Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

Ephesians 5:26

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

KJV

ἵνα αὐτὴν ἁγιάσῃ καθαρίσας τῷ λουτρῷ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν ῥήματι,

Greek NT

ut illam sanctificaret, mundans lavacro aquæ in verbo vitæ,

Vulgate

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

ASV

That he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life:

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

9 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
καθαρίζω
katharizo
verb · 31×
λουτρόν
loutron
noun · 2×
ἁγιάζω
agiazo
verb · 28×
ἐν
en
preposition · 2743×
ἵνα
ina
conjunction · 665×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×
ὕδωρ
udor
noun · 76×
ῥῆμα
rema
noun · 67×

Themes

Historic Christian voices

20 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§628Baptism, the original and full sign of which is immersion, efficaciously signifies the descent into the tomb by the Christian who dies to sin with Christ in order to live a new life. "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."474 IN BRIEF
§757"The Church, further, which is called 'that Jerusalem which is above' and 'our mother', is described as the spotless spouse of the spotless lamb. It is she whom Christ 'loved and for whom he delivered himself up that he might sanctify her.' It is she whom he unites to himself by an unbreakable alliance, and whom he constantly 'nourishes and cherishes.'"149 II. THE CHURCH'S ORIG…
§772It is in the Church that Christ fulfills and reveals his own mystery as the purpose of God's plan: "to unite all things in him."189 St. Paul calls the nuptial union of Christ and the Church "a great mystery." Because she is united to Christ as to her bridegroom, she becomes a mystery in her turn.190 Contemplating this mystery in her, Paul exclaims: "Christ in you, the hope of g…
…and 5 more from this source.
1. When having become virtuous we are persecuted by the wicked, or when being desirous of virtue we are mocked at by them, let us not be distracted or angry. For this is the natural course of things, and everywhere virtue is wont to engender hatred from wicked men. For envying those who desire to live properly, and thinking to prepare an excuse for themselves if they can overth…
Source. Translated by J. Walker, J. Sheppard and H. Browne, and revised by George B. Stevens. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 11. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/210216.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Adven…
We have now finished the three chief parts of the common Christian doctrine. Besides these we have yet to speak of our two Sacraments instituted by Christ, of which also every Christian ought to have at least an ordinary, brief instruction, because without them there can be no Christian; although, alas, hitherto no instruction concerning them has been given. In the first place,…
What is Baptism? Is it a washing? The institution of this sacrament Is water the proper matter of this sacrament? Is plain water required? Is this a suitable form of this sacrament: "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"? Could one baptize with this form: "I baptize thee in the name of Christ?" Is immersion necessary for Baptism? Is tr…
Heidelberg Catechism · 2 passages
Q. What do you believe concerning the holy catholic church? A. I believe that the Son of God through his Spirit and Word, out of the entire human race, from the beginning of the world to its end, gathers, protects, and preserves for himself a community chosen for eternal life and united in true faith. And of this community I am and always will be a living member.
Q. Does this outward washing with water itself wash away sins? A. No, only Jesus Christ's blood and the Holy Spirit cleanse us from all sins.
This plan, arising out of God's eternal love for the elect, from the beginning of the world to the present time has been powerfully fulfilled and will also be fulfilled in the future, the gates of hell seeking vainly to prevail against it. As a result the elect are gathered into one, all in their own time, and there is always a church of believers founded on Christ's blood, a c…
We believe and confess one single catholic or universal church—a holy congregation and gathering of true Christian believers, awaiting their entire salvation in Jesus Christ, being washed by his blood, and sanctified and sealed by the Holy Spirit. This church has existed from the beginning of the world and will last until the end, as appears from the fact that Christ is eternal…
Cyprian declares that one cannot have God as Father who does not have the Church as Mother. As there was no salvation outside Noah's ark, there is no salvation outside the one church. The church is the bride of Christ — He loved her and gave Himself for her. To separate from the church is to separate from Christ.

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 1:2 — Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and
  • 1Cor 1:30 — But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
  • 1Cor 6:11 — And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
  • 1Cor 6:11 — And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
  • 1Cor 12:13 — For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
  • 1John 1:9 — If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
  • 1John 5:6 — This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
  • 1Pet 1:2 — Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
  • 1Pet 1:22 — Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
  • 1Pet 3:21 — The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
  • 1Pet 3:21 — The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
  • 1Thess 4:3 — For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
  • 1Thess 5:23 — And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • 2Cor 11:2 — For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
  • 2Kgs 5:13 — And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash,
  • 2Pet 1:9 — But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
  • Acts 3:26 — Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
  • Acts 22:16 — And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
  • Acts 26:18 — To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith t
  • Deut 23:11 — But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.
  • Eph 6:17 — And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
  • Ezek 16:9 — Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.
  • Ezek 36:25 — Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
  • Ezek 36:25 — Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
  • Ezek 37:23 — Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein th
  • Ezek 37:28 — And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
  • Heb 9:14 — How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
  • Heb 10:10 — By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
  • Heb 10:14 — For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
  • Heb 10:22 — Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
  • Heb 10:22 — Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
  • Heb 12:10 — For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
  • Heb 13:12 — Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
  • Jas 1:18 — Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
  • John 2:6 — And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
  • John 3:5 — Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
  • John 3:5 — Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
  • John 13:5 — After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
  • John 13:8 — Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
  • John 13:10 — Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.