Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Study Note
Study Note
Paul's instruction to husbands to 'love your wives as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it' introduces a christological analogy that fundamentally redefines the cultural expectations of husbands in first-century Roman-Greek domestic life. In Greco-Roman household codes (haustafeln), the husband's authority was assumed and the wife's subordination enjoined; Paul's unique contribution is to model marital headship on Christ's self-giving rather than on social dominance. The use of agapaō rather than eros or philia for marital love elevates the standard to covenantal, sacrificial commitment rather than affectionate attachment or erotic desire. The passage is central to contemporary Christian debates about gender, mutual submission (v. 21), and the relationship between christological pattern and household ethics.
Other Translations
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it;
The husbands! love your own wives, as also the Christ did love the assembly, and did give himself for it,
Husbands, have love for your wives, even as Christ had love for the church, and gave himself for it;
Cross References
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be …
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved …
But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it …
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be …
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life …
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which …
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for …
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live …
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, …