Ephesians 5:22-24
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The verse emphasizes that wives should submit to their own husbands. This personal connection highlights that the submission is rooted in the unique, intimate relationship they share, not as a general rule for all men, but specifically within their marriage. It's within this "own" relationship that the command is grounded, and that submission is offered "as to the Lord."
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 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. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is shifting from warnings about sinful behavior to practical instructions for Christian living within relationships, starting with marriage. He grounds this in the principle of mutual submission rooted in Christ's love and the Church's response. This verse, therefore, begins a section detailing how wives and husbands should relate to one another, using the Christ-Church relationship as the ultimate model.
The Bible doesn't just command submission; it grounds it in the unique bond between husband and wife.
The Greek word for 'your own' (idios) emphasizes the personal and specific nature of this relationship. This isn't a general command for all women, but a call to wives within their specific marital covenant. It highlights that the submission spoken of here is deeply personal, meant to be exercised within the context of a unique, God-given union. This intimacy is the foundation upon which this instruction is built.
The highest calling for a wife's submission is not just to her husband, but to Christ.
The phrase 'as unto the Lord' is key here. It means wives are to submit to their husbands in the same way the Church submits to Christ. This isn't about a wife being inferior, but about her role within the marriage reflecting the loving, spiritual order God established. Christ is the head of the church, and the church willingly submits to Him. Similarly, a wife's submission to her husband is to be done with the understanding that it is ultimately an act of obedience to God's design and Christ's leadership.
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Kyriō · Greek Noun
The divine Sovereign and Master who possesses supreme authority over all creation and specifically over the Church. It denotes Jesus' lordship as the resurrected Redeemer.
kephalē · Greek Noun
An authoritative leader, source, or origin. In marriage, it denotes the husband's role as the provider of leadership and protection, modeled after Christ's care for His people.
ekklēsia · Greek Noun
The assembly or congregation of believers worldwide who are united to Christ. It is described as His body, reflecting both a living organism and a spiritual organization under His rule.
sōtēr · Greek Noun
The one who delivers or rescues from danger, bondage, or destruction. Specifically, it refers to Jesus, who saves the believer from the penalty and power of sin.
Written during Paul's Roman imprisonment, Ephesians addresses the unique social dynamics of the early church, navigating the tension between ancient Roman patriarchal norms and the transformative equality found in Christ. The letter seeks to integrate new believers into a community where God's order is paramount, even within the domestic sphere.
c. 48-49 AD
Council of Jerusalem
A pivotal gathering of early Christian leaders to address whether Gentile converts needed to follow Jewish law. The decision allowed Gentiles to join the church without circumcision, significantly shaping the early spread of Christianity.
c. 50-52 AD
Paul's Ministry in Ephesus
The Apostle Paul spent a significant amount of time in Ephesus, a major Roman city and hub of culture and religion in Asia Minor. During this period, he likely established the church and began teaching the principles that would later form the basis of his letter to the Ephesians.
c. 60-62 AD— this verse
Paul writes Ephesians from Rome
While imprisoned in Rome, Paul penned the letter to the Ephesians. This period of confinement likely provided him with a unique perspective to offer foundational teachings on Christian life and community.
c. 64 AD
Great Fire of Rome
A devastating fire swept through Rome, leading Emperor Nero to blame and persecute Christians. This event created a climate of fear and suspicion towards believers throughout the Roman Empire.
This passage mirrors the instruction for wives to submit to their husbands, highlighting the call to inner character over outward adornment.
Colossians 3:18This verse directly instructs wives to be subject to their husbands, echoing the core command found in Ephesians.
1 Corinthians 11:3This passage establishes the principle of Christ as the head of man, and man as the head of woman, providing theological grounding for the submission mentioned in Ephesians.
Genesis 2:18-24This creation account reveals the foundational relationship between man and woman, where woman is formed from man and they become 'one flesh,' hinting at the headship/submission dynamic before the fall.
Ephesians 5:25This verse immediately follows, calling husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, demonstrating the reciprocal nature of the marital relationship established by God.
vincentEphesians 5:22: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."
Your own (ἰδίοις)The peculiar personal relationship is emphasized as the ground of the duty.
barnesEphesians 5:22: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands - On this passage, compare notes on 1 Corinthians 11:3-9 . The duty of the submission of the wife to her husband is everywhere enjoined in the Scriptures; see 1 Peter 3:1 ; Colossians 3:18 ; Titus 2:5 . While Christianity designed to elevate the character of the wife, and to make her a fit companion of an intelligent and pious husband, it did not intend to destroy…
The verse emphasizes that wives should submit to their own husbands. This personal connection highlights that the submission is rooted in the unique, intimate relationship they share, not as a general rule for all men, but specifically within their marriage. It's within this "own" relationship that the command is grounded, and that submission is offered "as to the Lord."
Paul is shifting from warnings about sinful behavior to practical instructions for Christian living within relationships, starting with marriage. He grounds this in the principle of mutual submission rooted in Christ's love and the Church's response. This verse, therefore, begins a section detailing how wives and husbands should relate to one another, using the Christ-Church relationship as the ultimate model.
Paul is shifting from warnings about sinful behavior to practical instructions for Christian living within relationships, starting with marriage. He grounds this in the principle of mutual submission rooted in Christ's love and the Church's response. This verse, therefore, begins a section detailing how wives and husbands should relate to one another, using the Christ-Church relationship as the ultimate model.
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 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. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in…" — The verse emphasizes that wives should submit to their own husbands. This personal connection highlights that the submission is rooted in the unique, intimate relationship they share, not as a gene…
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Last reviewed October 2026
