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Ephesians 2:10 and the Other Verses of Ephesians 2

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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”

Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively.  Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior.  Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This webpage could be periodically updated.  If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated.  Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.  

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Also, it is possible that it is worthwhile to print this content in case of time periods involving lack of Internet connectivity.  

When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:  

“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Note:  The heart refers to the mind.  

It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:  

“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”

It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:  

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”

A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned.  In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher.  Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:  

If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship:  whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living.  As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.

Note:  Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites.  Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM].  The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges.  The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity.  The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness.  In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human.  When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god.  Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.  

The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind.  In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:  

Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession.  Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram.  Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:  

Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.

The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:  

Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.  Also, it is still much more evident:  that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life.  Indeed, it is attested:  “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

Note:  The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah.  Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body.  The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.  

Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest.  In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family.  Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:  

However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE.  You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Note:  Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people.  In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people.  The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23.  In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.  

Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Put succinctly:  itʼs the message rather than the messenger.  In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:  

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that.  I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book.  Worship God.”

*Note:  The word says is in the Greek historical present tense.  By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.  

Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated.  That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:  

The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews.  Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.  Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.

Note:  The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”  

Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  It is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur.  The Feast of Trumpets was one of the seven feasts that the Israelites were supposed to celebrate each year under the regulations of the Mosaic Law.  The term Mosaic Law refers to the laws communicated by Moses to the ancient Israelites.  Because Moses communicated those laws, they are known collectively as the Mosaic Law.  The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law by being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity.  Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Mosaic Law, no believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are under the regulations of the Mosaic Law.  

While it is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur—which is referenced as a single day in Leviticus 23:24–25 and Numbers 29:1–6 and which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during the time period of August 12th, 2026, at 12:25 P.M. – August 16th, 2026, at 1:49 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone; the time period of September 10th, 2026, at 11:51 A.M. – September 14th, 2026, at 1:08 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone; or the time period of October 10th, 2026, at 11:13 A.M. – October 14th, 2026, at 12:29 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur during a time other than the time of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah.  Whether the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah in 2026 would occur during August, September, or October depends on whether barley crop in Israel in 2026 was first in a status known as abib [ah-BEEB] (also known as aviv [ah-VEEV]) in February, March, or April, respectively.  On which day and at what time in August, September, or October the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would start depends on the time of the last sunset over Jerusalem before the first sliver of a crescent new moon after that sunset.  The crescent new moon is the illumination of a sliver of the waxing moon.  The moon is waxing when it is becoming more and more illuminated after what some people refer to as the astronomical new moon, the time when there is an absence of illumination of the moon—in other words, when there is an absence of reflection of light from the moon.  On which day and at what time in August, September, or October the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would end depends on whether the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah lasts one day or two days and whether the time of day of the end of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah is at sunset, at the end of civil twilight, at the end of nautical twilight, or at the end of astronomical twilight.  Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur during the time of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah, one can be prepared for that time because of already being in the habit of being prepared.  Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life.  Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.  

Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:  

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.  Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52

Behold, I tell you a mystery:  we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation.  The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation.  1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic.  In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.  

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night.  While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.  However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day.  We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober.  Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.  However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.  Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Note:  In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent.  In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context.  Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!”  In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness.  The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture.  In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation.  Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

The verse of the day for August 13th is Ephesians 2:10.  The title of the book Ephesians is also known as “The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians” and “The Letter of Paul to the Ephesians.”  Ephesians was a letter written by the apostle Paul to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who were either located in Ephesus or in multiple places, including possibly Ephesus.  

For geographical context, below is a link to a map that shows the location of Ephesus.  

https://NETBible.org/media/images/constable/45Rom-1.jpg

Below is a link to another map that shows the location of Ephesus.  This map also shows the other locations that compose the seven locations of the churches of Revelation.  The seven churches of Revelation are located in grid coordinate B2.  The key for this map is located in grid coordinates B3 and C3.  A list of those seven churches, sorted in order of mention in Revelation 2–3, is located in grid coordinate D1.  

https://Classic.NET.Bible.org/images/maps/nt2.jpg

If the above link is inaccessible, the below link can be tried instead.  

https://NETBible.org/media/images/maps/nt2.jpg

Because it is useful to study verses that share the same context, below is content related to Ephesians 2.  

