3 In the past all of us lived like them. We lived trying to please our sinful selves. We did all the things our bodies and minds wanted. We should have suffered God’s anger because we were sinful by nature. We were the same as all other people.
4 But God’s mercy is great, and he loved us very much.
5 We were spiritually dead because of the things we did wrong against God. But God gave us new life with Christ. You have been saved by God’s grace.
6 And he raised us up with Christ and gave us a seat with him in the heavens. He did this for those of us who are in Christ Jesus.
7 He did this so that for all future time he could show the very great riches of his grace. He shows that grace by being kind to us in Christ Jesus.
8 I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believe. You did not save yourselves. It was a gift from God.
9 You cannot brag that you are saved by the work you have done.