For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

EPHESIANS 2:10KJV
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Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)

What does Ephesians 2:10 mean?

Ephesians 2:10 describes believers as people shaped by God for a purpose: to do good. Their life in Christ Jesus is connected to actions that God prepared beforehand for them to carry out.

The image of “workmanship” presents God as the maker and believers as what he has made. Following the statement about being saved in verse 9, verse 10 turns to the kind of life that follows.

The Greek behind Ephesians 2:10

  • “workmanship” — ποίημα (poiēma): This word means something made or fashioned. Here it describes the people themselves as God’s work, rather than describing their actions.
  • “ordained” — προετοιμάζω (proetoimazō): This word carries the sense of preparing beforehand. The emphasis falls on God’s prior preparation of the good works.
  • “walk” — περιπατέω (peripateō): This word can mean to walk around, and it can also describe how someone lives. Here the picture is of good works as the path of a person’s life.

Why Ephesians 2:10 matters

  • The verse connects God’s work with human action. God prepares the good works, while believers are the ones who “walk in them.”
  • The order matters in the surrounding passage. Verses 8–9 say that being saved is God’s gift, “not of works”; verse 10 then speaks of good works as the purpose for which believers are created in Christ Jesus.
  • “We” includes people from different backgrounds. Later in the passage, Paul addresses non-Jewish believers and describes them as brought near to others through Christ (Ephesians 2:11–13).

Where else these words appear

“workmanship” Greek G4161 · used in 2 verses

  • Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

“ordained” Greek G4282 · used in 2 verses

  • Romans 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

“created” Greek G2936 · used in 12 verses

  • Mark 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
  • Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
  • Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

“are” Greek G2070 · used in 51 verses

  • Mark 5:9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
  • Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
  • Galatians 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.