Note:  In some of the below notes for Ephesians 2, there are references to the Church Age, the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Second Advent, and the Millennium.  With regard to the Church Age, the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Second Advent, and the Millennium, below is a synopsis of human history as categorized into time periods known as dispensations.  In the below synopsis, there is the term hypostatic union [high-PUH-stat-ick YOON-yuhn].  This refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being 100% Deity and 100% humanity.  The English word hypostatic is derived from the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word ὑπόστασις [pronounced hoo-PAH-stah-sees and transliterated as hypostasis].  After the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of humanity, His body was in the grave for three days and three nights.  He was then resurrected, and He was on the earth for forty days after He was resurrected.  He then ascended to Heaven, and ten days after that, the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst] occurred.  The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age.  The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē].  That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.”  Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  The Church Age will end with the Rapture.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur—which is referenced as a single day in Leviticus 23:24–25 and Numbers 29:1–6 and which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during the time period of August 12th, 2026, at 12:25 P.M. – August 16th, 2026, at 1:49 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone; the time period of September 10th, 2026, at 11:51 A.M. – September 14th, 2026, at 1:08 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone; or the time period of October 10th, 2026, at 11:13 A.M. – October 14th, 2026, at 12:29 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone.  

Regarding the word judgment, the proper way to spell that word is without an e between the dg and the m.  In that regard, the e of the root word judge is dropped when the suffix ment is added to that root word.  The formation of the word judgment is shown below.  

judge −e +ment

= judg +ment

= judgment

Another way to categorize human history is by means of civilizations.  Civilizations begin only with believers.  Regarding the timing of civilizations and dispensations, the first civilization began with Adam and ended on the occasion of the Great Flood (also known as the Flood).  That civilization is known as the antediluvian civilization and the predulivian civilization.  In that regard, the prefixes ante and pre mean “before.”  Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time before the Flood.  Those spellings include antediluvian, ante-diluvian, prediluvian, and pre-diluvian.  

After the Flood, there were only eight believers on the earth:  Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their sonsʼ wives.  With the removal of the unbelievers from the earth on the occasion of the Flood, a new civilization was started.  That civilization is known as the postdiluvian civilization (also known as the postdiluvial civilization).  Regarding the terminology, the prefix post means “after,” and the adjectives diluvian and diluvial mean “having to do with a flood.”  Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time after the Flood.  Those spellings include postdiluvian, post-diluvian, postdiluvial, and post-diluvial.  The postdiluvian civilization will end on the occasion of the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.  On the occasion of the Second Advent, the Lord will remove all unbelievers from the earth.  Their removal will be by means of physical death just as the removal of all unbelievers was by means of physical death on the occasion of the Flood.  This is called the Baptism of Fire, which is either a metaphorical description because fire can be used to represent judgment or a literal reference to the use of fire in the judgment of unbelievers on the occasion of the Second Advent.  The Baptism of Fire is referenced in Matthew 3:11–12; Luke 3:15–17; and 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9.  

Just as a new civilization started after the Flood, so also a new civilization will start after the Baptism of Fire.  That civilization is called the Millennium.  The Millennium is both a civilization and a dispensation.  The Eternal State is also both a civilization and a dispensation.  

Ephesians 2:1

Now you being dead concerning your trespasses/transgressions and sins,

Note:  In Ephesians 2:1, the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek noun that is translated as “trespasses” or “transgressions” is παραπτώμασιν [pronounced pah-rahp-TOH-mah-seen and transliterated as paraptōmasin].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word παράπτωμα [pronounced pah-RAHP-toh-mah and transliterated as paraptōma].  The Koine Greek noun that is translated as “sins” in Ephesians 2:1 is ἁμαρτίαις [pronounced hah-mahr-TEE-ighs and transliterated as hamartiais].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word ἁμαρτία [pronounced hah-mahr-TEE-ah and transliterated as hamartia].  

Unspecified in this verse and the following verses is why the apostle Paul used both paraptōmasin and hamartiais in this verse.  In that regard, absent from this verse and the following verses is anything involving the categorizing of sins.  Therefore, rather than paraptōmasin and hamartiais being mentioned in verse 1 for the purpose of introducing sin categories to be discussed in following verses, paraptōmasin and hamartiais being mentioned in verse 1 is for a different reason or reasons.  Regardless of why both paraptōmasin and hamartiais are mentioned in this verse, the content of this verse calls attention to the matter of being dead.  The death mentioned in this verse is spiritual death.  

For a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, spiritual death refers to being out of fellowship with the Trinity.  When a believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  In that regard, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  Because a believer will sometimes sin even though that believer tries to refrain from sinning, that believer will need to apply the content of 1 John 1:9 when that believer sins.  

All unbelievers are always spiritually dead.  They lack a relationship with the Trinity.  Also, at the moment of salvation, each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ receives a human spirit, which is a believerʼs essence that involves thinking of Bible doctrine—in other words, thinking that involves the Word of God.  An unbeliever lacks a human spirit.  In contrast with a human spirit, a soul is a personʼs essence that involves thinking in general.  Each unbeliever has a body and soul; therefore, unbelievers are dichotomous [digh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  Each believer has a body, soul, and human spirit; therefore, believers are trichotomous [trigh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  

The content of Ephesians 2:1 is repeated below for reference.  

