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ParallelVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Eph 2 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV) We are God’s workmanship and he’s created us to do good things by following Yeshua the messiah. God has already planned these things for us to do.![]()
OET-LV For/Because we_are the_workmanship of_him, having_been_created in chosen_one/messiah Yaʸsous for good works, which the god previously_prepared, in_order_that we_may_walk in them.
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SR-GNT Αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν ˚Χριστῷ ˚Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ ˚Θεὸς, ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν. ‡
(Autou gar esmen poiaʸma, ktisthentes en ˚Ⱪristōi ˚Yaʸsou epi ergois agathois, hois proaʸtoimasen ho ˚Theos, hina en autois peripataʸsōmen.)
Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULT For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand, so that we would walk in them.
UST So God is making us what he wants us to be; through the Messiah Jesus he has created us as new people to do good things—things that God had previously arranged for us to do.
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.[fn]
2:10 Literally which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
MSB (Same as BSB above including footnotes)
BLB For we are His workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
AICNT For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
OEB For we are God’s handiwork, created, by our union with Christ Jesus, for the good actions in doing which God had pre-arranged that we should spend our lives.
CSB For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
NLT For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
NIV For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
CEV God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. This is why he sent Christ to make us what we are.
ESV For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
NASB For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
LSB For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
WEBBE For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
WMBB For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
MSG (7-10)Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
NET For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.
LSV for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus on good works, which God prepared before, that we may walk in them.
FBV We're the product of what God does, created in Christ Jesus to do good, which God already planned that we should do.
TCNT For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
T4T It is God who has made us what we are now. Because of our relationship with Christ Jesus, he has enabled us to receive spiritual/eternal life in order that we should conduct our lives habitually doing the good deeds that God previously planned for us to do.
LEB For we are his creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we may walk in them.
NRSV For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
NKJV For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
NAB For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live 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.
Moff God has made us what we are, creating us in Christ Jesus for the good deeds which are prepared beforehand by God as our sphere of action.
Wymth For we are God's own handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works which He has pre-destined us to practise.
ASV For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.
DRA For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God hath 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.
Drby For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which [fn]God has before prepared that we should walk in them.
2.10 Elohim
RV For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.
SLT For we are his work, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Wbstr For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
KJB-1769 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
(For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath/has before ordained that we should walk in them. )
KJB-1611 For wee are his workemanship, created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes, which God hath before [fn]ordeined, that we should walke in them.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)
2:10 Or, prepared.
Bshps For we are his workmanship, created in Christe Iesus vnto good workes, whiche God hath ordeyned that we shoulde walke in them.
(For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Yesus/Yeshua unto good works, which God hath/has ordained that we should walk in them.)
Gnva For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes, which God hath ordeined, that we should walke in them.
(For we are his workmanship created in Christ Yesus/Yeshua unto good works, which God hath/has ordained, that we should walk in them. )
Cvdl For we are his workmanshippe, created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes, to ye which God ordeyned vs before, that we shulde walke in them.
(For we are his workmanshippe, created in Christ Yesu unto good works, to ye/you_all which God ordained us before, that we should walk in them.)
TNT For we are his worckmanshippe created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes vnto the which god ordeyned vs before that we shuld walke in them.
(For we are his worckmanshippe created in Christ Yesu unto good works unto the which god ordained us before that we should walk in them. )
Wycl For we ben the makyng of hym, maad of nouyt in Crist Jhesu, in good werkis, whiche God hath ordeyned, that we go in tho werkis.
(For we been the making of him, made of naught/nothing in Christ Yhesu, in good works, which God hath/has ordained, that we go in those works.)
Luth Denn wir sind sein Werk, geschaffen in Christo JEsu zu guten Werken, zu welchen GOtt uns zuvor bereitet hat, daß wir darinnen wandeln sollen.
(Because we/us are be work, created/made in Christo Yesu to/for good works, to/for which_(ones) God us/to_us/ourselves before prepared has, that we/us therein walk should.)
ClVg Ipsius enim sumus factura, creati in Christo Jesu in operibus bonis, quæ præparavit Deus ut in illis ambulemus.[fn]
(Ipsius because we_are factura, creati in/into/on to_Christ/Messiah Yesu in/into/on works good, which prepared God as in/into/on to_them ambulemus. )
2.10 Ipsius enim, etc. Nemo debet gloriari, quia nos creati in fide et in operibus sumus factura, id est opus ejus, vel sumus creati per facturam, id est operationem ejus: et ita nec de operibus per fidem gloriandum est, cum fides et omnia ex gratia sint.
2.10 Ipsius because, etc. Nobody must to_boast, because us creati in/into/on with_faith and in/into/on works we_are factura, that it_is work/need his, or we_are creati through facturam, that it_is operation his: and so/thus but_not from/about works through faith gloryndum it_is, when/with faith and everything from grace let_them_be.
