From Death to Life by Grace
Ephesians 2:1-10
Eph.2.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- οντας: VERB,pres,act,ptcp,acc,pl,m
- νεκρους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- παραπτωμασιν: NOUN,dat,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- ταις: ART,dat,pl,f
- αμαρτιαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
Parallels
- Colossians 2:13 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language about believers being 'dead in trespasses and sins,' a close verbal parallel to Eph 2:1 and the basis for the contrast with being made alive in Christ.
- Ephesians 2:5 (structural): Immediate context: continues the contrast by stating God 'made us alive together with Christ even when we were dead in trespasses,' developing the same dead→life motif found in v.1.
- Romans 6:23 (thematic): Expresses the basic theological link between sin and death ('the wages of sin is death'), which undergirds the claim that humans are 'dead in trespasses and sins.'
- Romans 5:12 (thematic): Links sin and death historically ('sin came into the world...and death through sin'), providing theological background for the depiction of humanity as spiritually dead in sin.
- 1 Corinthians 15:22 (thematic): Frames death and life in the covenantal/Christological scheme ('in Adam all die, in Christ all will be made alive'), echoing the contrast implied by being 'dead in trespasses' and the hope of life in Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.
- And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
Eph.2.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εν: PREP
- αις: PRON,dat,pl,f
- ποτε: ADV
- περιεπατησατε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- κατα: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- αιωνα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- κοσμου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- τουτου: DEM,gen,sg,m
- κατα: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- αρχοντα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- εξουσιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αερος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- πνευματος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- νυν: ADV
- ενεργουντος: VERB,pres,act,part,gen,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- υιοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- απειθειας·: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- John 12:31 (thematic): Speaks of the 'ruler of this world' whose defeat is imminent; parallels Eph 2:2's depiction of a satanic power that governs the present age.
- John 14:30 (thematic): Jesus refers to 'the ruler of this world' coming and having no claim on him, echoing Eph 2:2's identification of an active hostile spirit behind worldly conduct.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 (verbal): Calls Satan 'the god of this age' who blinds unbelievers—language and concept parallel Ephesians' 'prince of the power of the air' who works in sons of disobedience.
- 1 John 5:19 (verbal): States that 'the whole world lies under the power of the evil one,' a concise verbal parallel to Eph 2:2's depiction of the world-order dominated by an evil spirit.
- Ephesians 6:12 (structural): Within the same letter, Paul expands the idea—naming 'rulers, authorities, cosmic powers'—providing a structural and theological continuation of the power dynamics described in Eph 2:2.
Alternative generated candidates
- You once walked in them — following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now at work in the sons of disobedience.
- in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now at work in the sons of disobedience.
Eph.2.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εν: PREP
- οις: PRON,dat,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ημεις: PRON,nom,pl,1
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- ανεστραφημεν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,1,pl
- ποτε: ADV
- εν: PREP
- ταις: ART,dat,pl,f
- επιθυμιαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- σαρκος: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- ποιουντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- θεληματα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- σαρκος: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- διανοιων: NOUN,gen,pl,f
- και: CONJ
- ημεθα: VERB,impf,act,ind,1,pl
- τεκνα: NOUN,acc,pl,neut
- φυσει: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- οργης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ως: ADV
- και: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- λοιποι·: ADJ,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Titus 3:3 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language about former condition—‘children of wrath’—and links past conduct in passions to being by nature under wrath, making a close verbal parallel.
- Romans 8:7-8 (thematic): Speaks of the mind set on the flesh being hostile to God, paralleling Ephesians’ contrast of the desires of the body and of the mind and the unbelieving, fleshly orientation.
- Colossians 3:5-7 (thematic): Describes believers’ former life ‘in these things’ (sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness) and notes that God’s wrath comes on the disobedient—parallel themes of past fleshly passions and divine wrath.
- Romans 1:24-27 (thematic): Portrays God giving people over to their bodily passions and degrading lusts, connecting the idea of sinful passions of the flesh and ensuing judgment found in Ephesians 2:3.
- Ephesians 2:1-2 (structural): Immediate context: describes believers’ former deadness in trespasses and following the course of the world and sensual desires, providing the structural background to 2:3’s summary of life ‘in the passions of our flesh.’
