2:10a

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For here introduces the basis or reason for the previous statement in 2:9. Paul clearly states again that this grace and salvation are not from us or out of any good thing we have done.

Here is another way to translate this word:

Because,

we are God’s workmanship: The expression we are God’s workmanship means that God made us what we now are. This refers to God spiritually remaking us when we became Christians. By saying this Paul again emphasizes that our salvation is all God’s work, and not ours.

Here are some other ways to translate this expression:

God has made us what we are (Good News Translation)
-or-
we are God’s masterpiece (New Living Translation (2004))

2:10b

created in Christ Jesus: When God saved us, he remade or recreated us. We are a new creation. See translation advice in the following note.

in Christ Jesus: God gave us this new life by uniting us with Christ Jesus. See how you translated in Christ Jesus in 1:1d and 2:6b and in Christ in 1:3b, 1:9b, and 1:12a.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

In Christ Jesus, God made us… (New Century Version)
-or-
God made us ⌊new people⌋ through Christ Jesus
-or-
God made us new people because we are in Christ Jesus

to do good works: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to do good works is literally “walk in good works.” Here the word works means deeds. So the phrase to do good works means that believers should be doing good behaviors or doing good deeds as a normal part of their lives.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

for a life of good deeds (Good News Translation)
-or-
so we can do the good things (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
in order that we would behave in good ways

2:10c

which God prepared in advance as our way of life: This clause means that before God recreated us, he had already planned what good deeds he wanted us to do.

in advance: The phrase in advance refers to the time before God saved us. If it is not clear in your translation what this refers to, you can supply this information. For example:

Even before he saved us, God had already planned for us to do these good works.

as our way of life: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as as our way of life is literally “that we should walk in them” (as in the Revised Standard Version). The Greek word for “walk” is a figure of speech that refers to our daily actions and our behavior.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

for us to live doing good deeds
-or-
for us to behave in good ways

For another reference to “walk,” see the note on 2:2a.

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