Devine Scripture

Ephesians 2:5

What does Ephesians 2:5 mean?

A plain-English look at Ephesians 2:5 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Ephesians 2:5 means

God acted while we were still spiritually lifeless. He “made us alive together with Christ.” Salvation is not a mere moral tune-up; it is resurrection life shared with Jesus. Union with Christ is the key—his life becomes ours. Paul underscores the sheer gift of this: “by grace have ye been saved.” Grace is God’s unearned favor and power, rescuing those who could not rescue themselves. This new life is relational and participatory; believers are joined to the risen Christ. The verse insists that timing (when we were dead) and agency (God’s grace) remove any thought that salvation originates in us. All credit belongs to God’s gracious action in Christ.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved),

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved),

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Even when we were dead through our sins, gave us life together with Christ (by grace you have salvation),

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

even being dead in the trespasses, did make us to live together with the Christ, (by grace ye are having been saved,)

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together in Christ (by whose grace you are saved)

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

(we too being dead in offences,) has quickened us with the Christ, (ye are saved by grace,)

Context

Verse 5 explains what God’s mercy does: it gives life with Christ to the dead. The parenthetical statement, “by grace have ye been saved,” anticipates the fuller teaching of verses 8–9. Verse 6 will continue the union-with-Christ theme by showing that believers share not only in his life but in his exaltation. The movement from death to life sets the pattern for the rest of the passage and prepares for the church’s unity described later in the chapter.

v.4but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

v.5This passage

v.6and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus:

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Acts 15:11

    But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.

  • Romans 3:24

    being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

  • Ephesians 2:1

    And youdid he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins,

  • John 6:63

    It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.

  • Romans 8:2

    For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.

  • Titus 3:5

    not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

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