT
1 And you, when you were dead in your offences and sins,
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Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
2 Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of this air, of the spirit that now worketh on the children of unbelief:
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You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
3 In which also we all conversed in time past, in the desires of our flesh, fulfilling the will of the flesh and of our thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:
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All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God (who is rich in mercy) for his exceeding charity wherewith he loved us
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But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together in Christ (by whose grace you are saved)
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that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
6 And hath raised us up together and hath made us sit together in the heavenly places, through Christ Jesus.
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For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
7 That he might shew in the ages to come the abundant riches of his grace, in his bounty towards us in Christ Jesus.
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So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you are saved through faith: and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God.
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God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9 Not of works, that no man may glory.
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Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them.
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For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
11 For which cause be mindful that you, being heretofore gentiles is the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh, made by hands:
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Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.
12 That you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the conversation of Israel and strangers to the testament, having no hope of the promise and without God in this world.
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In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
13 But now in Christ Jesus, you, who some time were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
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But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and breaking down the middle wall of partition, the enmities in his flesh:
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For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
15 Making void the law of commandments contained in decrees: that he might make the two in himself into one new man, making peace
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He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.
16 And might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, killing the enmities in himself.
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Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.
17 And coming, he preached peace to you that were afar off: and peace to them that were nigh.
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He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near.
18 For by him we have access both in one Spirit to the Father.
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Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners: but you are fellow citizens with the saints and the domestics of God,
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So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.
20 Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone:
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Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.
21 In whom all the building, being framed together, groweth up into an holy temple in the Lord.
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We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.
22 In whom you also are built together into an habitation of God in the Spirit.
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Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
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