2ain which you once walked according to the1 course of this world, according to bthe prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in cthe sons of disobedience,
3aamong whom also we all once conducted ourselves in bthe lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and cwere by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, awho is rich in mercy, because of His bgreat love with which He loved us,
5aeven when we were dead in trespasses, bmade us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together ain the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in aHis kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8aFor by grace you have been saved bthrough faith, and that not of yourselves; citis the gift of God,
10 For we are aHis workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Brought Near by His Blood
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called athe 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, thatis, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one anew man from the two, thus making peace,
16 and that He might areconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bputting to death the enmity.
But God, who is rich in mercy - On the use of the word "rich" by Paul, see the notes at Ephesians 1:7. It is a beautiful expression. "God is ' rich' in mercy;" overflowing, abundant. Mercy is the riches or the wealth of God. People are often rich in gold, and silver, and diamonds, and they pride themselves in these possessions; but God is "rich in mercy." In that he abounds and he is so rich in it that he is wilting to impart it to others; so rich that he can make all blessed.
For his great love - That is, his great love was the reason why he had compassion upon us. It is not that we had any claim or deserved his favor; but it is, that God had for man original and eternal love, and that love led to the gift of a Saviour, and to the bestowment of salvation.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Ephesians 2:4:
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