Romans 8:30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Study Note
Study Note
The so-called 'golden chain' — predestined, called, justified, glorified — presents salvation as a unified divine action spanning eternity past to eternity future. The aorist tense used for 'glorified' (edoxasen) is remarkable: a future event narrated as already accomplished, indicating that Paul views the believer's final glorification as certain as if completed. Theologically this verse is a pivot in Romans 8's argument for the security of those in Christ, a confidence grounded in God's elective and justifying action, not human moral achievement. The passage has been central in debates between Calvinist and Arminian soteriology, with the chain itself serving both as a comfort text and as a locus for questions about divine sovereignty and human freedom.
Other Translations
and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
and whom He did fore-appoint, these also He did call; and whom He did call, these also He declared righteous; and whom He declared righteous, these also He did glorify.
And those who were marked out by him were named; and those who were named were given righteousness; and to those to whom he gave righteousness, in the same way he gave glory.
Cross References
Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and …
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting …
And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should …
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on …
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are …
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may …
Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: …
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which …
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.