A STUDY OF WORDS CONCERNING THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION

Many Scripture passages are debated when discussing the doctrine of election. However, before studying the passages, a discussion of the words used is needed. These verses contain many words, several of them are of particular interest: Chose, Elect, foreknowledge, and predestinate.

CHOSE, CHOSEN, OR CHOICE: Many words in the Greek are translated as chose or a variant of it. A study of the Greek adds nothing to the english definitions in common usage today.

ELECT: The word for elect in the Greek is eklektos and is used in the following verses:
  MAT 24:22 LUK 18:7 1PE 1:2
  MAT 24:24 ROM 8:33 1PE 2:6
  MAT 24:31 COL 3:12 2JO 1:1
  MAR 13:20 1TI 5:21 2JO 1:13
  MAR 13:22 2TI 2:10
  MAR 13:27 TIT 1:1
It is also translated seven more times as chosen. It means select.

ELECTION: The word for election in the Greek is ekloge. It is used in the following verses:
  ROM 9:11 ROM 11:7 1TH 1:4
  ROM 11:5 ROM 11:28 2PE 1:10
It is also translated one time as chosen. It means selection.

ELECTED: The word for elected in the Greek is suneklektos. It is used only in 1 PE 5:13. It means chosen in company with.

FOREKNOWLEDGE: The Greek word for foreknowledge is prognosis. It is found in:

  ACT 2:23 1PE 1:2
It means that something is known ahead of its happening.

FOREKNOW: The Greek word for foreknow is proginoceko and means to know ahead of time. It is also translated as foreknew.


PREDESTINATE, PREDESTINATED: The Greek word for predestinate and predestinated is prooridzo. It simply means predetermined. These words are found in:
  ROM 8:29-30 EPH 1:5 EPH 1:11
It is also translated as determine before (1) and ordain (1).