Ephesians 2:1

Now you being dead concerning your trespasses/transgressions and sins,

Ephesians 2:2

in which you formerly walked according to the age of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience:  

Note:  The Koine Greek noun that is translated as “age” in this verse is αἰῶνα [pronounced igh-OH-nah and transliterated as aiōna].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word αἰών [pronounced igh-OHN and transliterated as aiōn].  The inflected form aiōna is a plural form of aiōn.  The English word eon [EE-ahn or EE-uhn] is derived from the Greek word aiōn.  Also, eon can be spelled aeon [EE-ahn or EE-uhn].  Regarding the context of Ephesians 2:2, the phrase you formerly walked according to the age of this world refers to living oneʼs life in accordance with the ways of the world at the time that Paul wrote this epistle.  

In this verse, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “world” refers to an organized system.  In particular, it refers to the devilʼs organized system by means of which he rules the world.  In that regard, some people use the term cosmos diabolicus [KAHZ-mahs digh-uh-BAHL-ih-kuhs] to refer to the devilʼs system for ruling the world.  Cosmos diabolicus can also be referred to as the cosmic system.  The Koine Greek noun translated as “world” in this verse is κόσμου [pronounced KAHS-moo and transliterated as kosmou].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word κόσμος [pronounced KAHS-mahs and transliterated as kosmos].  

Regarding the devil, he is the prince of the power of the air.  Regarding the reference to air, it is possible that Satan and other fallen angels are able to travel through the air.  Fallen angels are also known as demons.  Also, in the context of this verse and the surrounding verses, the word spirit in this verse refers to the state of mind of people who disobey the Word of God.  Satan uses his false ideas to influence the world.  When the believers who were the recipients of The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians had been unbelievers, they had lived their lives under the influence of Satanʼs false ideas.  

Regarding the phrase sons of disobedience in this verse, absent from this verse and the surrounding verses is anything indicating that Paul used that phrase in reference only to unbelievers.  It is possible that he used that phrase to refer both to unbelievers and also to believers who are out of fellowship with the Trinity.  In that regard, if after a believer sins, that believer refrains from confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, then that believer will remain out of fellowship with the Trinity.  A believer who remains out of fellowship eventually becomes a reversionist.  Such a believer reverts back to acting like unbelievers.  Being a reversionistic believer is known as being involved in reversionism.  

Ultimately, if a believer continues to refrain from confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer will experience the sin unto death.  The sin unto death involves an early physical death.  For a believer who physically dies after the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst], that early physical death involves an early departure to Heaven.  The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age.  The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē].  That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.”  Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  The Church Age will end with the Rapture.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur—which is referenced as a single day in Leviticus 23:24–25 and Numbers 29:1–6 and which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during the time period of August 12th, 2026, at 12:25 P.M. – August 16th, 2026, at 1:49 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone; the time period of September 10th, 2026, at 11:51 A.M. – September 14th, 2026, at 1:08 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone; or the time period of October 10th, 2026, at 11:13 A.M. – October 14th, 2026, at 12:29 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone.  The departure to Heaven of a believer who experiences the sin unto death is an early departure in the sense that it occurs at an earlier time than it would have occurred if the believer had regularly remained in fellowship with the Trinity.  The topic of the sin unto death is covered in 1 John 5:16.  Rather than the content of 1 John 5:16 referring to some particular sin that is categorized as the sin unto death, the content of 1 John 5:16 refers to sinning in general that results in a believerʼs physical death occurring earlier than it would have had that believer regularly remained in fellowship with the Trinity.  

Ephesians 2:3

among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts/desires of our flesh, doing the desires/inclinations of the flesh and of the thoughts and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Note:  The references to flesh in this verse are references to the old sin nature (OSN).  Every human except the Lord Jesus Christ has acquired an old sin nature, and each humanʼs old sin nature is in the body of that human.  The old sin nature, which is referenced in Ephesians 4:22 with the term old man, can also be referred to as the sin nature.  It is also referenced using the word flesh in Ephesians 2:3 and Galatians 5:16.  The content of Romans 6:6 associates the sin nature with peopleʼs bodies, and the content of Romans 7:17–18 references the sin nature being in peopleʼs bodies.  Adam and Ishshah [ish-SHAW] (the name of Eve before Adam renamed her Eve) were created without old sin natures, and they acquired old sin natures when they sinned.  All other human beings have been conceived.  Only the Lord Jesus Christ was conceived without an old sin nature.  All the other humans that were conceived have been conceived with old sin natures.  Likewise, all humans in the future will be conceived, and the conceiving of each of them will involve each of them receiving an old sin nature at the moment that each of them will be conceived.  

