Ephesians 2:3

Ephesians 2:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
• New International Version (NIV)All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
• English Standard Version (ESV)among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
• New King James Version (NKJV)among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Context of Ephesians 2:3

1And you [He made alive when you] were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of your transgressions and sins, 2in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God]. Among these [unbelievers] we all once lived in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by the sinful self], indulging the desires of human nature [without the Holy Spirit] and [the impulses] of the [sinful] mind. We were, by nature, children [under the sentence] of [God’s] wrath, just like the rest [of mankind]. 4But God, being [so very] rich in mercy, because of His great and wonderful love with which He loved us, 5even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace—His undeserved favor and mercy—you have been saved from God’s judgment).

Ephesians 2:3 word by word

ἐν οἷς καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἀνεστράφημέν ποτε ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν ποιοῦντες τὰ θελήματα τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ τῶν διανοιῶν καὶ ἤμεθα τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• had our conversationἀναστρέφωanastrepho · to live/returnG390
• in times pastποτέpote · once/whenG4218
• the lustsἐπιθυμίαepithumia · desireG1939
• fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• fulfillingποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• the desiresθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
• of the mindδιάνοιαdianoia · mindG1271
• wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• by natureφύσιςphusis · natureG5449
• the childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• of wrathὀργήorgē · wrathG3709
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• othersλοιπόςloipoi · remainingG3062

Cross-references for Ephesians 2:3

• Isaiah 53:6All of us like sheep have gone astray, We have turned, each one, to his own way; But the Lord has caused the wickedness of us all [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing] To fall on Him [instead of us].
• Isaiah 64:6For we all have become like one who is [ceremonially] unclean [like a leper], And all our deeds of righteousness are like filthy rags; We all wither and decay like a leaf, And our wickedness [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing], like the wind, takes us away [carrying us far from God’s favor, toward destruction].
• Daniel 9:5we have sinned and committed wrong, and have behaved wickedly and have rebelled, turning away from Your commandments and ordinances.
• Romans 3:9Well then, are we [Jews] better off than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles) are under the control of sin and subject to its power.
• 1 Corinthians 6:9Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor (perversely) effeminate, nor homosexuals,
• Galatians 2:15[I went on to say] “We are Jews by birth and not sinners from among the Gentiles;
• Galatians 3:22But the Scripture has imprisoned everyone [everything—the entire world] under sin, so that [the inheritance, the blessing of salvation] which was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe [in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s precious Son].
• 1 Peter 4:3For the time already past is [more than] enough for doing what the [unsaved] Gentiles like to do—living [unrestrained as you have done] in a course of [shameless] sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries.
• 1 John 1:8If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.]
• Ephesians 4:17So this I say, and solemnly affirm together with the Lord [as in His presence], that you must no longer live as the [unbelieving] Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds [and in the foolishness and emptiness of their souls],
• Acts 14:16In generations past He permitted all the nations to go their own ways;
• Acts 17:30Therefore God overlooked and disregarded the former ages of ignorance; but now He commands all people everywhere to repent [that is, to change their old way of thinking, to regret their past sins, and to seek God’s purpose for their lives],
• Romans 11:30Just as you once were disobedient and failed to listen to God, but have now obtained mercy because of their disobedience,
• 1 Peter 2:10Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
• 1 John 2:8On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true and realized in Christ and in you, because the darkness [of moral blindness] is clearing away and the true Light [the revelation of God in Christ] is already shining.
• Ephesians 4:22that, regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self [completely discard your former nature], which is being corrupted through deceitful desires,

Commentaries on Ephesians 2:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Among whom also we all had our conversation - We Jews, as well as you Gentiles, have lived in transgressions and sins; , this was the course of our life; we lived in sin, walked in sin, it was woven through our whole constitution, it tinged every temper, polluted every faculty, and perverted every transaction of life. The lusts - the evil, irregular, and corrupt affections of the heart, showed themselves in the perversion of the mind as well as in our…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3We all had our conversation - see the notes at 2 Corinthians 1:12; compare 1 Peter 4:3. In the lusts of our flesh - Living to gratify the flesh, or the propensities of a corrupt nature. It is observable here that the apostle changes the form of the address from “ye” to “we,” thus including himself with others, and saying that this was true of “all” before their conversion. He means undoubtedly to say, that whatever might have been the place of their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3People who have not converted are naturally controlled by their strong desires and sinful nature (see Rom 3:9–20, 23). Because of their sin, they are subject to God’s anger, because God hates sin (see Ephesians 5:6; Romans 1:18; 2:5, 8; 3:5, 19; 4:15; 5:9; 9:22; 12:19; 13:4–5; Colossians 3:6; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2:16; 5:9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. also we--that is, we also. Paul here joins himself in the same category with them, passing from the second person (Ep 2:1, 2) to the first person here. all--Jews and Gentiles. our conversation--"our way of life" (2Co 1:12; 1Pe 1:18). This expression implies an outwardly more decorous course, than the open "walk" in gross sins on the part of the majority of Ephesians in times past, the Gentile portion of whom may be specially referred to in Ep 2:2. Paul…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 2:3

• Depravity of Man
• Heredity
• Salvation
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Afar
• Alien
• Conversation
• Create
• Cross
• Death
• Desire
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Nigh
• Prince

Commentaries on Ephesians 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings