The Meaning of Ephesians 5:33 Explained

Ephesians 5:33

KJV: Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

YLT: but ye also, every one in particular -- let each his own wife so love as himself, and the wife -- that she may reverence the husband.

Darby: But ye also, every one of you, let each so love his own wife as himself; but as to the wife I speak that she may fear the husband.

ASV: Nevertheless do ye also severally love each one his own wife even as himself; and let the wife'see that she fear her husband.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Nevertheless  let  every one  of you  in particular  so  love  his  wife  even as  himself;  and  the wife  [see] that  she reverence  [her] husband. 

What does Ephesians 5:33 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Even if Paul"s original readers did not grasp the significance of Christ"s intimate relationship to the church fully, every individual (Gr. humeis hoi kath" hena) Christian husband, one by one, was responsible to love his wife as himself. Likewise every (the same Greek phrase) Christian wife should, one by one, respect (phobetai, fear, reverence) her husband ( Ephesians 5:21-22). Paul did not instruct wives to respect their husbands because submission is the primary expression of love that God requires. If the husband loves his wife as Christ loved the church, the wife will respect (fear) and so love her husband.
Respecting means voluntarily lifting up another person for special consideration, treatment, and obedience. It involves having consideration for his responsibilities and needs and praying for him. Words of encouragement that have a positive focus and build him up show respect for a husband, as does doing things that please him. Probably most men have a poor self-image. [1] A man must have the respect of his wife to feel successful as a man. [2]

Context Summary

Ephesians 5:22-33 - Love Of Husband And Wife
The Apostle has been urging us to be filled with the Spirit, and now proceeds to show how Spirit-filled people should act in their homes. He has been exhorting to praise and joyfulness, and now urges that our lives, as well as our lips, should be attuned to music.
What a lofty ideal of wedded love is here! Chrysostom says: "Wouldest thou that thy wife obey thee as the Church doth Christ? Have care for her, then, as Christ for the Church." Our earthly relationships are similitudes and emblems of sacred realities, and the more we can import into the time sphere the inspiration and virtue of the eternal, the more transcendental and beautiful will they become. The Lord has taught us the utter renunciation of love. Men of the world reckon how much love they can get; the children of eternity how much they can give; but such giving always means getting back with compound interest. Notice those phrases about nourishing and cherishing. O wounded member of Christ's body, He suffers in thee, nourishes, cherishes, and will heal! [source]

Chapter Summary: Ephesians 5

1  After general exhortations to love;
3  to flee sexual immorality;
4  and all uncleanness;
7  not to converse with the wicked;
15  to walk carefully;
18  and to be filled with the Spirit;
22  he descends to the particular duties, how wives ought to obey their husbands;
25  and husbands ought to love their wives,
32  even as Christ does his church

Greek Commentary for Ephesians 5:33

Nevertheless [πλην]
“Howbeit,” not to dwell unduly (Abbott) on the matter of Christ and the church. [source]
Do ye also severally love [και υμεις οι κατ ενα εκαστος αγαπατω]
An unusual idiom. The verb αγαπατω — agapātō (present active imperative) agrees with εκαστος — hekastos and so is third singular instead of αγαπατε — agapāte (second plural) like υμεις — humeis The use of οι κατ ενα — hoi kath' hena after υμεις — humeis = “ye one by one” and then εκαστος — hekastos takes up (individualizes) the “one” in partitive apposition and in the third person. Let the wife see that she fear (η γυνη ινα ποβηται — hē gunē hina phobētai). There is no verb in the Greek for “let see” (βλεπετω — blepetō). For this use of ινα — hina with the subjunctive as a practical imperative without a principal verb (an elliptical imperative) see note on Mark 5:23, Matthew 20:32, 1 Corinthians 7:29, 2 Corinthians 8:7, Ephesians 4:29 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 994). “Fear” (ποβηται — phobētai present middle subjunctive) here is “reverence.” [source]
Let the wife see that she fear [η γυνη ινα ποβηται]
There is no verb in the Greek for “let see” For this use of ινα — hina with the subjunctive as a practical imperative without a principal verb (an elliptical imperative) see note on Mark 5:23, Matthew 20:32, 1 Corinthians 7:29, 2 Corinthians 8:7, Ephesians 4:29 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 994). “Fear” (ποβηται — phobētai present middle subjunctive) here is “reverence.” [source]
Nevertheless []
Not to dwell longer on the mystical aspect of the subject. [source]
Even as himself []
Not as much as he loves himself, but as being his very self. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Ephesians 5:33

