God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God.
Parallel translations
- WEB to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ:
- KJV That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
- BSB in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.
- NKJV that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
- NASB to the end that we who were the first to hope in the Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The purpose is that those who first hoped in Christ would live to the praise of God's glory. It restates that God's glory is the end of salvation.
Overview
Paul repeats the refrain 'to the praise of his glory,' the recurring goal of God's saving acts. 'We who had before hoped in Christ' likely refers to Jewish believers like Paul who first received the gospel. The verse keeps worship at the center: God saves a people in order to display and be praised for his glory.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Eph 1:6to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved,
- Jer 17:5–7Yahweh says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from Yahweh.
- Eph 1:13–14in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation — in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
- Jer 23:6In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely. This is his name by which he shall be called: Yahweh our righteousness.
- Isa 42:1–4“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights — I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.
- Isa 12:2Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Yah, Yahweh, is my strength and song; and he has become my salvation.”
- Isa 45:23I have sworn by myself. The word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and will not be revoked, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.
- Eph 3:21to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
- Ps 146:3–5Don’t put your trust in princes, each a son of man in whom there is no help.
- 2 Th 2:13But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth;
- Isa 11:10It will happen in that day that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who stands as a banner of the peoples; and his resting place will be glorious.
- Jas 1:18Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
- Ps 2:12Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.
- Matt 12:18–21“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
- Eph 2:7that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;
- Isa 32:1–2Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.
- Isa 45:25All the offspring of Israel will be justified in Yahweh, and will rejoice!
- John 14:1“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.
- Rom 15:12–13Again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.”
- 1 Pet 1:21who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.
- 2 Tim 1:12For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.
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Christ at the center
Every spiritual blessing is 'in Christ,' the head over all things for the church, in whom Jew and Gentile are made one new man by his blood.
How Ephesians 1:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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