Tag Archives: Ephesians 5:22

As to the Lord: Voluntary Submission in Ephesians 5:22

Posted on May 22, 2025 by New Testament Greek

Ephesians 5:22 begins the section traditionally called the “household code” (5:22–6:9), which addresses relationships between wives and husbands, children and parents, slaves and masters. This particular verse builds directly on verse 21 — “submitting to one another in the fear of Christ” — and gives specific shape to how that mutual submission is expressed in marriage. Rather than grounding this command in culture, Paul roots it theologically: Christian wives are to submit to their own husbands as to the Lord.

Structural Analysis

Αἱ γυναῖκες τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν ὑποτάσσεσθε ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ

The sentence includes:

Αἱ γυναῖκες – “wives,” the subject, in the nominative plural.… Learn Koine Greek
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Grammatical Analysis of Ephesians 5:22

Posted on May 1, 2022 by New Testament Greek
Αἱ γυναῖκες τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν ὑποτάσσεσθε ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ (Ephesians 5:22)

Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord.

Word Breakdown Greek Word Gloss Grammatical Analysis Αἱ the Article, Nominative Plural Feminine — agrees with γυναῖκες γυναῖκες wives Noun, Nominative Plural Feminine — subject of the verb τοῖς to the Article, Dative Plural Masculine — agrees with ἀνδράσιν ἰδίοις own Adjective, Dative Plural Masculine — emphasizes personal relationship ἀνδράσιν husbands Noun, Dative Plural Masculine — indirect object of the verb ὑποτάσσεσθε submit yourselves Verb, Present Middle/Passive Imperative, 2nd Person Plural — exhortation directed at the subject ὡς as Conjunction — introduces the comparison clause τῷ Κυρίῳ to the Lord Article + Noun, Dative Singular Masculine — standard or model for the submission Syntactical Analysis Αἱ γυναῖκες — nominative subject of the verb ὑποτάσσεσθε.… Learn Koine Greek
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