Ephesians 2:8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Ephesians 2:8 in other translations
| BSB | For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, |
|---|---|
| WEB | for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, |
| ASV | for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; |
| YLT | for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you--of God the gift, |
| DARBY | For ye are saved by grace, through faith; and this not of yourselves; it is God's gift: |
| BBE | Because by grace you have salvation through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is given by God: |
| Webster | For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: |
What does Ephesians 2:8 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
Through faith. Grace bestowed through faith, or in connexion with believing. Rom 1:17; Rom 4:17.
And that not of yourselves. That is, salvation does not proceed from yourselves. The word rendered that--τουτο--is in the neuter gender, and the word faith--πιστις --is in the feminine. The word "that," therefore, does not refer particularly to faith, as being the gift of God, but to the salvation by grace of which he had been speaking. This is the interpretation of the passage which is the most obvious, and which is now generally conceded to be the true one. See Bloomfield. Many critics, however, as Doddridge, Beza, Piscator, and Chrysostom, maintain that the word "that" τουτο refers to "faith," (πιστις;) and Doddridge maintains that such a use is common in the New Testament. As a matter of grammar this opinion is certainly doubtful, if not untenable; but as a matter of theology it is a question of very little importance. Whether this passage proves it or not, it is certainly true that faith is the gift of God. It exists in the mind only when the Holy Ghost produces it there, and is, in common with every other Christian excellence, to be traced to his agency on the heart. This opinion, however, does not militate at all with the doctrine that man himself believes. It is not God that believes for him, for that is impossible. It is his own mind that actually believes, or that exercises faith. Rom 4:3. In the same manner repentance is to be traced to God. It is one of the fruits of the operation of the Holy Spirit on the soul. But the Holy Ghost does not repent for us. It is our own mind that repents; our own heart that feels; our own eyes that weep--and without this there can be no true repentance. No one can repent for another; and God neither can nor ought to repent for us. He has done no wrong, and if repentance is ever exercised, therefore, it must be exercised by our own minds. So of faith. God cannot believe for us. We must believe, or we shall be damned. Still this does not conflict at all with the opinion, that if we exercise faith, the inclination to do it is to be traced to the agency of God on the heart. I would not contend, therefore, about the grammatical construction of this passage, with respect to the point of the theology contained in it; still it accords better with the obvious grammatical construction, and with the design of the passage to understand the word "that" as referring not to faith only, but to salvation by grace. So Calvin understands it, and so it is understood by Storr, Locke, Clarke, Koppe, Grotius, and others.
It is the gift of God. Salvation by grace is his gift. It is not of merit; it is wholly by favour.
(e) "are ye saved" 2Ti 1:9 (f) "and that not" Rom 4:16 (g) "of yourselves" Jn 6:44,65
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
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…
Ephesians 2:8 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Ephesians 2:8
- Romans 3:22-26
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; …
- Ephesians 2:5
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
- Romans 4:16
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
- John 1:12-13
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: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
- Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
- Romans 10:9-10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
- Acts 16:31
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
- James 1:16-18
Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
- John 6:37
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
- John 5:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
- John 4:10
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
- John 6:27-29
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5; Ro 3:24; 2Th 1:9
through.
Mr 16:16; Lu 7:50; Joh 3:14-18,36; 5:24; 6:27-29,35,40; Ac 13:39
Ac 15:7-9; 16:31; Ro 3:22-26; 4:5,16; 10:9,10; Ga 3:14,22
1Jo 5:10-12
that.
10; 1:19; Mt 16:17; Joh 1:12,13; 6:37,44,65; Ac 14:27; 16:14
Ro 10:14,17; Php 1:29; Col 2:12; Jas 1:16-18
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Ephesians 2:7
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
- Ephesians 2:8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
- Ephesians 2:9
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Porque por gracia sois salvos por la fe; y esto no de vosotros, pues es don de Dios: |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Car vous êtes sauvés par la grâce, par la foi, et cela ne vient pas de vous, c’est le don de Dieu; |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Denn durch die Gnade seid ihr errettet, mittelst des Glaubens; und das nicht aus euch, Gottes Gabe ist es; |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Gratia enim estis salvati per fidem, et hoc non ex vobis: Dei enim donum est: |