# Connecting Statement:

Paul tells them what they should no longer do now that they as believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God.

# Therefore, I say and insist on this in the Lord

"Because what I have just said, I will say something more to strongly encourage you because we all belong to the Lord"

# that you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds

"stop living like the Gentiles with their worthless thoughts"

# They are darkened in their understanding

They no longer think or reason clearly. AT: "They have darkened their thoughts" or "They are not able to understand" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

# alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them

This can be stated in active form. AT: "Because they do not know God, they cannot live the way God wants his people to live" or "They have cut themselves off from the life of God by their ignorance" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

# alienated

"cut off" or "separated"

# ignorance

"lack of knowledge" or "lack of information"

# because of the hardness of their hearts

They refuse to listen to God and follow his teachings. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# have handed themselves over to sensuality

Paul speaks of these people as if they were objects that they themselves were giving to other people, and he speaks of the way they want to satisfy their physical desires as if it were the person to whom they give themselves. AT: "only want to satisfy their physical desires" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/exhort]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/lord]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/gentile]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/life]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/god]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/heart]]