Ephesians 2:2

New International Reader's Version

You used to live as sinners when you followed the ways of this world. You served the one who rules over the spiritual forces of evil. He is the spirit who is now at work in those who don’t obey God.

Cross References

Job 1:16

While he was still speaking, a second messenger came. He said, “God sent lightning from the sky. It struck the sheep and killed them. It burned up some of the servants. I’m the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

Job 1:19

Suddenly a strong wind blew in from the desert. It struck the four corners of the house. The house fell down on your children. Now all of them are dead. I’m the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

Job 1:7

The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered, “From traveling all around the earth. I’ve been going from one end of it to the other.”

Job 31:7

Suppose my steps have turned away from the right path. Suppose my heart has wanted what my eyes have seen. Or suppose my hands have become ‘unclean.’

Psalm 17:14

Lord, by your power save me from people like that. They belong to this world. They get their reward in this life. May what you have stored up for evil people fill their bellies. May their children’s stomachs be filled with it. And may there even be leftovers for their little ones.

Isaiah 30:1

“How terrible it will be for these stubborn children of mine!” announces the Lord. “How terrible for those who carry out plans that did not come from me! Their agreement with Egypt did not come from my Spirit. So they pile up one sin on top of another.

Isaiah 57:4

Who are you making fun of? Who are you laughing at? Who are you sticking your tongue out at? You are people who refuse to obey me. You are just a bunch of liars!

Jeremiah 23:10

The land is full of people who aren’t faithful to the Lord. Now the land is under his curse. And that’s why it is thirsty for water. That’s why the desert grasslands are dry. The prophets are leading sinful lives. They don’t use their power in the right way.

Hosea 10:9

The Lord says, “Israel, you have done evil things ever since your people sinned at Gibeah long ago. And you are still doing what is evil. War will come again to those who sinned at Gibeah.

Leviticus 11:16

They include horned owls, screech owls, gulls and all kinds of hawks.

Matthew 11:19

But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And people say, ‘This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” ’ By wise actions wisdom is shown to be right.”

Matthew 13:22

The seed that fell among the thorns is like others who hear the message. But then the worries of this life and the false promises of wealth crowd it out. They keep the message from producing fruit.

Matthew 13:38

The field is the world. The good seed stands for the people who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.

Mark 4:19

But then the worries of this life come to them. Wealth comes with its false promises. The people also long for other things. All of these are the kinds of things that crowd out the message. They keep it from producing fruit.

Luke 16:8

“The manager had not been honest. But the master praised him for being clever. The people of this world are clever in dealing with those who are like themselves. They are more clever than God’s people.

Luke 22:31

“Simon, Simon! Satan has asked to sift all of you disciples like wheat.

John 12:31

Now it is time for the world to be judged. Now the prince of this world will be thrown out.

John 13:2

They were having their evening meal. The devil had already tempted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. He had urged Judas to hand Jesus over to his enemies.

John 13:27

As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.”

John 14:30

I will not say much more to you. The prince of this world is coming. He has no power over me.

John 15:19

If you belonged to the world, it would love you like one of its own. But you do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

John 16:11

The world is guilty as far as judgment is concerned. That’s because the devil, the prince of this world, has already been judged.

John 7:7

The people of the world can’t hate you. But they hate me. This is because I am a witness that their works are evil.

John 8:23

But Jesus said, “You are from below. I am from heaven. You are from this world. I am not from this world.

John 8:44

You belong to your father, the devil. You want to obey your father’s wishes. From the beginning, the devil was a murderer. He has never obeyed the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his natural language. He does this because he is a liar. He is the father of lies.

Acts 19:35

The city clerk quieted the crowd down. “People of Ephesus!” he said. “The city of Ephesus guards the temple of the great Artemis. The whole world knows this. They know that Ephesus guards her statue, which fell from heaven.

Acts 5:3

Then Peter said, “Ananias, why did you let Satan fill your heart? He made you lie to the Holy Spirit. You have kept some of the money you received for the land.

Romans 12:2

Don’t live the way this world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed. Then you will be able to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is right. His plan is good and pleasing and perfect.

1 Corinthians 5:10

I didn’t mean the people of this world who sin in this way. I didn’t mean those who always want more and more. I didn’t mean those who cheat or who worship statues of gods. In that case you would have to leave this world!