As a result of each human except the Lord Jesus Christ having an old sin nature, each human except the Lord Jesus Christ sometimes thinks sinful thoughts.  In that regard, Paul called to the attention of the believers who were the recipients of The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians that each of those believers had formerly lived his or her life controlled by his or her old sin nature and by his or her sinful thoughts.  Sinful thoughts of course originate from a personʼs old sin nature.  Why Paul referenced sinful thoughts after having referenced the old sin nature is unspecified in this verse and the surrounding verses.  Regardless of the reason why Paul referenced sinful thoughts in this verse, that referencing certainly calls attention to the fact that a personʼs thinking is involved in that personʼs sinning.  

Regarding a personʼs thinking being involved in that personʼs sinning, there are three broad categories of sins:  mental-attitude sins, verbal sins, and overt sins.  Verbal sins can also be referred to as sins of the tongue.  They can also be referred to as communicative sins because that category also encompasses non-verbal communication that involves sinning.  Communicative sins can also involve physical means of communication such as facial expressions, other forms of body language, tone of voice, and demeanor.  

Being controlled by oneʼs old sin nature can be referred to as having a status quo [STAT-uhs kwoh or STAY-tuhs kwoh] of carnality.  The term status quo means “existing condition.”  The English word carnality came from Middle English [the English language from circa A.D. 1150 to circa A.D. 1470] via Old North French [the dialects of Old French (the French language up to circa A.D. 1400) spoken in northern France] via Latin.  The word circa [SUHR-kuh] means “approximately”; circa is used before dates.  Also, the abbreviation c. can be used for the word circa.  The abbreviation A.D. means “Anno Domini.”  The phrase Anno Domini is Latin for “in the year of the Lord.”  The abbreviation A.D. should be placed before the numerals of a date but after the spelled-out words of a date.  Latin is a language that started as the language of ancient Rome.  The Latin word from which carnality is derived is carnālis [kahr-NAH-lees], which can be translated as “fleshly.”  The Latin word carnālis is derived from the Latin word carō [KAH-roh], which can be translated as “flesh.”  

An unbeliever always has a status quo of carnality.  Also, when a believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity, that believer has a status quo of carnality.  In contrast, when a believer is in fellowship with the Trinity, that believer has a status quo of spirituality.  In that regard, spirituality is the condition of being in fellowship with the Trinity and filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  

Some people incorrectly believe that an emotionally out-of-control state is spiritual.  Similarly, some people incorrectly believe that spirituality involves following oneʼs feelings.  In reality, following oneʼs feelings involves following the temptations of oneʼs old sin nature.  Regarding the foregoing, the Biblical usage of the word spiritual refers to a believer who is in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  

The phrase of wrath as used in this verse refers to receiving wrath rather than directing oneʼs wrath at others.  The wrath referenced in this verse is God the Fatherʼs wrath.  In that regard, Paul used the phrase children of wrath to refer to people who disobey the Word of God.  Also, Paul used the phrase by nature to describe the people who disobey the Word of God.  In that regard, an old sin nature is naturally a part of the body of each unbeliever and also of each believer until that believer goes to Heaven.  

The content of Ephesians 2:3 is repeated below for reference.  

Ephesians 2:3

among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts/desires of our flesh, doing the desires/inclinations of the flesh and of the thoughts and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Ephesians 2:4

Nevertheless, God, being rich in mercy, because of His great benevolence/goodwill/love with which He exhibited benevolence toward / exhibited goodwill toward / loved us,

Ephesians 2:5

even when we were dead concerning our trespasses/transgressions, made us alive together with Christ [two early manuscripts read in Christ] (by grace you are saved) 

Note:  The first part of this verse refers to the condition of spiritual death that is experienced by an unbeliever.  When an unbeliever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, that unbeliever becomes a believer and is spiritually alive at the moment of salvation.  As mentioned in the notes for verse 1, at the moment of salvation, each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ receives a human spirit, which is a believerʼs essence that involves thinking of Bible doctrine—in other words, thinking that involves the Word of God.  An unbeliever lacks a human spirit.  In contrast with a human spirit, a soul is a personʼs essence that involves thinking in general.  Each unbeliever has a body and soul; therefore, unbelievers are dichotomous [digh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  Each believer has a body, soul, and human spirit; therefore, believers are trichotomous [trigh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  The receiving of a human spirit that each believer experiences at the moment of salvation can be referred to as regeneration.  

