Romans 8:29

For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Paul writes to Roman believers, placing this declaration immediately after affirming God's purposeful work for their good and before outlining the unbroken chain from calling to glorification.

The words — προέγνω (proegnō) means He foreknew, and προώρισεν (proōrisen) denotes He predestined, both verbs indicating God's prior, deliberate action toward specific individuals.

The thread — Jeremiah 1:5 links divine foreknowledge to personal appointment, while Ephesians 1:11 mirrors the predestination theme within God's overarching plan.

Why it lands — The text states God's prior knowledge and purpose aim to shape believers into Christ's likeness, establishing Christ as the firstborn among many. It requires readers to anchor their identity and future hope in God's initiated purpose rather than human effort.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

ὅτιhotiFor οὓςhousthose whom προέγνω,proegnōHe foreknew,καὶkaialso προώρισενproōrisenHe predestined [to be]συμμόρφουςsummorphousconformed to τῆςtēsthe εἰκόνοςeikonosimage τοῦtouof the υἱοῦhuiouSon αὐτοῦautouof Him εἰςeisfor τὸto<the>εἶναιeinaito be αὐτὸνautonHim πρωτότοκονprōtotokonfirstborn ἐνenamong πολλοῖςpolloismany ἀδελφοῖς·adelphoisbrothers;

King James Version

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Cross-references

Ephesians 1:4 For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Ephesians 1:11 In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
2 Timothy 1:9 He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
1 Peter 1:20 He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
Revelation 13:8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain.
2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”
1 Corinthians 2:7 No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.
1 Peter 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
1 Corinthians 15:49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man.