Ephesians 2:1 kjv
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Ephesians 2:1 nkjv
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
Ephesians 2:1 niv
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
Ephesians 2:1 esv
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
Ephesians 2:1 nlt
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
Ephesians 2 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Col 2:13 | And you, who were dead in your trespasses... He made alive together with Him. | Echoes spiritual death and being made alive. |
| Rom 5:12 | Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin... | Adam's sin brings death to all. |
| Gen 2:17 | but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. | Original command, sin leading to death. |
| Is 59:2 | but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God. | Sin separates from God (spiritual death). |
| Jas 1:15 | Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. | Process of sin leading to death. |
| Jn 5:24 | Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. | Passing from spiritual death to life. |
| 1 Jn 3:14 | We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. | Proof of transitioning from death to life. |
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Sin's consequence is death. |
| 1 Tim 5:6 | But she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. | Illustrates living a spiritually dead life. |
| Eph 4:18 | They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them... | Spiritual deadness marked by ignorance. |
| Tit 3:3 | For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures... | Former sinful state before grace. |
| 1 Cor 6:11 | And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified... | Contrast of former state with present standing. |
| Rom 3:23 | for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. | Universal nature of sin. |
| Jer 17:9 | The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? | Heart's inherent corruption. |
| Ps 14:3 | They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. | Universal human inability to do good. |
| Ez 37:1-10 | Vision of the dry bones made alive. | Analogy of spiritual death and divine vivification. |
| Jn 3:19-20 | And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light... | Preference for spiritual darkness. |
| 2 Cor 4:4 | In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers... | Spiritual blindness due to sin. |
| Rom 7:5 | For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. | Sin producing fruit unto death. |
| Eph 2:5 | even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. | Directly expands on being made alive despite spiritual death. |
Ephesians 2 verses
Ephesians 2 1 Meaning
Ephesians 2:1 vividly describes the profound spiritual condition of humanity before God's saving grace. It asserts that individuals, referring to the believers in Ephesus and by extension all humanity apart from Christ, were spiritually lifeless. This state of "death" was characterized by their involvement in "trespasses" (specific wrongful acts or slips) and "sins" (a general state of missing God's standard or rebellion). It sets the stage for the radical transformation that only God can bring about, elaborated in the subsequent verses.
Ephesians 2 1 Context
Ephesians 2:1 serves as a foundational declaration of humanity's dire spiritual state, building upon the theological truths laid out in chapter 1. Chapter 1 concludes with a focus on God's immense power, especially in raising Christ from the dead and seating Him at His right hand, demonstrating His authority over all things. Against this backdrop of God's magnificent power and purposes for His chosen people (Jew and Gentile, unified in Christ), verse 1 shockingly juxtaposes the utterly helpless state of humanity. It immediately transitions from God's glorious work to the wretched condition of those He redeems, thereby magnifying the depth of His grace. Historically, the audience in Ephesus, a city steeped in paganism (e.g., the worship of Artemis) and various occult practices, would have understood this "deadness" as a profound departure from the true God, reflecting the emptiness and moral depravity associated with their former idolatrous lives. Paul’s declaration acts as an implicit polemic against any notion that humans, by their own efforts or religious practices, could attain life or favor with God.
Ephesians 2 1 Word analysis
And you (Καὶ ὑμᾶς - kai hymas):
- "And" (Kai): A conjunction that smoothly connects to the preceding thought of Ephesians 1:19-23, transitioning from God's mighty power displayed in Christ's resurrection to the spiritual transformation of believers. It implies a contrast: the same power that raised Christ now operates in "you."
- "you" (hymas): Refers directly to the believers in Ephesus. The majority were likely Gentiles (see Eph 2:11), implying that this spiritual "death" was their shared experience, irrespective of their past religious or cultural backgrounds. It underscores the universal need for salvation.
were dead (ὄντας νεκροὺς - ontas nekrous):
- "were" (ontas): A present participle, indicating a continuous or persistent state of being. It's not a past temporary condition but describes their inherent nature before conversion.
- "dead" (nekrous): A strong, unequivocal term meaning "physically dead, lifeless, incapacitated." However, here it's used metaphorically for a spiritual death. This is not an inability to choose or think, but a complete inability to respond positively to God, to perceive spiritual truth, or to walk in God's ways due to alienation from Him. It signifies an inherent lack of divine life, separation from the source of life (God), and a total spiritual incapacitation concerning righteousness. This stands in direct contrast to the life (resurrection) described for Christ in Chapter 1. It directly challenges philosophical and religious views of the day that believed humans were inherently good or could ascend to the divine through their own efforts.
in trespasses (ἐν παραπτώμασιν - en paraptōmasin):
- "in" (en): Signifies the sphere or realm in which this "death" occurred; it was defined by or characterized by these actions and state.
- "trespasses" (paraptōmasin): Plural noun from paraptōma, meaning "a false step," "a lapse," "a transgression," "a slip aside," "a deviation from uprightness or truth." These are specific wrong acts or errors committed. It highlights individual acts of wrongdoing that cross a defined line or boundary.
and sins (καὶ ἁμαρτίαις - kai hamartiais):
- "and" (kai): Connects "trespasses" and "sins," often indicating both a progression and a cumulative reality.
- "sins" (hamartiais): Plural noun from hamartia, meaning "missing the mark," "a failure," "an error," "a going astray," "moral failing," or "rebellion against divine will." This is a broader term than "trespasses," encompassing both the state of sinfulness (the nature) and the acts that stem from it. It describes an innate condition of rebellion or inadequacy in falling short of God's perfect standard and glory.
"in trespasses and sins": This phrase together describes the all-encompassing nature of humanity's fallen state. The spiritual death isn't abstract; it's manifested and rooted in (characterized by) both specific wrong actions (trespasses) and a general state of moral failure or rebellion (sins). This unified phrase captures both the legal guilt from specific transgressions and the inherent spiritual corruption and inability.
Ephesians 2 1 Bonus section
The active reality implied by "were dead" means that unredeemed humanity is not merely sick or sleeping, but totally devoid of spiritual life, unable to initiate movement towards God. This stands against any theology suggesting an innate human capacity or spark that can initiate salvation. This theological starting point sets the stage for a fully monergistic view of salvation, where God alone, by His grace, resurrects the spiritually deceased. It underscores that prior to receiving divine life, humans are inherently deserving of God's wrath, a subject Paul addresses further in verse 3. Furthermore, the strong emphasis on "dead" serves as a striking contrast to God's "making alive" (Eph 2:5), highlighting the supernatural, re-creative nature of regeneration—it is nothing short of a divine resurrection in the individual's life.
Ephesians 2 1 Commentary
Ephesians 2:1 is a profound opening statement, essential for understanding the subsequent verses on grace. It presents the unvarnished truth of the human condition outside of divine intervention: spiritual deadness. This "death" is not merely spiritual weakness or illness; it's an utter incapacitation, an inability to perceive or respond to God's truth and goodness, comparable to a corpse being unable to react to external stimuli. This state is universally rooted in both overt transgressions (paraptōmata) and an innate fallen nature that fundamentally misses God's mark (hamartiai). It's crucial because it highlights that salvation is not a cooperative effort where humanity contributes a portion; rather, it is solely the result of God's unilateral, gracious, and powerful act of vivification, taking those who are spiritually dead and making them alive. This radical transformation underscores the magnitude of God's mercy and the total inadequacy of human merit, setting up the glorious message of grace in the verses that follow. For instance, without recognizing the severity of spiritual death, the cross's power or God's grace cannot be truly appreciated. It applies to all people, revealing that no amount of good works or religious rituals can awaken a spiritually dead person.