In this verse, the phrase you are saved involves two Koine Greek verbs.  The first of those two verbs is ἐστε [pronounced EH-steh and transliterated as este].  That verb is an inflected form of the root word εἰμί [pronounced ay-MEE and transliterated as eimi].  The second of the two verbs is σεσῳσμένοι [pronounced seh-soh-SMEH-noi and transliterated as sesōsmenoi].  That verb is an inflected form of the root word σῴζω [pronounced SOH-dzoh and transliterated as sōzō].  

Regarding eimi, the inflected form este is present active indicative.  In the phrase present active indicative, the word present refers to the present tense, the word active indicates that the subject of the verb is doing the action, and the word indicative indicates that something is being indicated by the verb.  Also, the inflected form este is second person plural.  In that regard, the pronoun you is plural; therefore, that pronoun refers to multiple people.  The verb este can be translated as “you [plural] are.”  

Regarding sōzō, the inflected form sesōsmenoi is perfect passive participle.  In the phrase perfect passive participle, the word perfect refers to the perfect tense, the word passive indicates that the subject of the verb receives the action of the verb, and the word participle refers to a verb used as an adjective.  In the Koine Greek language, the perfect tense refers to completed action that has results that are ongoing.  In that regard, the perfect tense in Koine Greek has a connotation of results that can never be undone—in other words, those results last forever.  In that regard, the verb sesōsmenoi can be translated as “having been saved.”  Because the verb sesōsmenoi is in the passive voice, this verb indicates that the person being saved receives the action of saving rather than doing the action of saving.  

The combining of este and sesōsmenoi in the phrase este sesōsmenoi results in a translation into English as the phrase you are having been saved.  The phrase you have been completely and permanently saved can convey the same meaning.  Also, the phrase you are saved can convey the same meaning. In addition, the you and the are can be reversed so as to have the phrase are you saved.  That is a fancier way to convey the same meaning.  Because the word order with the are before the you might look like a question, the above translation of verse 5 has the you before the are.  

In this verse, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “by grace” is χάριτί [pronounced KHAH-ree-tee and transliterated as chariti].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word χάρις [pronounced KHAH-rees and transliterated as charis].  The inflected form chariti is the instrumental case.  The instrumental case involves means.  In that regard, the eternal salvation of a person is by means of grace.  In the context of the content of this verse and the verse preceding it, that grace is the grace of God the Father.  Also, there is an absence of a definite article in front of chariti in this verse.  The absence of a definite article in front of a noun is known as an anarthrous construction [an-AR-thruhs kuhn-STRUHK-shuhn].  When there is an anarthrous construction, the quality of the noun is what is being emphasized in the grammar of the Koine Greek.  In that regard, the quality of the grace of God the Father is being emphasized in this verse.  Because the quality of God the Fatherʼs grace is being emphasized rather than the quality of the person who is saved being emphasized, this verse calls attention to the unmerited favor experienced by the person who is saved rather than calling attention to the person who is saved doing any works to merit that favor.  

In addition to this verse indicating that a person is saved by grace, this verse also indicates that once a person is saved, that person is always saved.  Because the perfect tense in Koine Greek has a connotation of results that can never be undone—in other words, results that last forever—the fact that the inflected form of sōzō used in this verse is sesōsmenoi, which is in the perfect tense, indicates that the eternal salvation of a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ can never be lost.  In that regard, this verse calls attention to the eternal security of each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.  

The content of Ephesians 2:4 and Ephesians 2:5 is repeated below for reference.  

Ephesians 2:4

Nevertheless, God, being rich in mercy, because of His great benevolence/goodwill/love with which He exhibited benevolence toward / exhibited goodwill toward / loved us,

Ephesians 2:5

even when we were dead concerning our trespasses/transgressions, made us alive together with Christ [two early manuscripts read in Christ] (by grace you are saved) 

Ephesians 2:6

and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus 

Note:  Being raised up with and seated with the Lord Jesus Christ is what is known as positional truth.  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are associated with the Lord Jesus Christʼs spiritual death on the cross, which was His strategic victory over Satan in the angelic conflict.  The angelic conflict is the conflict between the Trinity and the elect angels on one side and Satan and the fallen angels on the other side.  This conflict has been raging for a long time, and it began sometime before the creation of mankind.  How long the angelic conflict has been raging is unspecified in the Bible.  Also, the specific means by which the struggle of the angelic conflict is waged is unspecified in the Bible.  Whatever is the specific nature of that struggle, human beings were evidently created to resolve the angelic conflict.  In that regard, it appears that at least one aspect of the angelic conflict involves argumentation and attempts at persuasion, such as in a court case.  For example, when, in the Garden of Eden, the first woman was tricked by the serpent—whether the references to a serpent in Genesis 3 are metaphorical references to Satan appearing in a form other than that of a serpent or of something like a serpent or whether the references to a serpent in Genesis 3 are literal references to Satan appearing in the form of a serpent or of something like a serpent or whether the references to a serpent in Genesis 3 are literal references to Satan controlling a literal serpent—Satan persuaded the first woman to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Later, Satan caused Job to experience suffering.  Later still, Satan tried to persuade the Lord Jesus Christ to sin.  The Biblical accounts of those occasions indicate that Satan was arguing and trying to persuade.  