Alternative generated candidates
- Among them we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, doing the desires of the body and of the mind, and by nature were children of wrath, like the rest.
- Among them we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, doing the desires of body and mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest.
Eph.2.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- πλουσιος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- ελεει: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- δια: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- πολλην: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- αγαπην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- ηγαπησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ημας: PRON,acc,pl,1
Parallels
- Titus 3:4-5 (verbal): Uses very similar language — the 'kindness and love of God' and salvation 'according to his mercy' echo Ephesians' 'God rich in mercy' and his love as the motive for saving us.
- Romans 5:8 (thematic): Emphasizes God's demonstrative love for sinners (Christ died for us while we were sinners), paralleling Ephesians' stress that God's great love is the basis for mercy and salvation.
- 1 John 4:9-10 (thematic): Declares that God's love was revealed in the sending of the Son as atonement for sin, connecting the theme of God's loving initiative behind salvation found in Ephesians 2:4.
- Ephesians 1:7 (verbal): Within the same letter Paul speaks of redemption and forgiveness 'according to the riches of his grace,' echoing the vocabulary of God's 'rich' mercy in 2:4 and linking mercy, grace, and salvation thematically.
- Psalm 103:8 (thematic): An Old Testament portrait of God as 'merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,' providing the theological background for the NT affirmation that God is rich in mercy and great in love.
Alternative generated candidates
- But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
- But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us,
Eph.2.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- οντας: PART,pres,act,acc,pl,m
- ημας: PRON,acc,pl,1
- νεκρους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- παραπτωμασιν: NOUN,dat,pl,n
- συνεζωοποιησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- Χριστω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- χαριτι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εστε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- σεσωσμενοι: PART,perf,pass,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Ephesians 2:1 (structural): Same paragraph context: describes believers as "dead in trespasses," providing the contrast to being made alive in 2:5.
- Colossians 2:13 (verbal): Uses virtually the same language—God made you alive when you were dead in trespasses and forgave all your sins—explicitly parallels "made us alive with Christ."
- Romans 6:8-11 (thematic): Develops the theme of union with Christ in death and life: having died with Christ, believers also live with him—echoes being made alive in Christ.
- Titus 3:5 (thematic): Emphasizes salvation/renewal as God's act (not works)—'he saved us... by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,' paralleling Ephesians' stress on being made alive by God's grace.
Alternative generated candidates
- even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved —
- even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Eph.2.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- συνηγειρεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- συνεκαθισεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- επουρανιοις: ADJ,dat,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- Χριστω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Eph.1.20-21 (verbal): Speaks of God raising Christ and seating him ‘in the heavenly places,’ providing the immediate theological basis and verbal parallel for believers being seated with Christ.
- Col.3.1 (thematic): Calls believers to seek the things above because they have been raised with Christ—echoes the vertical, heavenly orientation implied by being seated with Christ.
- Col.2.12 (verbal): Describes believers as ‘raised with him’ through faith, a verbal parallel to the resurrection language that grounds the idea of believers’ heavenly seating.
- Rom.6.4 (thematic): Links participation in Christ’s death and resurrection to a new life; thematically related to being raised and placed in a new, heavenly status in Christ.
- Phil.3.20 (thematic): Affirms that believers’ citizenship/home is in heaven, resonating with the claim that Christians are seated in the heavenly places with Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- and raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Eph.2.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ινα: CONJ
- ενδειξηται: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- αιωσιν: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- επερχομενοις: PTCP,pres,mid,dat,pl,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- υπερβαλλον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- πλουτος: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- χαριτος: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- χρηστοτητι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εφ᾽ημας: PREP+PRON,acc,pl
- εν: PREP
- Χριστω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Eph.1:7-8 (verbal): Same letteral language of 'the riches of his grace' and God lavishing/dispensing grace to believers—directly parallels the language of abundant grace shown in Christ.
- Titus 3:4 (verbal): Uses the same word for 'kindness' (χρηστότης/χρηστὸς) and emphasizes God's kindness/mercy as the basis of salvation—links the phrase 'in kindness toward us'.
- Rom.9:23 (thematic): Speaks of God 'making known the riches' (πλοῦτοι) of his glory/mercy to vessels of mercy—parallel theme of God displaying his riches in coming ages.
