Ephesians 5:22 Meaning and Explanation
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul speaks to wives within a marriage offered up to Christ, where love and reverence shape the whole home.
The Context of Ephesians 5:22
This verse opens Paul's words to Christian households, flowing straight out of the call in verse 21 to submit "one to another in the fear of God." In the verses just after, Paul turns to husbands and asks even more of them, to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.
What Does Ephesians 5:22 Mean?
Paul addresses wives first as he begins to picture a Christian home. The phrase "as unto the Lord" sets the tone for everything: whatever is asked here is done as an offering to Christ, in the same spirit of reverence Paul has just urged on everyone. These words belong to a larger whole. They rise out of verse 21, where all believers are called to yield to one another, and they lead straight into a weighty charge to husbands to love sacrificially, holding nothing back. The home Paul imagines is shaped on every side by love.
The deepest note here is "as unto the Lord." A marriage lived this way is really lived toward Jesus, each person serving the other as a way of honoring Him. Paul lifts ordinary married life into something sacred, a daily picture of Christ and His church. Whatever our place in a home, the invitation is the same: to make our love a quiet offering to the Lord who first loved us and gave Himself for us.
Ephesians 5:22 in the Original Language
hupotasso (ὑποτάσσω), 'submit yourselves' -- to place oneself under, to yield in love; the same word used of all believers in verse 21.
How to Apply Ephesians 5:22 Today
When we read a verse like this, its center steadies us: "as unto the Lord." Married life becomes a way of loving and honoring Christ through how we treat the one beside us. Whatever our role at home, we can offer our love to Jesus, who gave Himself for us first.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ephesians 5:22
What does Ephesians 5:22 mean?
Paul speaks to wives within a marriage offered up to Christ, where love and reverence shape the whole home.
What is the context of Ephesians 5:22?
This verse opens Paul's words to Christian households, flowing straight out of the call in verse 21 to submit "one to another in the fear of God." In the verses just after, Paul turns to husbands and asks even more of them, to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.
How can I apply Ephesians 5:22 today?
When we read a verse like this, its center steadies us: "as unto the Lord." Married life becomes a way of loving and honoring Christ through how we treat the one beside us. Whatever our role at home, we can offer our love to Jesus, who gave Himself for us first.