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Selected Verse: Ephesians 2:4 - New American Standard Bible©
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Eph 2:4 |
New American Standard Bible© |
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, |
| |
King James |
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
God, who is rich--Greek "(as) being rich in mercy."
for--that is, "because of His great love." This was the special ground of God's saving us; as "rich in mercy" (compare Eph 2:7; Eph 1:7; Rom 2:4; Rom 10:12) was the general ground. "Mercy takes away misery; love confers salvation" [BENGEL]. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
But God, who is rich in mercy - On the use of the word "rich" by Paul, see the notes at Eph 1:7. It is a beautiful expression. "God is 'rich' in mercy;" overflowing, abundant. Mercy is the riches or the wealth of God. People are often rich in gold, and silver, and diamonds, and they pride themselves in these possessions; but God is "rich in mercy." In that he abounds and he is so rich in it that he is wilting to impart it to others; so rich that he can make all blessed.
For his great love - That is, his great love was the reason why he had compassion upon us. It is not that we had any claim or deserved his favor; but it is, that God had for man original and eternal love, and that love led to the gift of a Saviour, and to the bestowment of salvation. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
But God
Resuming Eph 2:1.
For His great love (διά)
For the sake of, in order to satisfy His love.
Quickened us together
Spiritually. Compare Col 2:13; Rom 6:11-14; Rom 8:10, Rom 8:11 "What God wrought in Christ He wrought, ipso facto, in all who are united with Him" (Ellicott). |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Mercy removes misery: love confers salvation. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
But God, who is rich in mercy - As they were corrupt in their nature, and sinful in their practice, they could possess no merit, nor have any claim upon God; and it required much mercy to remove so much misery, and to pardon such transgressions.
His great love - God's infinite love is the groundwork of our salvation; in reference to us that love assumes the form of mercy, and that mercy provides the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore the apostle adds, Eph 2:5 : By grace ye are saved - it is by God's free mercy in Christ that ye are brought into this state of salvation. See on Eph 2:8 (note). |
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),