The Greek word hagios is used 15 times in Ephesians. Six of these occurrences are translated holy, which is the normal rendering of this adjective. But the word is also used frequently as a substantive with the definite article preceding it. Literally, this could be rendered the holies. But when the word refers people, the common rendering is saints. When this word refers to the precincts of the temple, it is rendered holy places as can be found repeatedly in the book of Hebrews. When used of the holy places it is found in the neuter/masculine form, hagion.

The word is found in this form in 2.19 of Ephesians, and is rendered saints, but since it could be masculine as well as neuter (since both forms are spelled alike), the rendering is questionable. Should it be seen as a masculine reference to people and be rendered saints, or should it be seen as neuter and rendered holy places.

In the book, Solving the Secrets of Ephesians, I explain how the context requires the thought of holy places, rather than saints in 2.19. There are biblical translations that render it this way, but they are in the minority. This is the only place out of 15 occurrences where I question the translation of this word.

Additional topics include an in-depth analysis of Paul’s conception of “saints” (a word that Scranton believes is incorrectly translated once).