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:
• 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,
• New Living Translation (NLT)Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

Context of Ephesians 1:4

2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

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 people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
• Psalms 135:4For the Lord has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession.
• Isaiah 41:8“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend,
• Isaiah 42:1“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.
• Isaiah 65:8This is what the Lord says: “As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it, there is still a blessing in it,’ so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will 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 learned, and revealed them to little children.
• Matthew 24:22“If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
• Matthew 24:31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
• John 10:16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
• Acts 13:48When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
• Acts 18:10For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”
• Romans 8:28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
• Romans 9:23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—
• Romans 11:5So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
• 2 Timothy 2:10Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that 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