Ephesians 1:9
in Ephesians 1And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
KJV
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
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This verse in Ephesians 1
Commentary
4 notes on this verseSome attentive reader might object: "If Paul knows in part and prophesies in part and now sees as through a glass darkly, how is the mystery of God revealed either to him or to the Ephesians "in all wisdom and insight?" … It is not that they by themselves have learned this mystery "in all wisdom and insight," but God "in all wisdom and insight" has revealed the mystery to us, so far as we are able to grasp it.
This site's exposition
he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence
on Ephesians 1:8-9
Wisdom and prudence abound toward the church before the mystery is even named, God's own capacity given rather than borrowed. Made known unto us the mystery of his will opens the letter's mystery thread, musterion in Paul's vocabulary meaning a secret once hidden and now published rather than a riddle still unsolved; the same word returns at 3:3, 3:9, 5:32 and 6:19 as the letter's later argument unfolds pieces of it. The purpose lies entirely within God himself, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself, prior to any human asking.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Having made known to us - By his word and by his Spirit. The mystery of his will - The gracious scheme of salvation by faith, which depends on his own sovereign will alone. This was but darkly discovered under the law; is now totally hid from unbelievers; and has heights and depths which surpass all the knowledge even of true believers.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Having made known to us the mystery of his will - The word “mystery” (μυστήριον mustērion) means literally something into which one must be “initiated” before it is fully known (from μυέω mueō, to initiate, to instruct); and then anything which is concealed or hidden. We commonly use the word to denote that which is above our comprehension or unintelligible. But this is never the meaning of the word in the New Testament.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| γνωρίσας | gnorisas | having made known | G1107 → | 24 times |
| ἡμῖν | hemin | to us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μυστήριον | musterion | mystery | G3466 → | 27 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θελήματος | thelematos | will | G2307 → | 62 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| κατὰ | kata | according to | G2596 → | 468 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εὐδοκίαν | eudokian | pleasure | G2107 → | |
| αὐτοῦ, | autou | of Him, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἣν | hen | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| προέθετο | proetheto | He purposed | G4388 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
γνωρίσαςhaving made known
gnorisasG1107 →24 times
ἡμῖνto us
heminG3165 →1936 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
μυστήριονmystery
musterionG3466 →27 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
θελήματοςwill
thelematosG2307 →62 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
κατὰaccording to
kataG2596 →468 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
εὐδοκίανpleasure
eudokianG2107 →
αὐτοῦ,of Him,
autouG846 →5565 times
ἣνwhich
henG3739 →1405 times
προέθετοHe purposed
proethetoG4388 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐτῷHim
autoG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 1:11In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
it leads to
- Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- 1 Peter 1:4
and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,
- Isaiah 46:10–11
I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
- Romans 8:28
Through
2 Timothy 1:9He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:8–9
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,
- Titus 3:4–5
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
- Ephesians 1:3–4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
- Romans 16:25
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past
- Romans 11:5–6
In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
- Ephesians 2:8–9
Where this verse is studied
About Ephesians

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jerome, Commentary on Ephesians 1:9; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
