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NASB | Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace [God's remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; |
Bible Question: Is the "it" referring to grace, saved, or faith in Ephesians 2:8 |
Bible Answer: Greetings View! Great question! In Greek, pronouns and their antecedents must agree with each other in both gender and number. In this verse, 'grace' is a feminine, singular noun, and 'faith' is also a feminine, singular noun. However, 'it' is a neuter, singular pronoun. Thus, 'it' cannot refer to either 'grace' or 'faith'. To what then does 'it' refer? My best guess would be the entire process of salvation, which would include both grace and faith. I hope this helps! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |