Ephesians 2:4 kjv
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Ephesians 2:4 nkjv
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
Ephesians 2:4 niv
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
Ephesians 2:4 esv
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
Ephesians 2:4 nlt
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
Ephesians 2 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 103:8 | The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. | God's merciful character |
| Lam 3:22-23 | Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions never fail. | God's enduring mercy prevents destruction |
| Rom 5:8 | But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. | God's love demonstrated for the undeserving |
| 1 Jn 4:10 | In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. | God's love initiates redemption |
| Jn 3:16 | For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son... | God's supreme love in giving Christ |
| Tit 3:5 | not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us... | Salvation based on mercy, not works |
| Deut 7:7-8 | The Lord did not set His love on you... but because the Lord loves you... | God's love is unmerited and sovereign |
| Psa 145:8 | The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. | God's gracious and merciful nature |
| Isa 63:7 | I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord and the praises of the Lord, According to all that the Lord has bestowed on us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has bestowed on them According to His mercies, According to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses. | God's great mercies and lovingkindness |
| Psa 86:15 | But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. | God's compassion and abundant mercy |
| Rom 9:15-16 | “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. | God's sovereignty in showing mercy |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. | Mercy accessible through grace's throne |
| Jas 5:11 | The Lord is very compassionate and merciful. | God's compassionate and merciful nature |
| 2 Cor 1:3 | Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. | God as the source of mercies |
| Jer 31:3 | Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. | God's eternal love as drawing power |
| Eph 1:7 | In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. | Redemption based on God's riches of grace |
| Col 2:13 | And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him... | God making the spiritually dead alive |
| Rom 6:4 | Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. | Resurrection to new life by God's power |
| Eze 36:26-27 | I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you... | God's sovereign act of transformation |
| Rom 3:23-24 | For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace... | Grace as the free gift due to sin |
| Isa 43:25 | I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake... | God's self-motivated forgiveness |
| Mic 7:18 | Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity... He delights in mercy. | God's delight in mercy and pardon |
| Hab 3:2 | In wrath remember mercy. | Mercy remembered even in judgment |
Ephesians 2 verses
Ephesians 2 4 Meaning
Ephesians 2:4 proclaims a profound shift from humanity's dire condition of spiritual death and separation from God, emphasizing that God, motivated by His boundless compassion and immense self-giving love, initiated the rescue of humanity. This verse identifies God's rich mercy and great love as the sole foundation for the salvation and new life He grants.
Ephesians 2 4 Context
Ephesians 2:4 serves as a dramatic and hopeful transition from Paul’s grim depiction of humanity's natural state (Eph 2:1-3) to the glorious truth of salvation. In the preceding verses, humanity is described as spiritually "dead in trespasses and sins," following the ways of the world and Satan, inherently "children of wrath" due to their rebellious nature and actions. This establishes a clear boundary: humankind has no ability or inherent righteousness to save itself.
Verse 4 then interjects with "But God," forcefully contrasting humanity's helpless condition with God's character and initiative. This verse sets the stage for the rest of chapter 2, where Paul elaborates on salvation as "by grace through faith" (Eph 2:5-10), completely apart from human works. It explains the divine motivation for Christ's sacrifice and the reconciliation between Jew and Gentile (Eph 2:11-22). Historically, the letter addresses a Gentile audience in Ephesus, emphasizing that their inclusion in God's covenant family is not based on Mosaic Law or Jewish lineage but solely on God's sovereign mercy and love extended to all who believe. This verse, therefore, directly polemicizes any belief system that attributes salvation to human effort, lineage, or any quality within the lost sinner.
Ephesians 2 4 Word analysis
- But: Greek de (δὲ). This conjunction signifies a strong adversative, introducing a profound contrast. It emphatically pivots from humanity's dismal state to God's divine action.
- God: Greek ho Theos (ὁ Θεός). Refers to the sovereign, omnipotent Creator. The article ho specifies it as the one true God, highlighting His uniqueness as the actor in salvation.
- who is rich: Greek plousios (πλούσιος). An adjective meaning "wealthy," "abounding," or "fully supplied." It conveys God's boundless, overflowing, and infinite possession of something, implying inexhaustible reserves.
- in mercy: Greek eleos (ἔλεος). Signifies pity or compassion for one who is suffering and helpless, implying an active intervention to relieve the distress. It is God's benevolent disposition toward the miserable, acting to alleviate their wretchedness.
- because of: Greek dia (διά) with the accusative. Indicates the cause or reason for God's action. God's great love is not merely a characteristic but the impelling force.
- His great: Greek polys (πολύς). An adjective meaning "much," "abundant," or "great in quantity/degree." It amplifies the intensity and measure of God's love, distinguishing it from a superficial or limited affection.
- love: Greek agape (ἀγάπη). This term denotes a selfless, sacrificial, unconditional, and divine love. It is not an emotion driven by the worthiness of its object, but an active commitment and benevolence originating from the subject's character.
- with which He loved: Greek hēn ēgapēsen (ἣν ἠγάπησεν). The relative pronoun hēn (which) refers back to "love." The verb ēgapēsen is an aorist active indicative, indicating a specific, decisive act of loving that occurred in the past, with lasting consequences. It underscores God's personal, purposeful, and complete action towards us.
- us: Greek hēmas (ἡμᾶς). Refers universally to those previously described as dead in sins, encompassing both Jewish and Gentile believers. It emphasizes that this love was directed towards those who were utterly undeserving.
Ephesians 2 4 Bonus section
The phrase "But God" is not merely a linguistic transition but a theological statement of the highest order. It signifies God's absolute sovereignty and initiative in redemption, ensuring that salvation is fundamentally a divine act, not a human achievement. The combination of God's "richness" (an unlimited resource) and "mercy" (His compassion for the wretched) guarantees that His grace will never run out and His compassion will always reach those in need. This verse encapsulates the foundational truth that the power, wisdom, and love necessary for humanity's reconciliation with God reside solely within God Himself. It sets a robust theological framework for understanding why salvation is solely "by grace" (Eph 2:5, 8).
Ephesians 2 4 Commentary
Ephesians 2:4 stands as the central pivot of the gospel, presenting God as the ultimate source of salvation. Humanity's inability to save itself is countered by God's character. His "rich mercy" speaks to His compassionate heart toward our helpless, fallen state, prompting Him to act on our behalf. This mercy flows from His "great love" (agape), which is not a sentimental emotion but an active, unchangeable, self-sacrificial benevolence. This love, demonstrated supremely in Christ's death, is the underlying motivation for every aspect of salvation that follows (verses 5-10). It reveals that our salvation is not an outcome of our search for God, but of His gracious pursuit of us, born purely from His divine nature, illustrating that God's loving initiative predates any human merit or response. It means hope for anyone, regardless of their past or present state, as the sole qualifier for His intervention is His own glorious character.
Examples:
- For the person struggling with a profound sense of unworthiness, this verse reminds them that God's love isn't earned; it flows from His very being.
- When faced with overwhelming personal failures, this verse redirects focus from self-condemnation to God's inexhaustible compassion and active intervention.