All things work together for good: foreknown, predestined, called, justified, glorified (Romans 8:28–30)

Says "And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose" (8:28, BSB). SBLGNT, Treg, NA28, RP2018, and the TR read πάντα συνεργεῖ (panta synergei); WH adds ὁ θεός (ho theos, "God") as the subject (var.Rom.8.28.ho-theos; πρόθεσις, lex.G4286).

Uncertain The subject of συνεργεῖ where ὁ θεός is not printed. This commentary leans to God as the subject (so BSB), with πάντα as "in all things" or "all things" as the object, since the verse speaks of God's purpose and those who love him. The alternatives are πάντα as the subject, "all things work together for good," the verb's usual intransitive use, or the Spirit of 8:26–27 as the subject, since the Spirit is the one acting in the verses just before. The Greek note takes the same lean (note.language.Rom.8.28-Rom.8.30.synergei-proegno; lex.G4903).

Implies The "good" of 8:28 is defined by 8:29: being "conformed to the image of His Son" (8:29, BSB), not comfort or success as such (lex.G4832).

Says "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. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified" (8:29–30, BSB). Each verb is aorist, ἐδόξασεν (edoxasen, "glorified") included, and the same people run through the chain from foreknowledge to glory, so that it stands as certain (lex.G4309; lex.G1344).

Uncertain Whether προέγνω (proegnō, "foreknew," 8:29) means a relational choice, "set his love on beforehand," or prior knowledge, "knew beforehand" (for example, of faith). This commentary takes no team lean. For relational choice: the object is persons (οὕς, "those whom"), as in "His people, whom He foreknew" (11:2, BSB), and "know" can mean "choose" in the Old Testament (Amos 3:2). For prior knowledge: the verb means knowing in advance in Acts 26:5 and 2 Pet 3:17, and 8:28 describes those who love God (lex.G4267). How election works is set out in note.exegetical.Rom.8.28-Rom.8.30.how-election-works.