1 Corinthians 6:11

Some of you used to do those things. But your sins were washed away. You were made holy. You were made right with God. All of this was done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was also done by the Spirit of our God.

2 Corinthians 4:4

The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They can’t see the light of the good news that makes Christ’s glory clear. Christ is the likeness of God.

Galatians 1:4

Jesus gave his life for our sins. He set us free from this evil world. That was what our God and Father wanted.

Ephesians 1:21

There Christ sits far above all who rule and have authority. He also sits far above all powers and kings. He is above every name that is appealed to in this world and in the world to come.

Ephesians 2:11

You who are not Jews by birth, here is what I want you to remember. You are called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “circumcised.” But they have only been circumcised in their bodies by human hands.

Ephesians 2:13

At one time you were far away from God. But now you belong to Christ Jesus. He spilled his blood for you. This has brought you near to God.

Ephesians 2:3

At one time we all lived among them. Our desires were controlled by sin. We tried to satisfy what they wanted us to do. We followed our desires and thoughts. God was angry with us like he was with everyone else. That’s because of the kind of people we all were.

Ephesians 4:17

Here is what I’m telling you. I am speaking for the Lord as I warn you. You must no longer live as the Gentiles do. Their thoughts don’t have any purpose.

Ephesians 4:22

You were taught not to live the way you used to. You must get rid of your old way of life. That’s because it has been made impure by the desire for things that lead you astray.

Ephesians 5:6

Don’t let anyone fool you with worthless words. People who say things like that aren’t obeying God. He is angry with them.

Ephesians 5:8

At one time you were in the dark. But now you are in the light because of what the Lord has done. Live like children of the light.

Ephesians 6:12

Our fight is not against human beings. It is against the rulers, the authorities and the powers of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world.

Colossians 1:21

At one time you were separated from God. You were enemies in your minds because of your evil ways.

2 Timothy 4:10

Demas has deserted me. He has gone to Thessalonica. He left me because he loved this world. Crescens has gone to Galatia. Titus has gone to Dalmatia.

James 1:27

Here are the beliefs and way of life that God our Father accepts as pure and without fault. When widows are in trouble, take care of them. Do the same for children who have no parents. And don’t let the world make you impure.

James 1:7

They shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord.

James 4:4

You are not faithful to God. Don’t you know that to be a friend of the world is to hate God? So anyone who chooses to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy.

1 Peter 1:14

You should obey your Father. You shouldn’t give in to evil desires. They controlled your life when you didn’t know any better.

1 Peter 4:3

You have spent enough time in the past doing what ungodly people choose to do. You lived a wild life. You longed for evil things. You got drunk. You went to wild parties. You worshiped statues of gods, which the Lord hates.

2 Peter 2:14

They stare at women who are not their wives. They want to sleep with them. They never stop sinning. They trap those who are not firm in their faith. They have mastered the art of getting what they want. God has placed them under his judgment.

1 John 3:10

Here is how you can tell the difference between God’s children and the devil’s children. Anyone who doesn’t do what is right isn’t God’s child. And anyone who doesn’t love their brother or sister isn’t God’s child either.

1 John 3:8

The person who does what is sinful belongs to the devil. That’s because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the devil’s work.

1 John 4:4

Dear children, you belong to God. You have not accepted the teachings of the false prophets. That’s because the one who is in you is powerful. He is more powerful than the one who is in the world.

1 John 5:19

We know that we are children of God. We know that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

1 John 5:4

That’s because everyone who is a child of God has won the battle over the world. Our faith has won the battle for us.

Revelation 12:9

The great dragon was thrown down to the earth, and his angels with him. The dragon is that old serpent called the devil, or Satan. He leads the whole world astray.

Revelation 13:14

The first beast had given the second beast the power to perform these signs. By these signs, the second beast tricked those who live on the earth. The second beast ordered people to set up a statue to honor the first beast. The first beast was the one who had been wounded by a sword and still lived.

Revelation 13:8

Many people who live on the earth will worship the beast. They are the ones whose names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life. The Lamb is the one whose death was planned before the world was created.

Revelation 16:17

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. Out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne. It said, “It is done!”

Revelation 20:2

He grabbed the dragon, that old serpent. The serpent is also called the devil, or Satan. The angel put him in chains for 1,000 years.