Ephesians 2:20–22

Footnotes

1. 34 Grk “having been built.”
2. 35 Apostles and prophets. Because the prophets appear after the mention of the apostles and because they are linked together in 3:5 as recipients of revelation about the church, they are to be regarded not as Old Testament prophets, but as New Testament prophets.
3. 36 Grk “while Christ Jesus himself is” or “Christ Jesus himself being.”
4. 37 Or perhaps “capstone” (). The meaning of ἀκρογωνιαῖος (akrogōniaios) is greatly debated. The meaning “capstone” is proposed by J. Jeremias ( 1:792), but the most important text for this meaning ( 22:7–23:4) is late and possibly not even an appropriate parallel. The only place ἀκρογωνιαῖος is used in the is Isa 28:16, and there it clearly refers to a cornerstone that is part of a foundation. Furthermore, the imagery in this context has the building growing off the cornerstone upward, whereas if Christ were the capstone, he would not assume his position until the building was finished, which vv. 21–22 argue against.
5. 38 Grk “in whom” (v. 21 is a relative clause, subordinate to v. 20).
6. 39 Although several important witnesses (א1 A C P 6 81 326 1739c 1881) have πᾶσα ἡ οἰκοδομή (pasa hē oikodomē), instead of πᾶσα οἰκοδομή (the reading of א* B D F G Ψ 33 1739* 𝔐), the article is almost surely a scribal addition intended to clarify the meaning of the text, for with the article the meaning is unambiguously “the whole building.” Or “every building.” Although “every building” is a more natural translation of the Greek, it does not fit as naturally into the context, which (with its emphasis on corporate unity) seems to stress the idea of one building.