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.
• 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

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 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. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

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 53:6We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
• Isaiah 64:6All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
• Daniel 9:5we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.
• Romans 3:9What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.
• 1 Corinthians 6:9Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men
• Galatians 2:15“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles
• Galatians 3:22But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
• 1 Peter 4:3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.
• 1 John 1:8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
• Ephesians 4:17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
• Acts 14:16In the past, he let all nations go their own way.
• Acts 17:30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
• Romans 11:30Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience,
• 1 Peter 2:10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
• 1 John 2:8Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.
• Ephesians 4:22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its 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