Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Parallel translations
- WEB having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,
- BSB He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,
- NKJV having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
- NASB He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
- NLT God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
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
God predestined believers for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to his gracious will. It reveals the loving, family purpose behind election.
Overview
Building on verse 4, Paul names the destiny God appointed: adoption into his family through Christ. Adoption was a rich Roman legal image conferring full sonship, inheritance, and a new identity. The phrase 'according to the good pleasure of his desire' stresses that this stems from God's free delight, not obligation. Faithful Christians differ on the precise relation of predestination and faith, but agree it magnifies God's grace.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 28
- Rom 8:29–30For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
- Eph 1:11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
- Gal 4:5–6To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
- John 1:12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
- 1 Jn 3:1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
- Rom 8:14–17For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
- Gal 3:26For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
- Rom 8:23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
- 2 Cor 6:18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
- Rev 21:7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
- Hos 1:10Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
- Eph 1:9Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
- Rom 9:11–16(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
- Jer 3:19But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
- 2 Th 1:11Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
- John 11:52And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
- Heb 2:10–15For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
- Luke 10:21In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
- 1 Cor 1:21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
- Heb 12:5–9And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
- John 20:17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
- Dan 4:35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
- Matt 11:26Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
- Luke 11:32The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
- Phil 2:13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
- Matt 1:25And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
- Jer 3:4Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?
- 1 Cor 1:1Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
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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.
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Original language
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