Ephesians 5:26

26 to make her holy, cleansing^[a] her by the washing with water through the word,

Ephesians 5:26 in Other Translations

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.

26 Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her,

26 to make her holy, cleansing her in the washing of water by the word.

Ephesians 5:26 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it
Being defiled, both with original sin and actual transgressions; for God's elect, whom Christ loved and espoused from everlasting, fell in Adam with the rest of mankind; and, in their natural state, live in sin as others do; and so are under the guilt, and in the pollution of it, as others be: Christ gave himself for them, that he might deliver them out of this state; he gave himself a sacrifice for them, that he might expiate their sins and make atonement and satisfaction for them; he shed his blood that he might cleanse them from them; and he wrought out a righteousness that he might justify them from all their iniquities; and which being put upon them, makes them to appear pure and spotless in the sight of divine justice; for this sanctifying and cleansing does not so much refer to the inward work of sanctification of the Spirit, though that is a fruit and effect of the death of Christ, and is brought about by the following means, as to the justification of them by the blood and righteousness of Christ: which is said to be,

with the washing of water;
not baptism, which is never expressed by washing; nor does it purify or cleanse from sin; nor is it the means of sanctification and regeneration, which ought to be before it; nor the grace of the Spirit, though that is often compared to water, and regeneration and sanctification are owing to it; yet the saints are not so cleansed from sin by it, as to be without spot or wrinkle; but the blood of Christ, which is the fountain to wash in, and which cleanses from all sin:

by the word;
not the form of words in baptism; but either the Gospel, which brings the good news and glad tidings of peace, pardon, atonement, and justification by Christ; or the sentence of justification pronounced upon the conscience by him; see ( John 15:2 ) .

Ephesians 5:26 In-Context

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Cross References

• 1. John 17:19; Hebrews 2:11; Hebrews 10:10,14; Hebrews 13:12
• 2. S Acts 22:16

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "having cleansed"