Acts 21:19 One by one [κατ ενα εκαστον]
According to each one (item) and the adverbial phrase used as an accusative after the verb εχηγειτο — exēgeito as Demosthenes does (1265), though it could be like κατ ενα εκαστος — kath' hena hekastos in Ephesians 5:33. Which (ων — hōn). Genitive attracted from α — ha (accusative) into the case of the unexpressed antecedent τουτων — toutōn God had wrought Summary constative aorist active indicative that gathers up all that God did and he takes pains to give God the glory. It is possible that at this formal meeting Paul observed an absence of warmth and enthusiasm in contrast with the welcome accorded by his friends the day before (Acts 21:17). Furneaux thinks that Paul was coldly received on this day in spite of the generous offering brought from the Gentile Christians. “It looks as though his misgiving as to its reception (Romans 15:31) was confirmed. Nor do we hear that the Christians of Jerusalem later put in so much as a word on his behalf with either the Jewish or the Roman authorities, or expressed any sympathy with him during his long imprisonment at Caesarea” (Furneaux). The most that can be said is that the Judaizers referred to by James do not appear actively against him. The collection and the plan proposed by James accomplished that much at any rate. It stopped the mouths of those lions. [source]
Ephesians 4:29 For edifying as the need may be [προς οικοδομην της χρειας]
“For the build-up of the need,” “for supplying help when there is need.” Let no other words come out. That it may give (ινα δωι — hina dōi). For this elliptical use of ινα — hina see note on Ephesians 5:33. [source]
Ephesians 4:29 That it may give [ινα δωι]
For this elliptical use of ινα — hina see note on Ephesians 5:33. [source]
1 Timothy 1:3 To tarry [προσμειναι]
First aorist active infinitive of προσμενω — prosmenō old verb, attributed by Luke to Paul in Acts 13:43. That thou mightest charge (ινα παραγγειληις — hina paraggeilēis). Subfinal clause with ινα — hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of παραγγελλω — paraggellō old verb, to transmit a message along (παρα — para) from one to another. See 2 Thessalonians 3:4, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:10. Lock considers this idiom here an elliptical imperative like Ephesians 4:29; Ephesians 5:33. Certain men Dative case. Expressly vague (no names as in 1 Timothy 1:20), though Paul doubtless has certain persons in Ephesus in mind. Not to teach a different doctrine (μη ετεροδιδασκαλειν — mē heterodidaskalein). Earliest known use of this compound like κακοδιδασκαλειν — kakodidaskalein of Clement of Rome. Only other N.T. example in 1 Timothy 6:3. Eusebius has ετεροδιδασκαλος — heterodidaskalos Same idea in Galatians 1:6; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Romans 16:17. Perhaps coined by Paul. [source]
1 Timothy 1:3 That thou mightest charge [ινα παραγγειληις]
Subfinal clause with ινα — hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of παραγγελλω — paraggellō old verb, to transmit a message along (παρα — para) from one to another. See 2 Thessalonians 3:4, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:10. Lock considers this idiom here an elliptical imperative like Ephesians 4:29; Ephesians 5:33. [source]
1 Peter 3:2 Chaste [αγνην]
Pure because “in fear” (εν ποβωι — en phobōi), no word in the Greek for “coupled,” fear of God, though in Ephesians 5:33 fear (reverence for) of the husband is urged. [source]

What do the individual words in Ephesians 5:33 mean?

However also you - according to individual each the of himself wife so let love as himself - and the wife that she may respect the husband
πλὴν καὶ ὑμεῖς οἱ καθ’ ἕνα ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα οὕτως ἀγαπάτω ὡς ἑαυτόν δὲ γυνὴ ἵνα φοβῆται τὸν ἄνδρα

πλὴν  However 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: πλήν  
Sense: moreover, besides, but, nevertheless.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
οἱ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
καθ’  according  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
ἕνα  individual 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
ἕκαστος  each 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἕκαστος  
Sense: each, every.
ἑαυτοῦ  of  himself 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
γυναῖκα  wife 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: γυνή  
Sense: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.
οὕτως  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.
ἀγαπάτω  let  love 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀγαπάω  
Sense: of persons.
ἑαυτόν  himself 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
γυνὴ  the  wife 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: γυνή  
Sense: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.
ἵνα  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
φοβῆται  she  may  respect 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φοβέομαι 
Sense: to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away).
ἄνδρα  husband 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀνήρ  
Sense: with reference to sex.