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 be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved.

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

• He choseἐκλέγωeklegomai · to selectG1586
• us in Him beforeπρόpro · beforeG4253
• the foundationκαταβολήkatabolē · beginningG2602
• of the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
• beforeκατενώπιονkatenōpion · beforeG2714
• In loveἀγάπηagapē · loveG26

Cross-references for Ephesians 1:4

• Deuteronomy 7:6For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His personal possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
• Psalms 135:4For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel as His own possession.
• Isaiah 41:8“But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend,
• Isaiah 42:1“Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.
• Isaiah 65:8This is what the Lord says: “Just as the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is benefit in it,’ So I will act in behalf of My servants In order not to destroy all of them.
• Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants.
• Matthew 24:22And if those days had not been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
• Matthew 24:31And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet blast, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
• John 10:16And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd.
• Acts 13:48When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying 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 attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”
• Romans 8:28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
• Romans 9:23And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon objects of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,
• Romans 11:5In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
• 2 Timothy 2:10For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it 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