Ephesians · Chapter 2

Ephesians 2:8 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context

Read this verse slowly. Let it settle before you move on.

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Read in chapter context · Ephesians 2

Both translations, side by side

WEB · World English Bible

"for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,"

KJV · King James Version

"For1063 by grace5485 are ye2075 saved4982 through1223 faith4102; and2532 that5124 not3756 of1537 yourselves5216: it is the gift1435 of God2316:"

How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses are, while the WEB renders these as you, have, been. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.

In context

Ephesians 2:8 in Ephesians 2

A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Ephesians 2:8 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Ephesians 2. Read the full chapter →

v.6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
v.7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;
v.8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
v.9 not of works, that no one would boast.
v.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.

Book background

About the Book of Ephesians

Testament: New Testament
Genre: Pauline epistle
Author: Paul
Date written: c. 60–62 AD
Audience: The church at Ephesus (and likely a circular letter)
Chapters: 6

Ephesians is Paul's soaring meditation on the Christian's identity in Christ — chosen before creation, saved by grace through faith (2:8-9), united in one new humanity, called to walk in love, and equipped with the armour of God for spiritual warfare. Chapter 5 contains the classic teaching on marriage as a picture of Christ and the church.

Setting: Written from Roman imprisonment.

Key themes: unity · grace · church · spiritual warfare · identity

Read Ephesians from the beginning →

Memorisation aid

How to memorise Ephesians 2:8

Ephesians 2:8 contains 20 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.

1

for by grace you have been saved through faith

FBGYHB
2

and that not of yourselves

ATNOY
3

it is the gift of God,

IITGOG

Frequently asked

FAQ about Ephesians 2:8

What does Ephesians 2:8 say?

Ephesians 2:8 reads: "for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God," — from the New Testament, Ephesians (Pauline epistle). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.

What book of the Bible is Ephesians 2:8 in?

Ephesians 2:8 is in the book of Ephesians, traditionally attributed to Paul and written around c. 60–62 AD. Ephesians is pauline epistle in the New Testament, originally addressed to The church at Ephesus (and likely a circular letter). Best known for "by grace you have been saved through faith" and the armour of God.

What is the difference between Ephesians 2:8 in WEB and KJV?

Ephesians 2:8 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "For1063 by grace5485 are ye2075 saved4982 through1223 faith4102; and2532 that5124 not3756 of1537 yourselves5216: it is the gift1435 of God2316:". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.

How long is Ephesians 2:8?

Ephesians 2:8 is 20 words in the WEB translation (98 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 6 seconds.

How can I memorise Ephesians 2:8?

To memorise Ephesians 2:8, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.

Why does Ephesians 2:8 matter in Ephesians?

How can I apply Ephesians 2:8 today?

Many readers use Ephesians 2:8 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Ephesians 2:8 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.

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