- 1 Tim.1:14 (thematic): Paul speaks of the grace of the Lord overflowing to him in Christ Jesus—echoes the theme of abundant/superabundant grace 'in Christ Jesus'.
- Eph.3:16-19 (thematic): Prayer that believers grasp the immeasurable dimensions of Christ's love and be filled with God's fullness—echoes the idea of the 'surpassing riches' of grace and its limitless scope.
Alternative generated candidates
- that in the coming ages he might show the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
- so that in the ages to come he might show the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Eph.2.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- γαρ: PART
- χαριτι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εστε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- σεσωσμενοι: PART,perf,pass,nom,pl,m
- δια: PREP
- πιστεως·και: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εξ: PREP
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δωρον·: NOUN,nom,sg,n
Parallels
- Romans 3:24 (verbal): Speaks of being justified 'by his grace' through Christ — similar language attributing salvation to God's grace rather than human merit.
- Romans 6:23 (verbal): Contrasts the 'wages' of sin with the 'free gift of God' of eternal life, echoing Ephesians' phrasing that salvation is God's gift.
- Galatians 2:16 (thematic): Affirms that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, paralleling the emphasis on faith (not works) as the means of salvation.
- Titus 3:5-7 (thematic): States that God saved us 'not by works done in righteousness' but by his mercy and grace, resulting in justification and hope of eternal life — closely matching Eph. 2:8's contrast with human effort.
- 2 Timothy 1:9 (thematic): Declares God 'saved us and called us...not because of works but according to his own purpose and grace,' reflecting the same insistence that salvation is God's gracious gift, not from ourselves.
Alternative generated candidates
- For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not from yourselves — it is the gift of God;
- For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not from yourselves—it is the gift of God—
Eph.2.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εξ: PREP
- εργων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- ινα: CONJ
- μη: PART
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- καυχησηται: VERB,aor,mid,subj,3,sg
Parallels
- Ephesians 2:8 (structural): Immediate context: the preceding clause states salvation is 'by grace through faith' and contrasts directly with 'not of works'—same structure and emphasis.
- Romans 11:6 (verbal): Explicitly links grace and works with the phrase 'if by grace, then it is no longer on the basis of works'—same argument that excludes boasting.
- Romans 3:28 (thematic): Affirms justification by faith apart from the works of the law, paralleling Ephesians' denial that salvation is 'of works'.
- Titus 3:5 (verbal): States salvation is 'not by works of righteousness which we have done' but by God's mercy—verbal and theological parallel to 'not of works.'
Alternative generated candidates
- not from works, so that no one may boast.
- not from works, so that no one may boast.
Eph.2.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- γαρ: PART
- εσμεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,pl
- ποιημα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- κτισθεντες: VERB,aor,pass,ptc,nom,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- Χριστω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- εργοις: NOUN,dat,pl,n
- αγαθοις: ADJ,dat,pl,n
- οις: PRON,dat,pl,m
- προητοιμασεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ινα: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- περιπατησωμεν: VERB,aor,act,sub,1,pl
Parallels
- Psalm 139:13-16 (thematic): God as craftsman who forms the person (knitting in the womb); parallels the idea that believers are God’s workmanship/being intentionally made by God.
- Isaiah 64:8 (thematic): Images of God as potter and people as clay—similar workmanship metaphor emphasizing God’s shaping and purpose for his people.
- Titus 2:14 (verbal): Christ gave himself to redeem and purify a people for himself so they would be zealous for good works—directly connects the believer’s salvation in Christ to a life of prepared good works.
- Romans 8:29-30 (allusion): Speaks of God’s foreknowledge and predestination to a formed destiny (conformity to Christ), echoing Ephesians’ language that God ‘prepared beforehand’ a pattern of life for believers.
- Colossians 1:16 (verbal): Affirms that all things were created in/through Christ; echoes Ephesians’ formula ‘created in Christ Jesus,’ linking believers’ identity and purpose to union with Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
- For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now at work in the children of disobedience.
Among them we all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, carrying out the desires of body and mind, and we were by nature children under wrath, like the rest. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
made us alive together with Christ even when we were dead in trespasses—by grace you have been saved. And he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not from yourselves—it is the gift of God;
not by works, so that no one may boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.