Ephesians 2 · Verse 10

Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10, King James Version

Ephesians 2:10 in other translations

BSB	For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
WEB	For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
ASV	For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.
YLT	for of Him we are workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God did before prepare, that in them we may walk.
DARBY	For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has before prepared that we should walk in them.
BBE	For by his act we were given existence in Christ Jesus to do those good works which God before made ready for us so that we might do them.
Webster	For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

What does Ephesians 2:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

10. workmanship--literally, "a thing of His making"; "handiwork." Here the spiritual creation, not the physical, is referred to (Ep 2:8, 9). created--having been created (Ep 4:24; Psa 102:18; Is 43:21; 2Co 5:5, 17). unto good works--"for good works." "Good works" cannot be performed until we are new "created unto" them. Paul never calls the works of the law "good works." We are not saved by, but created unto, good works. before ordained--Greek, "before made ready" (compare Joh 5:36). God marks out for each in His purposes beforehand, the particular good works, and the time and way which tie sees best. God both makes ready by His providence the opportunities for the works, and makes us ready for their performance (Joh 15:16; 2Ti 2:21). that we should walk in them--not "be saved" by them. Works do not justify, but the justified man works (Ga 5:22-25).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 10. For we are his workmanship. We are his making--ποιημα. That is, we are created or formed by him, not only in the general sense in which all things are made by him, but in that peculiar sense which is denoted by the new creation. 2Cor 5:17. Whatever of peace, or hope, or purity we have, has been produced by his agency on the soul. There cannot be conceived to be a stronger expression to denote the agency of God in the conversion of men, or the fact that salvation is wholly of grace.

Created in Christ Jesus. On the word created, 2Cor 5:17.

Unto good works. With reference to a holy life; or, the design for which we have been created in Christ is, that we should lead a holy life. The primary object was not to bring us to heaven. It was that we should be holy. Paul held perhaps more firmly than any other man to the position, that men are saved by the mere grace of God, and by a Divine agency on the soul; but it is certain that no man ever held more firmly that men must lead holy lives, or they could have no evidence that they were the children of God.

Which God hath before ordained. Marg., prepared. The word here used means to prepare beforehand, then to predestinate, or appoint before. The proper meaning of this passage is, "to which (οις) good works God has predestinated us, or appointed us beforehand, that we should walk in them." The word here used--προετοιμαζω--occurs in the New Testament nowhere else, except in Rom 9:23, where it is rendered, "had afore prepared." It involves the idea of a previous determination, or an arrangement beforehand for securing a certain result. The previous preparation here referred to was the Divine intention; and the meaning is, that God had predetermined that we should lead holy lives. It accords, therefore, with the declaration in Eph 1:4, that he had chosen his people before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy. Eph 1:4.

That we should walk in them. That we should live holy lives. The word walk is often used in the Scriptures to denote the course of life. Rom 6:4.

(a) "God hath before ordained" Eph 1:4 (1) "ordained" "prepared"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 10 For we are his workmanship - So far is this salvation from being our own work, or granted for our own works' sake, that we are ourselves not only the creatures of God, but our new creation was produced by his power; for we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works. He has saved us that we may show forth the virtues of Him who called us from darkness into his marvelous light. For though we are not saved for our good works, yet we are saved that we may perform good works, to the glory of God and the benefit of man. Which God hath before ordained - Οἱς προητοιμασες· For which God before prepared us, that we might walk in them. For being saved from sin we are made partakers of the Spirit of holiness; and it is natural to that Spirit to lead to the practice of holiness; and he who is not holy in his life is not saved by the grace of Christ. The before ordaining, or rather preparing, must refer to the time when God began the new creation in their hearts; for from the first inspiration of God upon the soul it begins to love holiness; and obedience to the will of God is the very element in which a holy or regenerated soul lives.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ephesians 2:1-10

Sin is the death of the soul. A man dead in trespasses and sins has no desire for spiritual pleasures. When we look upon a corpse, it gives an awful feeling. A never-dying spirit is now fled, and has left nothing but the ruins of a man. But if we viewed things aright, we should be far more affected by the thought of a dead soul, a lost, fallen spirit. A state of sin is a state of conformity to this world. Wicked men…

Read the full comment on Ephesians 2:1-10 →

Ephesians 2:10 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

αὐτοῦautouOf HimG846

γάρgarforG1063

ἐσμενesmenwe areG1510

ποίημαpoiēmaworkmanshipG4161

κτισθέντεςktisthenteshaving been createdG2936

ἐνeninG1722

ΧριστῷChristōChristG5547

ἸησοῦIēsouJesusG2424

ἐπὶepiforG1909

ἔργοιςergoisworksG2041

ἀγαθοῖςagathoisgoodG18

οἷςhoiswhichG3739

προητοίμασενproētoimasenprepared beforehandG4282

ὁho<the>G3588

θεός,theosGod,G2316

ἵναinathatG2443

ἐνeninG1722

αὐτοῖςautoisthemG846

περιπατήσωμεν.¶peripatēsōmenwe may walk.G4043

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ephesians 2:10

Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Colossians 1:10
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Hebrews 13:21
Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Ephesians 4:24
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
2 Timothy 3:17
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Ephesians 4:1
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 Timothy 2:21
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
Psalms 100:3
Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Isaiah 43:21
This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

we are.
De 32:6; Ps 100:3; 138:8; Isa 19:25; 29:23; 43:21; 44:21; 60:21; 61:3
Jer 31:33; 32:39,40; Joh 3:3-6,21; 1Co 3:9; 2Co 5:5,17; Php 1:6
Php 2:13; Heb 13:21
created.
4:24; Ps 51:10; 2Co 5:17; Ga 6:15; Col 3:10
good.
Mt 5:16; Ac 9:36; 2Co 9:8; Col 1:10; 2Th 2:17; 1Ti 2:10; 5:10,25
1Ti 6:18; 2Ti 2:21; 3:17; Tit 2:7,14; 3:1,8,14; Heb 10:24; 13:21
1Pe 2:12
which.
1:4; Ro 8:29
ordained. or, prepared. walk.
2; 4:1; De 5:33; Ps 81:13; 119:3; Isa 2:3-5; Ac 9:31; Ro 8:1; 1Jo 1:7
1Jo 2:6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Ephesians 2:9
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:11
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

Read all of Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2:10 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque somos hechura suya, criados en Cristo Jesús para buenas obras, las cuales Dios preparó para que anduviésemos en ellas.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	car nous sommes son ouvrage, ayant été créés dans le christ Jésus pour les bonnes œuvres que Dieu a préparées à l’avance, afin que nous marchions en elles.
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn wir sind sein Werk, geschaffen in Christo Jesu zu guten Werken, welche Gott zuvor bereitet hat, auf daß wir in ihnen wandeln sollen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Ipsius enim sumus factura, creati in Christo Jesu in operibus bonis, quæ præparavit Deus ut in illis ambulemus.