WHAT IT MEANS
Saved by Grace
Salvation is God’s gift received through faith, not an achievement we can boast about earning.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
CONTEXT
What is happening here?
Paul has just described people as spiritually dead and then announces God’s mercy in making them alive with Christ.
APPLY IT
For today
Rest your confidence in what Christ has done, then let gratitude—not pride or fear—shape your obedience.
Read it in 5 translations
KJV King James Version
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
BSB Berean Standard Bible
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,
WEB World English Bible
for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
ASV American Standard Version
for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you—of God the gift,
Surrounding context — Ephesians 2
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
11 Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
ΤῇG3588 · hothe/this/whoγὰρG1063 · garforχάριτίG5485 · charisgraceἐστεG1510 · eimito beσεσῳσμένοιG4982 · sōzōto saveδιὰG1223 · diathrough/because ofπίστεως,G4102 · pistisfaithκαὶG2532 · kaiandτοῦτοG3778 · ohutosthis/he/she/itοὐκG3756 · ounoἐξG1537 · ekout fromὑμῶν,G4771 · suyouθεοῦG2316 · theosGodτὸG3588 · hothe/this/whoδῶρον,G1435 · dōrongift
Cross-references
Romans 3:22-26Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:Ephesians 2:5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)Romans 4:16Therefore [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 1:12-13But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:Romans 10:17So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.Romans 10:9-10That 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.Acts 16:31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.James 1:16-18Do not err, my beloved brethren.John 6:37All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.John 5:24Verily, 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 4:10Jesus 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 6:27-29Labour 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.Mark 16:16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.Luke 7:50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.Romans 4:5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.John 3:36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.John 3:14-18And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:Acts 13:39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
CLASSIC COMMENTARY & PREACHING
Spurgeon on Ephesians 2:8
Read Charles H. Spurgeon material whose primary Scripture is this verse or passage.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on Ephesians 2:8
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →