Paragraph 1:11–14

God makes everything happen in the way in which he has decided. He chose the Jews to be the first to believe in Christ, so that they should bring him praise. But the Gentiles were also united with Christ when they believed the gospel and God gave them the Holy Spirit to show they were his people. So we should all praise God for his greatness.

1:11a

In Him: The pronoun Him refers to Christ. This same expression occurs in 1:7a. You may be able to translate it in the same way.

we were also chosen: Here Paul used the pronoun we to refer to himself and other Jewish believers. Since the Ephesians were Gentiles, the pronoun we does not refer to the Ephesians.

also: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as also is used to emphasize God’s action of choosing Paul and his fellow Jews through Christ.

chosen: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as chosen occurs only here in the New Testament. It is a passive verb. This verb includes the idea of casting lots either:

(a) to determine who is appointed to a certain role,
-or-
(b) to determine who obtains a portion of something such as an inheritance. There are several ways to interpret this verb:

(1) It means that the Jews were appointed to be God’s inheritance. As such, the verb basically means “chosen.” For example:

God chose us to be his own people (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, NET Bible, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)

(2) It means that the Jews were chosen to obtain/receive an inheritance, i.e. salvation. For example:

we have received an inheritance from God (New Living Translation (2004))

(New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, King James Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), as it better fits the context of this verse.

1:11b

having been predestined: The verb predestined means “to decide something beforehand” or “to determine ahead of time what one plans to do.” This is a passive verb. In some languages it may be necessary to make it an active verb by stating who did the predestinating. God predestined us long before.

Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

⌊God⌋ determined long ago ⌊to do this for us⌋
-or-
This was ⌊God’s⌋ decision ⌊for us⌋ from ages past

In many English versions, the relationship is ambiguous between the clause “we were chosen” in 1:11a and the clause “having been predestined” in 1:11b. The Display follows the model of the Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004) and New Century Version. These versions state that God chose the Jews because he had predestined it (decided it beforehand).

according to the plan of Him: The phrase according to the plan of Him means that God’s plan was to decide to choose the Jews.

1:11c

who works out everything by the counsel of His will: The clause works out everything by the counsel of His will means: “God makes all things happen just as he determined/wanted.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

he makes everything work out according to his plan (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
which makes everything work the way he intends (God’s Word)

General Comment on 1:11a–c

In some languages, this verse will be clearer if the parts are put in a different order. For example:

11c God makes all things happen just as he wanted. 11b From long ago he decided 11a to choose us to be his people by uniting us with Christ.

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