⁴But God, being rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us, ⁵even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved!—⁶and he raised us up together with him and seated us together with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹it is not from works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them.