Ephesians 5:23

Ephesians 5:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
• New International Version (NIV)For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

Context of Ephesians 5:23

21being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as [a service] to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church, Himself being the Savior of the body. 24But as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives should be subject to their husbands in everything [respecting both their position as protector and their responsibility to God as head of the house]. 25Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

Ephesians 5:23 word by word

ὅτι ἀνήρ ἐστιν κεφαλὴ τῆς γυναικὸς ὡς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς κεφαλὴ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, αὐτὸς σωτὴρ τοῦ σώματος·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• the husbandὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the husbandἀνήρanēr · man: husbandG435
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the headκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
• of the wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• evenκαίkai · andG2532
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• Christ isΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• of the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• the saviourσωτήρsōtēr · saviorG4990
• of the bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983

Cross-references for Ephesians 5:23

• 1 Corinthians 11:3But I want you to understand that Christ is the head (authority over) of every man, and man is the head of woman, and God is the head of Christ.
• Ephesians 1:22And He put all things [in every realm] in subjection under Christ’s feet, and appointed Him as [supreme and authoritative] head over all things in the church,
• Ephesians 4:15But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ.
• Colossians 1:18He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything.
• Ephesians 5:25Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
• Acts 20:28Take care and be on guard for yourselves and for the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd (tend, feed, guide) the church of God which He bought with His own blood.
• 1 Thessalonians 1:10and to [look forward and confidently] wait for [the coming of] His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who [personally] rescues us from the coming wrath [and draws us to Himself, granting us all the privileges and rewards of a new life with Him].
• Revelation 5:9And they sang a new song [of glorious redemption], saying, “Worthy and deserving are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slain (sacrificed), and with Your blood You purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

Commentaries on Ephesians 5:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23For the husband is the head of the wife - This is the reason which the apostle gives for his injunctions. See above. He is the Savior of the body - As Christ exercises authority over the Church so as to save and protect it, so let the husband exercise authority over his wife by protecting, comforting, and providing her with every necessary and comfort of life, according to his power.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23For the husband is the head of the wife - see the notes on 1 Corinthians 11:3. As Christ is the head of the church - As Christ rules over the church, and has a right to direct and control it. And he is the Saviour of the body - That is, of the church, represented as “his body;” see notes, Ephesians 1:23. The idea here seems to be, that as Christ gave himself to save his body, the church; as he practiced self-denial and made it an object of intense…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-33Verses 22-33 The duty of wives is, submission to their husbands in the Lord, which includes honouring and obeying them, from a principle of love to them. The duty of husbands is to love their wives. The love of Christ to the church is an example, which is sincere, pure, and constant, notwithstanding her failures. Christ gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify it in this world, and glorify it in the next, that he might bestow on all his members…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-24For the husband is the head of the wife: To be the head is to have authority (see 1 Corinthians 11:3). as Christ is the head of the church: See Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18; 2:10, 19.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. (1Co 11:3.) even as--Greek, "as also." and he is--The oldest manuscripts read, "Himself (being) Saviour," omitting "and," and "is." In Christ's case, the Headship is united with, nay gained by, His having SAVED the body in the process of redemption; so that (Paul implies) I am not alleging Christ's Headship as one entirely identical with that other, for He has a claim to it, and office in it, peculiar to Himself [Alford]. The husband is not saviour of…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 5:23

• Church
• Family
• Husband
• Jesus Continued
• Wife

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Arise
• Awake
• Church
• Dear
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Fellowship
• Flesh
• Fruit

Commentaries on Ephesians 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings