Ephesians 2:8 kjv

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Ephesians 2:8 nkjv

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Ephesians 2:8 niv

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith?and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God?

Ephesians 2:8 esv

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Ephesians 2:8 nlt

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

Ephesians 2 verses

Ephesians 2 8 Meaning

Ephesians 2:8 comprehensively declares that salvation is an act of God's unmerited favor, freely bestowed upon humanity. It emphasizes that this profound deliverance is received through a trusting dependence on God, rather than being achieved by human effort or inherent worthiness. It clarifies that this entire process – from the grace that initiates salvation to the faith that apprehends it – originates from God Himself, unequivocally highlighting it as a divine gift, not a human accomplishment.

Ephesians 2 8 Context

Ephesians Chapter 2 vividly contrasts humanity's former spiritual state with their new life in Christ. Verses 1-3 describe believers as formerly "dead in trespasses and sins," enslaved by the "course of this world," fulfilling "the desires of the flesh and of the mind," and by nature "children of wrath." This grim assessment establishes the desperate human condition from which salvation is needed. Verses 4-7 then introduce God's intervention, highlighting His "rich mercy" and "great love" which "made us alive together with Christ." This transition from death to life, and from wrath to favor, sets the stage for verse 8, which explains how this incredible transformation occurs: not through any human deserving, but through divine grace apprehended by faith. The broader historical and cultural context for the original audience in Ephesus was one deeply immersed in paganism, including the widespread worship of Artemis (Diana) and imperial cults, which often involved rituals and earning favor. The concept of receiving a benefit or status solely by an unmerited gift, rather than by human performance or elaborate religious acts, would have been a radical departure from their existing frameworks. Additionally, for any Jewish Christians in the audience, it countered the emphasis on meritorious works of the Law.

Ephesians 2 8 Word analysis

• For (γάρ, gar): This conjunction links Ephesians 2:8 back to the previous verses (4-7). It functions as an explanation or elaboration of how believers were "made alive together with Christ" and "raised up with Him" and "seated with Him in the heavenly places." It explains the basis for God's saving act.

• by grace (τῇ γὰρ χάριτι, tē gar chariti):

  • Grace (χάρις, charis): Denotes unmerited favor, underserved kindness, divine benevolent action, a gift. It emphasizes that salvation originates solely from God's character and disposition, not from anything found in humanity. It is His free, generous initiative. It stands in direct contrast to human merit or achievement (Rom 11:6).
  • By (instrumental dative): Indicates the means or basis.

• you have been saved (ἐστὲ σεσωσμένοι, este sesōsmenoi):

  • Saved (σῴζω, sōzō): Signifies deliverance, preservation, healing, rescue from danger, spiritual deliverance from sin and its consequences, leading to eternal life.
  • Perfect passive indicative: The "perfect" tense highlights a completed action in the past with ongoing results in the present. It emphasizes that salvation is an accomplished fact. The "passive" voice indicates that the subject ("you") receive the action, rather than perform it. God is the active agent in salvation. The "indicative" mood declares a fact.

• through faith (διὰ πίστεως, dia pisteōs):

  • Through (διά, dia): Denotes the channel, instrument, or means by which something occurs. Faith is not the source of salvation, but the means by which it is received.
  • Faith (πίστις, pistis): Signifies trust, reliance, belief, confident commitment to God and His promises. It is the receptive act, turning from self-effort to God's provision. It is the outstretched, empty hand that receives the gift.

• and this (καὶ τοῦτο, kai touto):

  • This (τοῦτο, touto): This neuter singular demonstrative pronoun is critical. Grammatically, it does not refer specifically to the feminine noun "grace" (χάρις) or "faith" (πίστις). Instead, its neuter gender points to the entire preceding concept or action of "being saved by grace through faith." It unequivocally declares that the entire package of this kind of salvation—grace, faith, and the salvation itself—is not from human origin but from God. It refutes any notion of human ability even to initiate true saving faith independently of God's work.

