1 In
the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins.
2 At that time you followed the world's
evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who
now controls the people who disobey God.
3 Actually all of us were like them and lived according to
our natural desires, doing whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and
minds. In our natural condition we, like everyone else, were destined to suffer
God's anger.
4 But God's mercy is so abundant,
and his love for us is so great,
5 that
while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience he brought us to life with
Christ. It is by God's grace that you have been saved.
6 In our union with Christ Jesus he raised us up with him
to rule with him in the heavenly world.
7 He did this to demonstrate for all time to come the
extraordinary greatness of his grace in the love he showed us in Christ
Jesus.
8 For it is by God's grace that
you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but
God's gift,
9 so that no one can boast about it.
10 God has made us what we are, and in our union with
Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already
prepared for us to do.
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