(Divine) selection (abstractly or concretely)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
G1589 is the noun for election, selection, or choosing. In the New Testament it can describe God's choosing of a person for service, His gracious preservation of a remnant, or His saving purpose displayed in a believing community.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐκλογή (G1589) · Open the biblical lexicon
G1589 is the noun for election, selection, or choosing. In the New Testament it can describe God's choosing of a person for service, His gracious preservation of a remnant, or His saving purpose displayed in a believing community.
The BSB source-word alignment has 7 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include election (3), [that] He has chosen (1), chosen (1), chosen by (1), elect (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Acts 9:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Romans (4), 1 Thessalonians (1), 2 Peter (1), Acts (1).
G1589 is the noun for election, selection, or choosing. In the New Testament it can describe God's choosing of a person for service, His gracious preservation of a remnant, or His saving purpose displayed in a believing community. The word does not provide a complete doctrine by itself. Romans 9 and 11, 1 Thessalonians 1, Acts 9, and 2 Peter 1 each give it a distinct role within a larger argument.
Paul uses election to magnify grace and humble presumption. In 1 Thessalonians, he recognizes God's choice through a gospel that came with power and through a church whose faith, love, and hope became visible. In Romans 11, election sustains a remnant by grace and preserves God's covenant faithfulness while warning Gentiles against pride. Teachers should neither mute the word nor make it a speculative map of God's hidden counsel. Its pastoral fruit is assurance rooted in God's grace, gratitude for the gospel, holy diligence, mission, and humility toward others.
G1589 names choosing or election in passages where God's grace establishes identity, preserves a remnant, appoints service, and produces humble confidence rather than speculation.
Brothers who are beloved by God, we know that He has chosen you,
Paul knows the Thessalonians are loved and chosen as he sees the gospel arrive with power and their faith, love, and hope take public shape.
Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs.
Israel remains loved concerning election because of the patriarchs, so present opposition to the gospel does not cancel God's covenant faithfulness or permit Gentile boasting.
In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
The present remnant exists according to a choosing of grace, which excludes works as the ground and preserves hope amid widespread unbelief.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. Divine selection of persons for salvation, never human choice; emphasizes God's sovereign action.
Divine selection of persons for salvation, never human choice; emphasizes God's sovereign action.
(ἐκλέγω), [in Aq.: Isa.22:7; Sm., Th.: Isa.37:24 * ;] a choice, selection; in NT, always of the Divine choice (EV, election): σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς, genitive qual., a chosen vessel; κατ ἐ., Rom.9:11 11:5, 28; with genitive of person(s), 1Th.1:4, 2Pe.1:10; by meton., ἡ ἐ. = οἱ ἐκλεκτοί, Rom.11:7.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
7 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
a choosing out, selecting, choice by God
Read versea choosing out, selecting, choice by God
Read versea choosing out, selecting, choice by God
Read versea choosing out, selecting, choice by God
Read versea choosing out, selecting, choice by God
Read versea choosing out, selecting, choice by God
Read versea choosing out, selecting, choice by God
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 3 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 1 selected witness from 7 lexical occurrence verses.
ἐκλογή is built from this root:
Highlights God’s sovereign purpose in establishing the promise line. Romans 9:1-13
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
G1589 directs attention to God's gracious initiative without turning believers into spectators of a hidden decree. In 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul speaks of election alongside a gospel received in power and a life of faith, love, hope, imitation, and witness. In Romans 11, election preserves a remnant by grace and protects confidence in God's faithfulness, while the same chapter warns Gentile believers not to become proud.
Acts 9 shows a chosen instrument sent to proclaim Christ and suffer for His name. The word therefore supports assurance, but never self-exaltation or passivity. Its fitting fruits are worship, holiness, endurance, mission, and humility. Teachers should say clearly what Scripture says about God's sovereign grace, then resist claims about particular persons or secret purposes that the passages do not authorize.
1Thess.1.4
Election or choosing is the proposed corrected display gloss for G1589. In this Pauline-focused companion, local STEP TAGNT evidence shows about 5 Pauline use(s), with common forms including N-ASF 4 and N-NSF 1. As an action noun, it names choosing; each sentence and the wider gospel argument identify the chooser, purpose, and pastoral force.
God's choosing of Abraham and Israel establishes a covenant pattern in which grace creates a people for blessing, holiness, witness, and service. New Testament election language continues that God-centered purpose without erasing Israel or making chosen identity a ground for pride.
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain