Add parallel Print Page Options

Christ and the Church the pattern relationship for husband and wife

22-24 You wives must learn to adapt yourselves to your husbands, as you submit yourselves to the Lord, for the husband is the “head” of the wife in the same way that Christ is head of the Church and saviour of the body. The willing subjection of the Church to Christ should be reproduced in the submission of wives to their husbands.

25-27 But, remember, this means that the husband must give his wife the same sort of love that Christ gave to the Church, when he sacrificed himself for her. Christ gave himself to make her holy, having cleansed her through the baptism of his Word—to make her an altogether glorious Church in his eyes. She is to be free from spots, wrinkles or any other disfigurement—a Church holy and perfect.

Read full chapter

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands(A) in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives,(B) just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her(C) 26 to make her holy,(D) cleansing[a] her by the washing(E) with water through the word,

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 5:26 Or having cleansed