# To the Ephesians 18.2

- Author: [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/ignatius-of-antioch/)
- Work: [To the Ephesians](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/) (*Ad Ephesios*)
- Date: ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:190–192; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 172–277 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912-1913), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/18/2/

Summary: Christ was conceived by Mary, born, and baptized to sanctify the water of baptism.

## Greek text

ὁ γὰρ θεὸς ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς ἐκυοφορήθη ὑπὸ Μαρίας κατʼ οἰκονομίαν θεοῦ ἐκ σπέρματος μὲν Δαυείδ, πνεύματος δὲ ἁγίου· ὃς ἐγεννήθη καὶ ἐβαπτίσθη, ἵνα τῷ πάθει τὸ ὕδωρ καθαρίσῃ.

## English translation (Claude)

For our God, Jesus the Christ, was conceived by Mary according to God's plan, of the seed of David and of the Holy Spirit; he was born and was baptized, so that by his suffering he might cleanse the water.

## Scripture references

- Rom 1:3: allusion, medium confidence
- 2 Tim 2:8: echo, medium confidence
- Matt 1:18: echo, medium confidence
- Matt 3:13: echo, low confidence

## Translation notes

- “God's plan” (οἰκονομίαν): God's ordered arrangement of salvation.
- “Cleanse the water”: to make the water of baptism holy.

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Eph. 18.2 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/18/2/).