For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The key insight here is that the "gift of God" isn't just referring to faith itself, but to the entire package of salvation through faith, clarifying that this whole process, from beginning to end, originates with God, not with us. This prevents us from taking credit for our faith as if it were an independent achievement.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is explaining the radical transformation of the Ephesians from being spiritually dead and excluded from God's promises to being brought near to Him. He has just described their former state of being "children of wrath" due to their sin. This verse then provides the foundational explanation for how this incredible shift from death to life, from exclusion to inclusion, has occurred.
Ever feel like you need to earn your place with God? This verse cuts right through that idea.
Paul kicks off this powerful statement by emphasizing that salvation isn't something we achieve; it's a gift that flows from God's 'grace.' Notice he uses the definite article, 'the grace,' pointing to a specific, divine grace that's been at work in God's plan. This isn't just a general kindness; it's the free, unmerited favor of God Himself, the very foundation upon which our salvation is built. It's not about our deserving, but His boundless generosity.
If salvation is God's gift, what role does faith play? It's not what you might think!
Paul clarifies that we are saved 'through faith.' But he’s quick to add, 'And this is not your own doing.' The grammatical debate over what 'this' refers to (faith, salvation, or both) highlights a crucial point: whether 'this' refers to faith itself or the entire reality of salvation through faith, the outcome is the same. Neither faith, nor the salvation it apprehends, originates from us. Faith, in this context, is the human hand that reaches out to receive the divine gift. It’s the instrument, the means by which we access what God has already provided through His grace. It doesn't earn salvation; it receives it.
Boasting is a temptation for us all. This verse shows exactly why we can't boast in our salvation.
Paul drives home the point: 'it is the gift of God.' This isn't just saying that salvation is a gift; it's emphasizing that the —grace, the provision of salvation, and the faith to receive it—originates from God. The commentaries highlight that the word 'that' in 'this is not your own doing' likely refers to the whole concept of being saved by grace through faith. This eliminates any room for human pride. Since every component, from the initial grace to the act of believing, comes from God, the glory belongs to Him alone. This truth sets us free from the burden of earning our acceptance and invites us to rest in His finished work.
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Understand the original words
sōzō · Greek Verb
The act of being delivered from the penalty, power, and eventually the presence of sin. It is entirely a work of God initiated by His grace and received through faith.
pistis · Greek Noun
A firm conviction, trust, and reliance upon God and His promises. It is the instrument through which one receives the gift of salvation, not as a meritorious work, but as a response to God's revelation.
dōron · Greek Noun
Something given voluntarily without payment or expectation of return. In theology, it emphasizes that salvation is wholly from God and cannot be earned by human effort.
This passage echoes Ephesians 2:8 by stating that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory, but are justified freely by His grace, highlighting that salvation is a divine gift, not earned by human effort.
Titus 3:5This verse directly parallels Ephesians 2:8, explaining that God saved us not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His own mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit, emphasizing salvation as a merciful act of God.
Philippians 2:12-13This passage supports the idea that salvation is a gift by stating believers should work out their salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God who works in them both to will and to do for His good pleasure, showing that even our willing and doing stem from God's work within us.
John 6:44This verse emphasizes the divine initiative in salvation, stating that no one can come to Jesus unless the Father who sent Him draws him, reinforcing the concept that faith itself, as the means of receiving salvation, is enabled by God's prior action.
Romans 11:6This verse directly contrasts grace and works, stating that if salvation is by grace, it cannot be by works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace, reinforcing the core message of Ephesians 2:8 that salvation is exclusively a gracious gift.
vincentEphesians 2:8: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"
For by grace, etc.This may truly be called exceeding riches of grace, for ye are saved by grace. Grace has the article, the grace of God, in Ephesians 2:5, Ephesians 2:7.And thatNot faith, but the salvation.Of GodEmphatic. Of God is it the gift.
gillEphesians 2:8: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"
For by grace are ye saved,.... This is to be understood, not of temporal salvation, nor of preservation in Christ, nor of providential salvation in order to calling, and much less of being put in a way of salvation, or only in a salvable state; but of spiritual salvation, and that actual; for salvation was not only resolved upon, contrived and secured in the covenant of grace, for the pe…
The key insight here is that the "gift of God" isn't just referring to faith itself, but to the entire package of salvation through faith, clarifying that this whole process, from beginning to end, originates with God, not with us. This prevents us from taking credit for our faith as if it were an independent achievement.
Paul is explaining the radical transformation of the Ephesians from being spiritually dead and excluded from God's promises to being brought near to Him. He has just described their former state of being "children of wrath" due to their sin. This verse then provides the foundational explanation for how this incredible shift from death to life, from exclusion to inclusion, has occurred.
Paul is explaining the radical transformation of the Ephesians from being spiritually dead and excluded from God's promises to being brought near to Him. He has just described their former state of being "children of wrath" due to their sin. This verse then provides the foundational explanation for how this incredible shift from death to life, from exclusion to inclusion, has occurred.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God," — The key insight here is that the "gift of God" isn't just referring to faith itself, but to the entire package of salvation through faith, clarifying that this whole process, from beginning to end,…
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Last reviewed October 2026