Ephesians 5:26

Ephesians 5:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
• New International Version (NIV)to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
• English Standard Version (ESV)that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
• New King James Version (NKJV)that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

Context of Ephesians 5:26

24But as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives should be subject to their husbands in everything [respecting both their position as protector and their responsibility to God as head of the house]. 25Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], 27so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless. 28Even so husbands should and are morally obligated to love their own wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:26 word by word

ἵνα αὐτὴν ἁγιάσῃ καθαρίσας τῷ λουτρῷ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν ῥήματι,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• might sanctifyἁγιάζωhagiazō · to sanctifyG37
• and cleanse itκαθαρίζωkatharizō · to cleanG2511
• with the washingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• with the washingλουτρόνloutron · washingG3067
• of waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
• byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the wordῥῆμαrhēma · declarationG4487

Cross-references for Ephesians 5:26

• John 17:17Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth.
• Acts 26:18to open their [spiritual] eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness and release from their sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified (set apart, made holy) by faith in Me.’
• 1 Corinthians 6:11And such were some of you [before you believed]. But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior].
• Hebrews 9:14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal [Holy] Spirit willingly offered Himself unblemished [that is, without moral or spiritual imperfection as a sacrifice] to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the ever living God?
• Hebrews 10:10And in accordance with this will [of God] we [who believe in the message of salvation] have been sanctified [that is, set apart as holy for God and His purposes] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) once for all.
• 1 Peter 1:2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be yours in increasing abundance [as you walk closely with God].
• Jude 1:1Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, [writes this letter], To those who are the called (God’s chosen ones, the elect), dearly loved by God the Father, and kept [secure and set apart] for Jesus Christ:
• Ezekiel 16:9“Then I washed you with water; yes, I [thoroughly] washed away from you the [clinging] blood and anointed you with oil.
• Ezekiel 36:25Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols.
• Zechariah 13:1“In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the people of Jerusalem for [cleansing from] sin and impurity.
• John 3:5Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God.
• Acts 22:16Now, why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name [for salvation].’
• Hebrews 10:22let us approach [God] with a true and sincere heart in unqualified assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
• 1 Peter 3:21Corresponding to that [rescue through the flood], baptism [which is an expression of a believer’s new life in Christ] now saves you, not by removing dirt from the body, but by an appeal to God for a good (clear) conscience, [demonstrating what you believe to be yours] through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
• 1 John 5:6This is He who came through water and blood [His baptism and death], Jesus Christ—not by the water only, but by the water and the blood. It is the [Holy] Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. [He is the essence and origin of truth itself.]
• John 15:8My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples.

Commentaries on Ephesians 5:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it - The Church is represented as the spouse of Christ, as the woman is the spouse of the man; and, to prepare this Church for himself, he washes, cleanses, and sanctifies it. There is certainly an allusion here to the ancient method of purifying women, who were appointed to be consorts to kings; twelve months, it appears, were in some instances spent in this purification: Six months with oil of myrrh, and six months…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26That he might sanctify - The great object of the Redeemer was to purify and save the church. The meaning here is, that a husband is to manifest similar love toward his wife, and a similar desire that she should be prepared to “walk before him in white”. And cleanse it with the washing of water - In all this there is an allusion doubtless to the various methods of purifying and cleansing those who were about to be married, and who were to be united to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-33Verses 22-33 The duty of wives is, submission to their husbands in the Lord, which includes honouring and obeying them, from a principle of love to them. The duty of husbands is to love their wives. The love of Christ to the church is an example, which is sincere, pure, and constant, notwithstanding her failures. Christ gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify it in this world, and glorify it in the next, that he might bestow on all his members…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26by the washing with water through the word: The church has been purified by the message of good news. God has forgiven the sins of his people through Christ's sacrificial death (John 15:3; compare Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 3:21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. sanctify--that is, consecrate her to God. Compare Joh 17:19, meaning, "I devote Myself as a holy sacrifice, that My disciples also may be devoted or consecrated as holy in (through) the truth" [Neander] (He 2:11; 10:10; 13:12 see on He 10:10). and cleanse--rather, as Greek, "cleansing," without the "and." with the washing of water--rather as Greek, "with," or "by the laver of the water," namely, the baptismal water. So it ought to be translated in Tit…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 5:26

• Ablution
• Baptism
• Church
• Husband
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Sanctification
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Types
• Washing
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Arise
• Awake
• Dear
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Fellowship
• Flesh
• Fruit
• Light
• Marriage
• Melody

Commentaries on Ephesians 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings