1:4a
For: There is an issue with the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For. Scholars have various views about the way in which this Greek word connects 1:3 and 1:4. Here are the three main interpretations:
(1) The Greek word introduces some of the specific blessings that God has given us. In 1:3, Paul made the general statement that God has blessed us with every blessing. Beginning with 1:4, he tells specifically what some of these blessings are. An example of this interpretation is the New Century Version, which says:
3b God has given us every spiritual blessing…. 4 That is, in Christ, he chose us before the world was made…. (New Century Version)
(New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible footnote)
(2) The Greek word indicates the reason that God blessed us. All the blessings in 1:3 come to us because God chose us before he made the world. So according to this interpretation, the Greek word should be translated as “for” or “because.” For example:
For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world… (NET Bible)
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, NET Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
(3) The Greek word indicates that the manner in which God has blessed us is the same as the manner in which he chose us. God has blessed us in Christ just as he chose us in Christ. According to this interpretation, the Greek word should be translated as “just as” or “even as.” For example:
…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world… (New American Standard Bible)
(Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, English Standard Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).
Here are some other ways to translate following interpretation (1):
• Translate the Greek word with a word or a phrase to explicitly show the connection between 1:3 and 1:4. For example:
specifically
-or-
that is (New Century Version)
• Do not translate the Greek word and leave the connection implicit.
The Display gives an example of each.
He chose us in Him: The pronoun He refers to God. The pronoun Him refers to Christ.
In order to make the meaning of He chose us clear you may need to say:
he chose us to be his people.
in Him: Most commentators agree that the phrase in Him indicates the reason God chose us.
Here is one way to translate:
God chose us because of Christ.
before the foundation of the world: In some languages, the meaning of before the foundation of the world will be clearer if you change the noun foundation into a verb and add the agent, who is God. For example:
before God created the world
Also consider whether it would be more natural in your language to put this clause at the beginning rather than at the end of the sentence. For example:
Before God created the world, he chose us…
world: Here the word world refers to the entire universe. It includes both the heavens and the earth. See world, Meaning 2 in the Glossary for more information.
1:4b
to be holy and blameless in His presence: Because this sentence that began in 1:4a is already long, you could break it and start a new sentence here by saying:
⌊He did this so that we should⌋ be holy and blameless in his presence.
to be: The verb to be indicates the purpose God chose us.
Here are some other ways to translate this verb:
He chose us in order that we should be holy and blameless.
-or-
He chose us so that we should be holy and blameless.
holy: Here holy “means pure, clean and without any sin.” See holy, Meaning 2 in the Glossary.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
without sin
-or-
pure spiritually
blameless: The word blameless means that there is nothing bad in a person’s behavior that God (or other people) could find fault with.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
without blame (New Century Version
-or-
without fault (Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
innocent (Contemporary English Version)
in His presence: The pronoun His refers to God. This is literally “before him.”
Here are some other ways to translate 1:4b:
that he will consider us to be holy and innocent
-or-
holy and blameless when we stand before him
-or-
he will see us as holy and innocent
1:4c
In love: There are different views as to whether the phrase In love relates to what precedes or what follows:
(1) In love goes with 1:5. According to this interpretation, In love gives the reason why God decided to adopt us. One way to translate this phrase is, “because of his love” or “because he loves us.” For example:
Because of his love he had already decided to adopt us… (God’s Word)
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, God’s Word, English Standard Version)
(2) In love goes with 1:4. According to this interpretation, In love further describes the life for which God has chosen us, that is, we should be full of love. The Revised English Bible follows this interpretation:
he chose us in Christ to be his people, to be without blemish in his sight, to be full of love (Revised English Bible)
(New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, King James Version, Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004), NET Bible)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).
love: The word love here refers to God’s great affection and concern for his people. See love, Meaning 1 in the Glossary for more information.
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