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 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 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 should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted 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

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 7:6“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.
• Psalms 135:4For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure.
• Isaiah 41:8“But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.
• Isaiah 42:1“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
• Isaiah 65:8Thus says the Lord: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, For a blessing is in it,’ So will I do for My servants’ sake, That I may not destroy them all.
• Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.
• Matthew 24:22And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
• Matthew 24:31And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
• John 10:16And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
• Acts 13:48Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
• Acts 18:10for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”
• Romans 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
• Romans 9:23and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
• Romans 11:5Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
• 2 Timothy 2:10Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the 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