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even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love, having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved,

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Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.

For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [[a]because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]—

[So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 1:5 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament.

For he chose us(A) in him before the creation of the world(B) to be holy and blameless(C) in his sight. In love(D) he[a] predestined(E) us for adoption to sonship[b](F) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure(G) and will— to the praise of his glorious grace,(H) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 1:5 Or sight in love. He
  2. Ephesians 1:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.

But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus; for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

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But God—so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us,

Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved ([a]delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).

And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us [b]joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.

For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved ([c]delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:5 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
  2. Ephesians 2:6 H.A.W. Meyer, Commentary on the New Testament.
  3. Ephesians 2:8 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.

But because of his great love for us,(A) God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions(B)—it is by grace you have been saved.(C) And God raised us up with Christ(D) and seated us with him(E) in the heavenly realms(F) in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,(G) expressed in his kindness(H) to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace(I) you have been saved,(J) through faith(K)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

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