Font Size
2 Thessalonians 2:13
New English Translation
2 Thessalonians 2:13
New English Translation
Call to Stand Firm
13 But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters[a] loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning[b] for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:3.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13 tc ‡ Several mss (B F G P 0278 33 81 323 1505 1739 1881 al bo) read ἀπαρχήν (aparchēn, “as a firstfruit”; i.e., as the first converts) instead of ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς (ap’ archēs, “from the beginning,” found in א D K L Ψ 1175 1241 M it sa), but this seems more likely to be a change by scribes who thought of the early churches in general in this way. But Paul would not be likely to call the Thessalonians “the firstfruits” among his converts. Further, ἀπαρχή (aparchē, “firstfruit”) is a well-worn term in Paul’s letters (Rom 8:23; 11:16; 16:5; 1 Cor 15:20, 23; 16:15), while ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς occurs nowhere else in Paul. Scribes might be expected to change the text to the more familiar term. Nevertheless, a decision is difficult (see arguments for ἀπαρχήν in TCGNT 568), and ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς must be preferred only slightly.
Ephesians 1:4
New English Translation
Ephesians 1:4
New English Translation
4 For[a] he chose us in Christ[b] before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless[c] before him[d] in love.[e]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ephesians 1:4 tn Grk “just as.” Eph 1:3-14 are one long sentence in Greek that must be broken up in English translation. Verse 4 expresses the reason why God the Father is blessed (cf. BDAG 494 s.v. καθώς 3).
- Ephesians 1:4 tn Grk “in him.”
- Ephesians 1:4 sn The Greek word translated blameless (ἀμώμους, amōmous) is often translated “unblemished” when used of an acceptable sacrifice in the LXX. In the NT Christ our sacrifice is also said to be unblemished (Heb 9:14; 1 Pet 1:19). Since believers are in Christ, God views them positionally and will make them ultimately without blemish as well (Jude 24; Eph 5:27; Col 1:22).
- Ephesians 1:4 tn Or “in his sight.”
- Ephesians 1:4 tn The prepositional phrase ἐν ἀγάπῃ (en agapē, “in love”) may modify one of three words or phrases: (1) “chose,” (2) “holy and unblemished,” both in v. 4, or (3) “by predestining” in v. 5. If it modifies “chose,” it refers to God’s motivation in that election, but this option is unlikely because of the placement of the prepositional phrase far away from the verb. The other two options are more likely. If it modifies “holy and unblemished,” it specifies that our holiness cannot be divorced from love. This view is in keeping with the author’s use of ἀγάπη to refer often to human love in Ephesians, but the placement of the prepositional phrase not immediately following the words it modifies would be slightly awkward. If it modifies “by predestining” (v. 5), again the motivation of God’s choice is love. This would fit the focus of the passage on God’s gracious actions toward believers. In Eph 3:17 the same prepositional phrase, ἐν ἀγάπῃ (en agapē, “in love”), occurs in the Greek text ahead of the participles it modifies, presumably for emphasis, and the same could be the case here.
New English Translation (NET)
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.