Ephesians 1:4

Ephesians 1:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
• New International Version (NIV)For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
• English Standard Version (ESV)even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
• New King James Version (NKJV)just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

Context of Ephesians 1:4

2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. 5He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

Ephesians 1:4 word by word

καθὼς ἐξελέξατο ἡμᾶς ἐν αὐτῷ πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀγάπῃRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• According asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• he hath chosenἐκλέγωeklegomai · to selectG1586
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• beforeπρόpro · beforeG4253
• the foundationκαταβολήkatabolē · beginningG2602
• of the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• should beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• without blameἄμωμοςamōmos · blamelessG299
• beforeκατενώπιονkatenōpion · beforeG2714
• loveἀγάπηagapē · loveG26

Cross-references for Ephesians 1:4

• Deuteronomy 7:6For you are a holy people belonging to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be his own possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.
• Psalms 135:4For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his treasured possession.
• Isaiah 41:8But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham, my friend —
• Isaiah 42:1“This is my servant; I strengthen him, this is my chosen one; I delight in him. I have put my Spirit on him; he will bring justice to the nations.
• Isaiah 65:8The Lord says this: “As the new wine is found in a bunch of grapes, and one says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for there’s some good in it,’ so I will act because of my servants and not destroy them all.
• Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants.
• Matthew 24:22Unless those days were cut short, no one would be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect.
• Matthew 24:31He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
• John 10:16But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.
• Acts 13:48When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed.
• Acts 18:10For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city.”
• Romans 8:28We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
• Romans 9:23And what if he did this to make known the riches of his glory on objects of mercy that he prepared beforehand for glory —
• Romans 11:5In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
• 2 Timothy 2:10This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Commentaries on Ephesians 1:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4According as he hath chosen us in him - As he has decreed from the beginning of the world, and has kept in view from the commencement of the religious system of the Jews, (which the phrase sometimes means), to bring us Gentiles to the knowledge of this glorious state of salvation by Christ Jesus. The Jews considered themselves an elect or chosen people, and wished to monopolize the whole of the Divine love and beneficence. The apostle here shows that God…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4According as - The importance of this verse will render proper a somewhat minute examination of the words and phrases of which it is composed. The general sense of the passage is, that these blessings pertaining to heaven were bestowed upon Christians in accordance with an eternal purpose. They were not conferred by chance or hap-hazard. They were the result of intention and design on the part of God. Their value was greatly enhanced from the fact that…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-8Verses 3-8 Spiritual and heavenly blessings are the best blessings; with which we cannot be miserable, and without which we cannot but be so. This was from the choice of them in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that they should be made holy by separation from sin, being set apart to God, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, in consequence of their election in Christ. All who are chosen to happiness as the end, are chosen to holiness as the means…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4God's people are holy and without fault in his eyes because they trust in Christ's sacrifice to atone for their sins (see 1:7; 5:25–27; Colossians 1:22; Titus 3:5–7; Jude 1:24).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. hath chosen us--Greek, "chose us out for Himself" (namely, out of the world, Ga 1:4): referring to His original choice, spoken of as past. in him--The repetition of the idea, "in Christ" (Ep 1:3), implies the paramount importance of the truth that it is in Him, and by virtue of union to Him, the Second Adam, the Restorer ordained for us from everlasting, the Head of redeemed humanity, believers have all their blessings (Ep 3:11). before the foundation…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 1:4

• Atonement
• Election
• God Continued...
• Holiness
• Predestination
• Righteous
• Salvation
• Sanctification

In the dictionaries

• Blame
• Decrees of God
• Election of Grace
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Eye
• Holiness
• Mystery
• Obtain
• Predestinate
• Purpose

Commentaries on Ephesians 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings