What Does 2 Timothy 1:9 Mean in the King James?
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
God’s deliverance and calling are not wages for a life you build; they arise from a purpose and favor already given before the ages.
THE MEANING
You are delivered and called into a life set apart; its source is God’s own purpose and favor, not your work. The gift is already given in the Anointed One, Jesus, before the ages, so your effort cannot be its origin or purchase price.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that you must first make yourself worthy before you can be called dissolves here: the calling and gift do not come from your work.
THE ROOT
σώσαντος
sōsantos from sōzō
GROWS FROM
σωζ- (sōz-), from σῴζω (sōzō)
To rescue, deliver, or preserve.
“saved” in this verse is sōsantos from sōzō. The verb’s deliverance sense resonates with the name Jesus: Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous; here Ἰησοῦ, Iēsou) reflects יֵשׁוּעַ (Yēšūaʿ, Yeshua), from יָשַׁע (yāšaʿ), to deliver from narrowness into spaciousness. The act of rescue and the nature carried in the name meet within this verse.
ALSO GROWS
sōtēr: A rescuer or deliverer.
σωτήρ
The saving action has a corresponding word for the one who delivers.
sōtēria: Rescue or deliverance.
σωτηρία
The same word family names the movement of rescue, not only the status that follows.
χάριν
charin from charis
GROWS FROM
χαρ- (char-), the stem of χάρις (charis)
Favor freely bestowed.
“grace” in this verse is charin from charis. The word carries the sense of favor given, matching the verse’s language of a gift. Its source is God’s purpose, not human achievement.
ALSO GROWS
charizomai: To show favor or grant freely.
χαρίζομαι
The verb makes visible the giving already present in the verse.
charisma: A gift freely given as favor.
χάρισμα
This branch keeps favor and gift joined, as they are in the passage.
αἰωνίων
aiōniōn from aiōnios
GROWS FROM
αἰών
aiōn
An age or order of time.
The KJV wording ‘before the world began’ carries the phrase ‘before times of the ages’ (πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων, pro chronōn aiōniōn). The verse places the gift before those ages, beyond what human work can originate.
ALSO GROWS
aiōn: A span or order of time.
αἰών
This noun gives the verse its temporal scale: God’s purpose precedes an age.
aiōnios: Belonging to an age or ages.
αἰώνιος
This form appears in the phrase about the ages before which the gift is given.
THE PATTERN
God’s calling and deliverance arise from divine purpose and favor before human achievement.
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;THE THREAD
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:This verse joins the same Greek roots found in 2 Timothy: χάρις (charis, favor) and σῴζω (sōzō, deliver). Together they show favor as the ground of deliverance, with the gift coming from God rather than being produced by its recipient.
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