Being associated with the Lord Jesus Christʼs death is referred to as having died positionally.  Likewise, believers are associated with the Lord Jesus Christʼs resurrection, which occurred after His body was in a grave for a period of time referred to as three days and three nights after He was judged on the cross, and believers are associated with the Lord Jesus Christʼs sitting down at the right hand of God the Father after the Lord Jesus Christ ascended from earth to Heaven forty days after He was resurrected.  In that regard, the word heavenlies in this verse refers to the Third Heavens (also known as the Third Heaven or simply as Heaven), which is where the throne room of God the Father is located.  The term second heavens (also known as second heaven) refers to outer space.  The term first heavens (also known as first heaven) refers to the atmosphere of the earth.  

Sitting down at the right hand of a ruler is an indication of honor.  The Lord Jesus Christʼs resurrection is an indicator of His victory over physical death; therefore, believers also have victory over physical death.  All believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are guaranteed eternal life.  For those believers who experience physical death—physical death will not be experienced by Church Age believers alive at the time of the Rapture, Tribulation-era believers alive at the time of the Second Advent, and Millennium-era believers alive at the end of the Millennium—the eternal life that exists after physical death is a victory over physical death.  Regarding being associated with the Lord Jesus Christ in receiving honor, God the Father treats believers with honor.  This of course does not mean that He refrains from having God the Son discipline believers; nonetheless, God the Father is perfectly fair in having God the Son discipline believers and in how God the Father has God the Son carry out that discipline.  Regarding God the Son carrying out the discipline of believers, each Member of the Trinity performs a different role.  Regarding the roles of the Members of the Trinity, God the Father does the planning, God the Son executes the plan, and God the Holy Spirit reveals the plan.  The Lord Jesus Christ is God the Son.  

Ephesians 2:7

so that in the ages to come, He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus, 

Ephesians 2:8

for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 

Note:  The content of verse 4 provides the context that the grace mentioned in verse 8 is the grace of God the Father.  Also, while there is an absence of a definite article preceding the word grace in verse 5, a definite article precedes the word grace in verse 8.  In that regard, verse 8 starts with the Koine Greek definite article τῇ [pronounced TAY and transliterated as tē].  The Koine Greek definite article τῇ is an inflected form of the root word ὁ [pronounced HAH and transliterated as ho].  In English, an abstract noun [a noun referring to an idea, quality, or state rather than to a concrete object] can be used without a definite article.  In that regard, there is an absence of the definite article the in the above translation of verse 8 because the noun grace is an abstract noun.  

The phrase este sesōsmenoi [EH-steh seh-soh-SMEH-noi], which is in verse 5, is also in verse 8.  As mentioned in the notes for verse 5, the combining of este and sesōsmenoi in the phrase este sesōsmenoi results in a translation into English as the phrase you are having been saved.  Also, as mentioned in the notes for verse 5, the phrase you have been completely and permanently saved can convey the same meaning, and the phrase you are saved can also convey the same meaning.  In addition, as mentioned in the notes for verse 5, the you and the are can be reversed so as to have the phrase are you saved, and that is a fancier way to convey the same meaning.  In that regard, some older English translations have such a word order with the word ye instead of the word you in verse 8, while having the ye before the are in verse 5.  In order to maintain consistency with verse 5, and because the word order with the are before the you might look like a question, the above translation of verse 8 has the you before the are.  

The content of Ephesians 2:8 is repeated below for reference.  

Ephesians 2:8

for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 

Ephesians 2:9

not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.

Note:  This verse indicates that a person is unable to obtain eternal salvation by means of that personʼs works.  If a person were able to obtain eternal salvation by means of that personʼs works, then that person would be able to boast about obtaining eternal life for himself or herself.  

Ephesians 2:10

Indeed, we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Note:  In Ephesians 2:10, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “works” is ἔργοις [pronounced EHR-gois and transliterated as ergois].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word ἔργον [pronounced EHR-gahn and transliterated as ergon].  Various ways that the noun ergon can be translated include “production,” “act,” “deed,” “doing,” “labor,” “work,” “whatever with which one is occupied,” “whatever one undertakes to do,” or “thing done.”  In that regard, the word works as used in verses 9 and 10 can refer to whatever one does in terms of the contexts of those verses.  In that regard, Paul uses some wordplay with the word works in verses 9 and 10.  

Regarding the wordplay involving the word works in verses 9 and 10, the contexts of those verses are different.  In the context of the content of verse 9, the reference to works refers to whatever a person does in order to try to obtain eternal life.  In that regard, rather than eternal life being a result of whatever a person does in order to try to obtain eternal life, eternal life is a gift given by God the Father.  If eternal life were a result of whatever a person does in order to try to obtain eternal life, then people could boast about themselves obtaining eternal life.  It is worth noting that absent from the meaning of the word ergon is anything having to do with believing; therefore, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior is something other than ergon.  In that regard, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior is a non-meritorious act.  In a non-meritorious act, the person doing the action receives zero merit.  In other words, there is nothing about which a person can boast with regard to that action.  

In the context of the content of verse 10, the reference to works refers to whatever a believer does.  In that regard, the phrase created in Christ Jesus refers to the moment that a person becomes a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Regarding the foregoing, good works involve a believer being unselfish in whatever he or she does.  Also, the content of verse 10 indicates that the good works come after salvation.  In that regard, God the Father planned for each believer to be unselfish in whatever that believer does.  

Ephesians 2:11

Therefore, remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision” performed in the flesh by human hands—

Note:  In this verse, the word Circumcision refers to Jewish people by means of metonymy [meh-TAHN-uh-mee], which is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is substituted for another word or phrase with which the substituting word or phrase is closely associated.  At the time that Paul wrote The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, Jewish males were typically circumcised; therefore, circumcision was associated with Jewish people.  Similarly, uncircumcision was associated with Gentiles at that time.  

Ephesians 2:12

that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded/alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 2:13

Nevertheless, now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off were made near by means of the blood of Christ.

Note:  The blood of Christ is a metaphor that refers to the Lord Jesus Christʼs spiritual death on the cross.  That metaphor calls attention to the sacrificing of animals under the regulations of the Mosaic Law and before the Mosaic Law.  The term Mosaic Law refers to the laws communicated by Moses to the ancient Israelites.  Because Moses communicated those laws, they are known collectively as the Mosaic Law.  The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law by being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity.  Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Mosaic Law, people should refrain from sacrificing animals because such sacrifices have been invalidated by the Lord Jesus Christʼs fulfilling of the Mosaic Law when He received the judgment for the sins of humanity.  The Lord Jesus Christʼs spiritual death on the cross involved Him being judged for all of the sins of humanity.  In that regard, when a person believes that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity, that person is brought near to God the Father in the sense of that person then having a relationship with God the Father because that person is then a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.  

Ephesians 2:14

Indeed, He Himself is our Peace, Who made both groups into one and broke down the dividing wall of the barrier,

Note:  The content of this verse contains a metaphor involving the Lord Jesus Christ breaking down a dividing wall to refer to a removal of the distinction between Jewish believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and Gentile believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  The metaphor of a dividing wall in this verse is a reference to a wall associated with the Second Temple.  In that regard, King Solomon, the third king of Israel, had had the First Temple built.  That Temple can also be called Solomonʼs Temple.  Many years later, in 586 B.C., the First Temple was destroyed by the soldiers of Nebuchadnezzar, the ruler of Babylon.  Later, the Second Temple was built.  It was eventually larger than the First Temple.  The Second Temple existed during the time of the First Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Second Temple can also be called Herodʼs Temple because King Herod, the ruler of Judea under the authority of the Romans, had construction work done in order to expand the Second Temple.  In the First Temple, there was a wall between the inner courtyard and the outer courtyard.  Gentiles were only permitted in the outer courtyard.  The Second Temple was larger than the one that Solomon had people build.  That Temple also had courtyards.  

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Peace of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the sense that, by being judged for the sins of humanity, the Lord Jesus Christ made peace between God the Father and mankind possible.  Peace with God the Father is a freely available gift that is received by believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity.  The Lord Jesus Christ is also the Peace of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the sense that the Lord Jesus Christ being judged for the sins of humanity made it possible for there to be peace between Jewish believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and Gentile believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  In that regard, in order for there to be peace between a Jewish believer and a Gentile believer, each of those believers needs to be in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  In that regard, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

The content of Ephesians 2:14 is repeated below for reference.  

Ephesians 2:14

Indeed, He Himself is our Peace, Who made both groups into one and broke down the dividing wall of the barrier,

Ephesians 2:15

by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law [or the enmity, by abolishing in His flesh the Law] of commandments contained in ordinances so that in Himself He might create the two into one new kind of man, thus establishing peace,

Ephesians 2:16

and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it [the cross] having put to death the enmity.

