4
just asκαθὼςhe choseἐξελέξατοusἡμᾶςinἐνhimαὐτῷbeforeπρὸthe foundationκαταβολῆςof the worldκόσμουfor us to beεἶναι ἡμᾶςholyἁγίουςandκαὶwithout blemishἀμώμουςbeforeκατενώπιονhimαὐτοῦinἐνlove,ἀγάπῃ
Ephesians 1:4
Study it in the app“just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world for us to be holy and without blemish before him in love,”
With the Greek beneath
Ephesians 1:4, word by word
- he choseἐξελέξατοexelexato
choose
Choose, select.
Where else “exelexato” appears- the foundationκαταβολῆςkatabolēs
foundation
The beginning of the world.
Where else “katabolēs” appears- of the worldκόσμουkosmou
creation
Everything God made.
Where else “kosmou” appears- for us to beεἶναιeinai
be
To be: says who or what something is.
Where else “einai” appears- holyἁγίουςhagious
holy
Holy, like God: pure and majestic; or what is his.
Where else “hagious” appears- without blemishἀμώμουςamōmous
blameless, without blemish
Without blemish, without defect, like an animal fit to be offered to God; blameless.
Where else “amōmous” appears- beforeκατενώπιονkatenōpion
before, in front of
Before, in the presence of.
Where else “katenōpion” appears- loveἀγάπῃagapēi
love
Love that gives itself, seeking the other's good, like God's.
Where else “agapēi” appears
Translation note
“In love” can also go with what follows: “in love he destined us beforehand.”
The context
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in the Messiah,
4 · This verse (above)
5having destined us beforehand for adoption as sons through Jesus the Messiah to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
To study Ephesians 1 in a group
1. What it says
What blessings does Paul list in this chapter, and how does he say God gave them to us "in the Messiah" (v. 3)?
2. What it means
Why do you think Paul repeats "to the praise of his glory" when he describes what God has done (v. 12, 14)?
3. How I live it
Paul gives thanks and prays for others (v. 15-17). Whom could you thank God for today, and what would you ask for them?