UGNT αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν.
(autou gar esmen poiaʸma, ktisthentes en Ⱪristōi Yaʸsou epi ergois agathois, hois proaʸtoimasen ho Theos, hina en autois peripataʸsōmen.)
SBL-GNT αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν.
(autou gar esmen poiaʸma, ktisthentes en Ⱪristōi Yaʸsou epi ergois agathois hois proaʸtoimasen ho theos hina en autois peripataʸsōmen.)
RP-GNT Αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεός, ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν.
(Autou gar esmen poiaʸma, ktisthentes en ⱪristōi Yaʸsou epi ergois agathois, hois proaʸtoimasen ho theos, hina en autois peripataʸsōmen.)
TC-GNT Αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ Θεός, ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν.
(Autou gar esmen poiaʸma, ktisthentes en Ⱪristōi Yaʸsou epi ergois agathois, hois proaʸtoimasen ho Theos, hina en autois peripataʸsōmen. )
Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, orange:accents differ (from our SR-GNT base).
2:10 He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us: Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation. God’s Spirit, working through a transformed heart, produces a good life (Gal 5:22-23).
In this section Paul explained how the power of God, which he described in 1:19–20, changed the lives of the Ephesians. 2:1–3 describes their condition before they became believers. 2:4–10 describes the new life that God gave to them. Paul stressed that God has done many things for them because he is kind, so they should not be proud.
Here are some other examples for a heading for this section:
Made alive in Christ (NLT)
From Death to life (GNT, CEV)
God Saved Us Because of His Great Love for Us (GW)
Because God is loving and kind he saved us(incl)
Remember that in 2:1–3, Paul was talking about the way people were before they trusted in Jesus. Now that they are believers, these things are no longer true. Make sure that this is clear in your translation.
For we are God’s workmanship,
For our being made new is God’s work.
Because it is God who has made us what we now are.
For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For here introduces the basis or reason for the previous statement in 2:9. Paul clearly states again that this grace and salvation are not from us or out of any good thing we have done.
Here is another way to translate this word:
Because,
we are God’s workmanship: The expression we are God’s workmanship means that God made us what we now are. This refers to God spiritually remaking us when we became Christians. By saying this Paul again emphasizes that our salvation is all God’s work, and not ours.
Here are some other ways to translate this expression:
God has made us what we are (GNT)
we are God’s masterpiece (NLT)
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
He created us in Christ Jesus to do good deeds,
Through our union with Christ Jesus, he has remade us into new beings, so that we should habitually do good behaviors.
created in Christ Jesus: When God saved us, he remade or recreated us. We are a new creation. See translation advice in the following note.
in Christ Jesus: God gave us this new life by uniting us with Christ Jesus. See how you translated in Christ Jesus in 1:1d and 2:6b and in Christ in 1:3b, 1:9b, and 1:12a.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
In Christ Jesus, God made us… (NCV)
God made us new people through Christ Jesus
God made us new people because we are in Christ Jesus
to do good works: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as to do good works is literally “walk in good works.” Here the word works means deeds. So the phrase to do good works means that believers should be doing good behaviors or doing good deeds as a normal part of their lives.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
for a life of good deeds (GNT)
so we can do the good things (NLT)
in order that we would behave in good ways
which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
which is the way he had already planned for us to live/behave.
Even before he saved us God had already planned for us to do these good works/deeds.
which God prepared in advance as our way of life: This clause means that before God recreated us, he had already planned what good deeds he wanted us to do.
in advance: The phrase in advance refers to the time before God saved us. If it is not clear in your translation what this refers to, you can supply this information. For example:
Even before he saved us, God had already planned for us to do these good works.
as our way of life: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as as our way of life is literally “that we should walk in them” (as in the RSV). The Greek word for “walk” is a figure of speech that refers to our daily actions and our behavior.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
for us to live doing good deeds
for us to behave in good ways
For another reference to “walk,” see the note on 2:2a.
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
γάρ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: αὐτοῦ Γάρ ἐσμέν ποίημα κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπί ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ Θεός ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν)
The connecting word For introduces a reason-result relationship. The reason is that God is the one who created us to do any good works that we do. The result is that people cannot boast. Use a phrase in your language that connects a reason to a result.
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ
in Christ Jesus
The phrase in Christ Jesus and similar expressions are metaphors that frequently occur in the New Testament letters. They express the strongest kind of relationship possible between Christ and those who believe in him.
Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal
ἵνα
in_order_that
The connecting phrase so that introduces a goal relationship. The goal or purpose of God creating us as he did is that we would do the good works that he intended for us to do.
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν
in in them ˱we˲_˓may˒_walk
To walk on a path is a metaphor for how a person lives his life. Here, in them refers to the good works. Alternate translation: [we would always and continually do those good deeds]