Note:  Each Church Age believer is metaphorically part of a metaphorical body that can be referred to as the body of Christ.  The body of Christ is all Church Age believers collectively.  

Ephesians 2:17

ALSO, HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR, 

Note:  This refers to Gentiles and Jews, respectively.  The content of Ephesians 2:17 references Isaiah 57:19.  In the context of Isaiah 57:19, the people who are far were Israelites outside the land of Israel.  In Ephesians 2:17, the term FAR AWAY is used to refer to Gentiles.  

Ephesians 2:18

for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

Note:  God the Holy Spirit is the Person to Whom the word Spirit refers in this verse.  

Ephesians 2:19

Therefore, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints / holy ones / set-apart ones and are of Godʼs household,

Note:  The people to whom Paul refers in Ephesians 2:19 are Gentiles.  Also, all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are saints.  In other words, they are holy, which means that they are set apart.  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have a relationship with the Trinity, while unbelievers lack a relationship with the Trinity.  At the moment of salvation, a believer becomes a saint / holy one / set-apart one.  

Ephesians 2:20

having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the Cornerstone,

Note:  The apostles and prophets taught the Word of God.  Now that the Bible has been completed—the last writing of it occurred in the A.D. 90s—no one has the gift of apostle or prophet.  In that regard, absent from the Bible are any instructions regarding apostleship.  In contrast, there are instructions regarding pastor-teachers.  In that regard, now that the Canon of Scripture has been completed, the Word of God is revealed in the Canon of Scripture rather than by any information from outside the Canon of Scripture; therefore, the gift of apostle and the gift of prophet are unnecessary.  In contrast, evangelists and pastor-teachers share information that is in the Canon of Scripture; therefore, those gifts are still necessary.  

The content of 1 Corinthians 13:8–10 covers the topic of the gift of prophecy ending before the Canon of Scripture was completed.  In that regard, below is content related to 1 Corinthians 13:8–10.  

1 Corinthians 13:8

Benevolence/goodwill [agapē (ah-GAH-pay) (ἀγάπη)] never fails, but if prophecies, they will be done away; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be done away.

Note:  As with the content of 1 Corinthians 13:2, the content of 1 Corinthians 13:8 refers to spiritual gifts that stopped being available once the Bible was completed.  As mentioned in the notes for 1 Corinthians 13:1, the Bible was completed within a century after the Lord Jesus Christ was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity.  

1 Corinthians 13:9

Indeed, we know in part and we prophesy in part, 

1 Corinthians 13:10

but when the complete/perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

Note:  In 1 Corinthians 13:10, the adjective that is translated as “complete/perfect” refers to the Bible.  In that regard, in 1 Corinthians 13:10, the Koine Greek adjective that is translated as “complete/perfect” is in the neuter gender.  That adjective is τέλειον [pronounced TEH-lay-ahn and transliterated as teleion].  That adjective is an inflected form of the root word τέλειος [pronounced TEH-lay-ahs and transliterated as teleios].  Koine Greek has three genders:  masculine, feminine, and neuter.  The Lord Jesus Christ is a male; therefore, an adjective that refers to Him would be in the masculine gender.  The neuter gender refers to a thing.  In 1 Corinthians 13:10, the thing to which the adjective that is translated as “complete/perfect” refers is the completed Canon of Scripture—in other words, the Bible.  In that regard, the content of 1 Corinthians 13:10 indicates that supernatural spiritual gifts stopped being available once the Canon of Scripture was completed.  The Canon of Scripture was completed in the 1st century A.D.  Also, the phrase the partial indicates that those spiritual gifts only revealed a portion of the Word of God that the Bible reveals.  

The content of Ephesians 2:20 is repeated below for reference.  

Ephesians 2:20

having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the Cornerstone,

Ephesians 2:21

in Whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple/sanctuary in the Lord,

Note:  In the context of Ephesians 2, the temple/sanctuary is all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  In 1 Corinthians 6:19, the body of each Church Age believer is referred to as a temple/sanctuary.  Because the body of each Church Age believer is a temple/sanctuary and because all Church Age believers are a temple/sanctuary, there is no building or other structure that functions as a temple/sanctuary for Church Age believers.  In that regard, any temples in the Church Age are for an activity or activities that involve disobeying the Word of God.  

Ephesians 2:22

in Whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in / by means of the Spirit.

Note:  God the Holy Spirit is the Person to Whom the word Spirit refers in this verse.  God the Father is the Person to Whom the word Father refers in this verse.  When believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, those believers are able to cooperate with each other and thereby function together serving God the Father.  In that regard, those believers who are functioning together serving God the Father are metaphorically a building that is special to God the Father.  

Sincerely,

John