Wives and Husbands

22 (A)Wives, (B)submit to your own husbands, (C)as to the Lord. 23 For (D)the husband is the head of the wife even as (E)Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is (F)himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit (G)in everything to their husbands.

25 (H)Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and (I)gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by (J)the washing of water (K)with the word, 27 so (L)that he might present the church to himself in splendor, (M)without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.[a] 28 In the same way (N)husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because (O)we are members of his body. 31 (P)“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and (Q)the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, (R)let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she (S)respects her husband.

Children and Parents

(T)Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (U)“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, (V)but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Bondservants and Masters

(W)Bondservants,[b] obey your earthly masters[c] with fear and trembling, (X)with a sincere heart, (Y)as you would Christ,

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 5:27 Or holy and blameless
  2. Ephesians 6:5 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verse 6; likewise for bondservant in verse 8
  3. Ephesians 6:5 Or your masters according to the flesh

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands(A) as you do to the Lord.(B) 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,(C) his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands(D) in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives,(E) just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her(F) 26 to make her holy,(G) cleansing[a] her by the washing(H) with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself(I) as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.(J) 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives(K) as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body.(L) 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[b](M) 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife(N) as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.(O) “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”[c](P)

Fathers,[d] do not exasperate your children;(Q) instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.(R)

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect(S) and fear, and with sincerity of heart,(T) just as you would obey Christ.(U)

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 5:26 Or having cleansed
  2. Ephesians 5:31 Gen. 2:24
  3. Ephesians 6:3 Deut. 5:16
  4. Ephesians 6:4 Or Parents