Ephesians 5:23
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.
Ephesians 5:23 in other translations
| BSB | 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. |
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| WEB | For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. |
| ASV | For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body. |
| YLT | because the husband is head of the wife, as also the Christ is head of the assembly, and he is saviour of the body, |
| DARBY | for a husband is head of the wife, as also the Christ is head of the assembly. He is Saviour of the body. |
| BBE | For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body. |
| Webster | For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Savior of the body. |
What does Ephesians 5:23 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
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. Eph 1:23. The idea here seems to be, that as Christ gave himself to save his body, the church; as he practised self-denial, and made it an object of intense solicitude to preserve that church, so ought the husband to manifest a similar solicitude to make his wife happy, and to save her from want, affliction, and pain. He ought to regard himself as her natural protector; as bound to anticipate and provide for her wants; as under obligation to comfort her in trial, even as Christ does the church. What a beautiful illustration of the spirit which a husband should manifest is the care which Christ has shown for his "bride," the church, Eph 5:25; also Eph 5:26-29.
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ephesians 5:22-33
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…
Ephesians 5:23 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Ephesians 5:23
- 1 Corinthians 11:3-10
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. …
- Colossians 1:18
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
- Ephesians 1:22-23
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
- Ephesians 5:25-26
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
- Ephesians 4:15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Ephesians 5:22
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
- Ephesians 5:23
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.
- Ephesians 5:24
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Ephesians 5:23 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Porque el marido es cabeza de la mujer, así como Cristo es cabeza de la iglesia; y él es el que da la salud al cuerpo. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | parce que le mari est le chef de la femme, comme aussi le Christ est le chef de l’assemblée, lui, le sauveur du corps. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Denn der Mann ist das Haupt des Weibes, wie auch der Christus das Haupt der Versammlung ist; er ist des Leibes Heiland. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | quoniam vir caput est mulieris, sicut Christus caput est Ecclesiæ: ipse, salvator corporis ejus. |