King James Version
Ephesians 2:3
3Among 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.
Ephesians 2:3 in other versions
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
Context of Ephesians 2:3
1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 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. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Read all of Ephesians 2Ephesians 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
- ·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 we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
- Isaiah 64:6But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
- Daniel 9:5We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
- Romans 3:9What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
- 1 Corinthians 6:9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
- Galatians 2:15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
- Galatians 3:22But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
- 1 Peter 4:3For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
- 1 John 1:8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Ephesians 4:17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
- Acts 14:16Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
- Acts 17:30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
- Romans 11:30For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
- 1 Peter 2:10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
- 1 John 2:8Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
- Ephesians 4:22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
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
In the dictionaries
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
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries