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But God

I am studying Ephesians right now, very slowly, and I'm glad to hear N.T. Wright has a new book out about it. However, I find his style repetitive and wordy. So be it. He gives another kingdom view of the New Testament.  

I came to Ephesians 2:4 today: "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us..."

The preceding verses chronicle our state before conversion and really, before the cross. 

Here is the interlinear version:


The phrase "But God" appears a great deal in the Bible, so here are some. The thought "But God" appears more. 

From Joseph's life:

  1. Genesis 48:21
    Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.
  2. Genesis 50:20
    But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
  3. Genesis 50:24
    And Joseph said to his brethren, “I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”
  4. From David: 
  5. 1 Chronicles 28:3
    But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.’
  6. From Asaph:
  7. Psalm 73:26
    My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
  8. From Isaiah
  9. Isaiah 17:13
    The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters; But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, And be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, Like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
  10. Of Jesus:
  11. Luke 5:21
    And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
  12. From Paul
    1. Romans 5:8
      But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
    2. Romans 6:17
      But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
    3. 1 Corinthians 1:27
      But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
    4. 1 Corinthians 2:10
      But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
    5. 1 Corinthians 3:6
      I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
    6. ________________________
    7. All this to say, God intervenes, God changes the natural order, God delivers the undeliverable.

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