Ephesians 1:5
New International Version
he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

New Living Translation
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

English Standard Version
he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

Berean Standard Bible
He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Berean Literal Bible
having predestined us for divine adoption as sons to Himself through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,

King James Bible
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

New King James Version
having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

New American Standard Bible
He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

NASB 1995
He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

NASB 1977
He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

Legacy Standard Bible
by predestining us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Amplified Bible
He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—

Christian Standard Bible
He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will,

American Standard Version
having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he has constituted us as children by Yeshua The Messiah, as that is pleasing to his will,

Contemporary English Version
God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God's own adopted children.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ unto himself: according to the purpose of his will:

English Revised Version
having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Because of his love he had already decided to adopt us through Jesus Christ. He freely chose to do this

Good News Translation
God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children--this was his pleasure and purpose.

International Standard Version
he predestined us for adoption to himself through Jesus the Messiah, according to the pleasure of his will,

Literal Standard Version
having foreordained us to the adoption of sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Majority Standard Bible
He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,

New American Bible
he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will,

NET Bible
He did this by predestining us to adoption as his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will--

New Revised Standard Version
He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,

New Heart English Bible
having predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,

Webster's Bible Translation
Having predestinated us to the adoption of children to himself by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Weymouth New Testament
For He pre-destined us to be adopted by Himself as sons through Jesus Christ--such being His gracious will and pleasure--

World English Bible
having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,

Young's Literal Translation
having foreordained us to the adoption of sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Spiritual Blessings
4For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love 5He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.…

Cross References
Luke 12:32
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.

Acts 13:48
When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

Romans 8:14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Romans 8:29
For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

Romans 8:30
And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

Ephesians 1:11
In Him we were also chosen as God's own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,

Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.


Treasury of Scripture

Having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

predestinated.

Ephesians 1:11
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Romans 8:29,30
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren…

unto.

Jeremiah 3:4,19
Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth? …

Hosea 1:10
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

by.

John 20:17
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Galatians 3:26
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 2:10-15
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings…

according.

Ephesians 1:9,11
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: …

Daniel 4:35
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Matthew 1:25
And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Jump to Previous
Accordance Adopted Adoption Children Christ Designed Desire Destined Foreordained Good Gracious Intention Jesus Kind Love Marked Pleasure Position Predestinated Predestined Pre-Destined
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Accordance Adopted Adoption Children Christ Designed Desire Destined Foreordained Good Gracious Intention Jesus Kind Love Marked Pleasure Position Predestinated Predestined Pre-Destined
Ephesians 1
1. After Paul's salutation,
3. and thanksgiving for the Ephesians,
4. he treats of our election,
6. and adoption by grace;
11. which is the true and proper fountain of man's salvation.
13. And because the height of this mystery cannot be easily attained unto,
16. he prays that they may come to the full knowledge and possession thereof in Christ.














(5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself.--The idea of Election depends on the union of the sense of actual difference between men, as to privilege and spiritual life, with the conviction of God's universal sovereignty. Hence, in all cases, it leads back to the idea of Predestination, that is, of the conception of the divine purpose in the mind of God, before its realisation in actual fact. On the doctrine of predestination see Romans 9. It will suffice to note that here (1) its source is placed in God's love; (2) its meritorious cause is the mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ; (3) its result is adoption, so that He is (see Romans 8:29) "the firstborn of many brethren," who are conformed to His image, and redeemed by Him from bondage to sonship (Galatians 4:5). (It is clear that the adoption here is not the final adoption of Romans 8:23; but the present adoption into the Christian covenant, there called "the firstfruits of the Spirit;") (4) it is in itself the expression of "the good pleasure of His will" on which all ultimately depends; and (5) its final purpose is to show forth God's glory in the gift of His grace. In a few words the whole doctrine is summed up, with that absolute completeness, so eminently characteristic of this Epistle.

According to the good pleasure of his will.--In our version, "good pleasure," there is an ambiguity, reproducing the ambiguity of the original. The word used may signify (as in Matthew 11:26; Luke 10:21; Philippians 2:13) simply God's free will, to which this or that "seemeth good," or (as in Luke 11:14; Romans 10:1; Philippians 1:15) "His good will towards us." Even the old Greek interpreters were divided upon it, and either sense will suit this passage. But the close parallel in Ephesians 1:11, "according to the counsel (deliberate purpose) of His will," turns the balance in favour of the former rendering. . . .

Verse 5. - Having predestinated (or, foreordained) us to adoption through Jesus Christ unto himself. The same idea is denoted by προορίσας in this verse and ἐξελέξατο in ver. 3, but while in ξελέξατο the idea of selection out from among others is prominent, in προορίσας the special phase of thought is that of the time, πρὸ, before - before the foundation of the world. Both denote the exercise of Divine sovereignty. In ver. 4 we have the ultimate purpose of God's decree the entire sanctification of the elect; here, in ver. 5, we find one of the intermediate steps of the process - adoption. The apostle's reason for speaking of adoption in this place, and of justification afterwards, is that be bad just referred to the restoration of a relation of lore between us and God as connected with our ultimate complete sanctification; thus it was natural for him to bring in our adoption as the preordained act in which this loving relation is formed. Our obedience is not the forced obedience of servants, but the loving obedience of sons. Adoption implies more than sentiment - a real legal relation to God as his sons (Romans 8:17). The adoption is "by Jesus Christ:" "As many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God" (John 1:12). And it is εἰς αὐτὸν, unto or into himself - denoting a movement towards God which terminates in union to Him. According to the good pleasure of his will. The spring or motive to the selection is solely in God, not in man. It is an act of sovereignty. It has been disputed whether "the good pleasure of his will" is equivalent to benevolentia or to bene placitum. Parallel passages like Matthew 11:26 and Luke 10:21 lead us to prefer the latter. The idea of kindness is not excluded, but it is not what is affirmed. Kindness is always involved in the Divine will; but the point here is simply that it pleased God to choose and ordain the Ephesian believers to the privilege of adoption through Jesus Christ. This is presented as a ground of praise, a reason for their blessing God. The Divine sovereignty is not presented in Scripture to seekers, but to finders. It is apt to embarrass those that seek; and accordingly the aspect of God's character presented to them is his good will to men, his free offer of mercy: "Look unto me, and be ye saved;" "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." But it is a ground of thanksgiving to those who hare accepted the offer; they see that before the foundation of the world God chose them in Christ. What an interest he must have had in them, and how thoroughly they may rely on his finishing the work he has begun! Divine sovereignty, human responsibility, and the free and universal offer of mercy are all found in Scripture, and, though we are unable to harmonize them by our logic, ought all to have a place in our minds.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
He predestined
προορίσας (proorisas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4309: To foreordain, predetermine, mark out beforehand. From pro and horizo; to limit in advance, i.e. predetermine.

us
ἡμᾶς (hēmas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

for
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

adoption as His sons
υἱοθεσίαν (huiothesian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5206: From a presumed compound of huios and a derivative of tithemi; the placing as a son, i.e. Adoption.

through
διὰ (dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

Jesus
Ἰησοῦ (Iēsou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

Christ,
Χριστοῦ (Christou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.

according to
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

good pleasure
εὐδοκίαν (eudokian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2107: From a presumed compound of eu and the base of dokeo; satisfaction, i.e. delight, or kindness, wish, purpose.

of
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

will,
θελήματος (thelēmatos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 2307: An act of will, will; plur: wishes, desires. From the prolonged form of ethelo; a determination, i.e. choice or inclination.


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NT Letters: Ephesians 1:5 Having predestined us for adoption as children (Ephes. Eph. Ep)
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