The expression "fellow-citizens with the saints" in verse 19 does not at first present a

problem until we realize that the Greek reads "fellow-citizens of the saints". In translating

there is another problem because the Greek can be translated `holy persons', or `saints',

or `holy places'. In Hebrews 9:8 the Greek is translated "the holiest of all" and in 10:19

"the holiest". In The Testimony of the Lords Prisoner, page 94, Charles Welch lists the

passages that are affected by this new translation, and we quote them:

We also have in Ephesians 2:19 the expression "household of God", and this leads us

to think of a house, or home. Six Greek words are used in verses 19-22 which include the

word `house' which in Greek is oikos. As there is so much emphasis on this in the

original Greek we list them below:

God has always desired to dwell with His people: this can be a lengthy study. This

subject is covered by Stuart Allen and Charles Welch in their respective books. We are

built into a building, fitly framed together, which grows to form a holy Temple in the

Lord, and this is to be a habitation, or dwelling place, of God through the Spirit.

The Greek word for `temple in Ephesians 2:21 is not hieron which should indicate a

temple as a whole, but naos, which means the innermost shrine, the holy of holies, and

this is in line with what we have discovered about the translation of the Greek word

epouraniois which can mane holy persons or holy places. We should bear this in mind in

Ephesians 2:6 where we read "and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ

Jesus"; and also in Colossians 3:1-4 where in verse 1 we read that we should "seek those

things which are above where Christ setteth on the right hand of God".

The reference to apostles and prophets in 2:20 should not be confused with the 12

apostles. It may help if we quote from Letters from Prison, page 54:

"The ministry given through the new order of apostles and prophets of which Paul was chief, was a