• not of yourselves (οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, ouk ex hymōn):

  • Not of (οὐκ ἐξ, ouk ex): Emphatic negation, asserting that the source or origin is definitively not from within human capability, merit, or initiative. It denies human contribution to the saving act itself.
  • Yourselves (ὑμῶν, hymōn): Refers to human beings collectively, confirming the complete absence of human origin or effort in salvation.

• it is the gift of God (Θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον, Theou to dōron):

  • Gift (δῶρον, dōron): A present, a gratuity, something freely given without expectation of return or merited payment. It explicitly labels salvation as an act of divine generosity.
  • of God (Θεοῦ, Theou): Directly attributes the origin and nature of salvation to God alone. It is His possession and His offering. This reiterates and seals the point that salvation is entirely God-wrought.

• "For by grace you have been saved through faith": This opening phrase encapsulates the means and nature of salvation. Grace is the basis (divine initiative), and faith is the instrument (human reception). The phrase underscores that salvation is an accomplished reality for the believer, secured by God.

• "and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God": This clarifies and emphatically reinforces the divine origin of the entire saving experience described in the first part of the verse. It pre-empts any claim of human boasting or self-achievement by attributing the whole process, including the capacity for faith, to God's gratuitous gift. The "this" (touto) clarifies that not only is the salvation a gift, but the very way it is accessed—by grace through faith—is itself part of God's provision, leaving no room for human merit.

Ephesians 2 8 Bonus section

The emphasis on salvation as a gift ("dōron") connects strongly to other Pauline texts that underscore divine sovereignty in salvation. This is not to diminish human responsibility to believe, but to frame it within God's initiating grace. The Greek term pistis (faith) implies both intellectual assent and a personal act of trust and surrender. It's an active receiving. The order of words, "by grace" first, then "through faith," highlights the priority of grace. God's grace always precedes human faith, enabling it and providing its object. This verse also lays foundational theological ground for the proper understanding of good works in the Christian life (Eph 2:10), where good works are the fruit and evidence of salvation, never the root or cause. This distinction prevents antinomianism (disregard for moral law) on one hand and legalism on the other. It is a work of the Father (initiator of grace), through the Son (mediator of salvation), applied by the Holy Spirit (enabler of faith), though these Trinitarian aspects are implied rather than explicit in this particular verse.

Ephesians 2 8 Commentary

Ephesians 2:8 stands as a bedrock truth of Christian doctrine, succinctly encapsulating the essence of salvation. It emphatically declares that salvation is entirely a work of divine grace – God's unmerited favor and benevolent disposition towards fallen humanity – not an earned reward or an outcome of human effort. The phrase "you have been saved" (perfect passive indicative) denotes a complete, settled reality; believers are already rescued, and God is the one who performed the saving act. This deliverance is received "through faith," which serves as the instrumental channel or receptive hand, rather than the causative agent. Faith, in this context, is not a meritorious work, but a confident trust and reliance upon God's provision in Christ. The pivotal "and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" serves as a powerful disclaimer, leaving absolutely no room for human boasting or self-righteousness. The neuter pronoun "this" (touto) points back to the entire preceding concept of being "saved by grace through faith," signifying that not only the salvation itself but also the very faith that apprehends it, is ultimately God-given. Therefore, salvation is a divine monopoly, designed to showcase God's glory and generosity, leading seamlessly into the subsequent verse (2:9), which eliminates all human boasting, and 2:10, which reveals God's purpose for saved humanity.

Examples for practical usage:

• For someone burdened by guilt or struggling to "earn" God's favor: Remind them that salvation is not a score to be settled but a gift to be received.
• When faced with religious legalism: Use this verse to explain that attempting to gain salvation through rules or rituals undermines God's free gift.
• For evangelism: Emphasize that there is no prerequisite merit to come to Christ, only open-handed reception.