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Eph C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6

Eph 5 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32 V33

OET interlinear EPH 5:23

◄ ← EPH 5:23 ↓ → ► ║ ©

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

    1. Greek word
    2. Greek lemma
    3. OET-LV words
    4. OET-RV words
    5. Strongs
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. ὅτι
    2. hoti
    3. because
    4. because
    5. 37540
    6. C·······
    7. because
    8. because
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130061
    1. ὁ
    2. ho
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NMS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 130062
    1. ἀνήρ
    2. anēr
    3. +the husband
    4. husband
    5. 4350
    6. N····NMS
    7. ˓the˒ husband
    8. ˓the˒ husband
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130063
    1. ἐστίν
    2. eimi
    3. is
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIPA3··S
    7. is
    8. is
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130064
    1. κεφαλή
    2. kefalē
    3. head
    4. -
    5. 27760
    6. N····NFS
    7. head
    8. head
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130065
    1. ἐστίν
    2. eimi
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIPA3··S
    7. is
    8. is
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 130066
    1. τῆς
    2. ho
    3. of the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····GFS
    7. ˱of˲ the
    8. ˱of˲ the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130067
    1. γυναικός
    2. gunē
    3. wife
    4. wife
    5. 11350
    6. N····GFS
    7. wife
    8. wife
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130068
    1. ὡς
    2. hōs
    3. as
    4. -
    5. 56130
    6. C·······
    7. as
    8. as
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130069
    1. καί
    2. kai
    3. also
    4. -
    5. 25320
    6. D·······
    7. also
    8. also
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130070
    1. ὁ
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NMS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130071
    1. Χριστός
    2. χristos
    3. chosen one messiah is
    4. messiah
    5. 55470
    6. N····NMS
    7. chosen_one/messiah ‹is›
    8. Messiah ‹is›
    9. WN
    10. Y64; Person=Jesus
    11. 130072
    1. κεφαλή
    2. kefalē
    3. +the head
    4. -
    5. 27760
    6. N····NFS
    7. ˓the˒ head
    8. ˓the˒ head
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130073
    1. τῆς
    2. ho
    3. of the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····GFS
    7. ˱of˲ the
    8. ˱of˲ the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130074
    1. ἐκκλησίας
    2. ekklēsia
    3. assembly
    4. -
    5. 15770
    6. N····GFS
    7. assembly
    8. assembly
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130075
    1. καί
    2. kai
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 25320
    6. C·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 130076
    1. αὐτός
    2. autos
    3. he
    4. -
    5. 8460
    6. R···3NMS
    7. he
    8. he
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130077
    1. ἐστίν
    2. eimi
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIPA3··S
    7. is
    8. is
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 130078
    1. ὁ
    2. ho
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. R···3NMS
    7. he
    8. he
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 130079
    1. Σωτήρ
    2. sōtēr
    3. +the saviour
    4. saviour
    5. 49900
    6. N····NMS
    7. ˓the˒ saviour
    8. ˓the˒ Savior
    9. G
    10. Y64
    11. 130080
    1. τοῦ
    2. ho
    3. of the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····GNS
    7. ˱of˲ the
    8. ˱of˲ the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130081
    1. σώματος
    2. sōma
    3. body
    4. body
    5. 49830
    6. N····GNS
    7. body
    8. body
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130082

OET (OET-LV) because the_husband is head of_the wife, as also the chosen_one/messiah is the_head of_the assembly, he the_saviour of_the body.

OET (OET-RV) because the husband is the leader of the wife just like the messiah is the head and saviour of his body, the church.

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:21–33: Paul gave advice to husbands and their wives

In 4:17–5:20, Paul taught the Ephesian Christians to behave differently than pagans (people who do not know God). For the next three sections, Paul taught about how Christians should behave in their relationships in their families and at work. In this first section, he dealt with the duties of wives and husbands. He described the marriage relationship as a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church.

Here are some other examples for a heading for this section:

Paul’s advise to wives and husbands (GW)

How a wife and a husband should live together

Paragraph 5:21–24

Some English versions make verse 5:21 part of the previous section, and begin this section with 5:22. However, since Paul began to talk about a new topic—submitting—in 5:21, other versions make 5:21 the beginning of a new section.

You may want to consult your national version and use it as a model to follow.

5:23a

For the husband is the head of the wife

For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For introduces the reason that wives are to submit to their husbands (5:22). In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder 5:22 and 5:23. For example:

23aThe husband is the head of the wife…. That is the reason why 22wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

the husband is the head of the wife: The word head is a metaphor here, as in other places in Ephesians. This means that the husband is the “leader” or “chief” of the wife, or he has authority over the wife. Some languages use the word head in this sense. For example, the village chief may be called the “head of the village.” But in many languages, it is confusing or means little to say, the husband is the head of the wife. If it will make the meaning clearer in your language, you could translate it:

A husband is like the head, for he has authority over his wife.

It is the husband who has authority over the wife.

The full meaning of the metaphor can be explained like this: “In a human body, the part on top that rules the body is the head. In the same way, the husband is like the head, because he has authority over his wife.” But you will probably not want to make all of this explicit in your translation.

In some languages, you cannot say “the husband” or “the wife,” these words must take a possessive form:

her husband

his wife

a woman’s husband

5:23b

as Christ is the head of the church, His body,

as Christ is the head of the church, His body: There are two comparisons here: Christ is like the head of the church, and the church is like the body of Christ. Just as in our human body the head is the part that is on top and that rules the rest of our body, so also Christ rules over the church, that is, his people.

If the people in your area would not understand this comparison, you can translate it as:

Christ is the leader of the church, which belongs to Him.

This metaphor (Christ is the head, the church is His body) is also found in 1:22–23, 4:12, 4:15–16 and 5:30. You will want to translate it in a similar way in all these places.

the church: The church is the group of all believers in Christ throughout the world. In the New Testament, the word church does not refer to a building. See how you translated church in 1:22b, 3:10a, 3:21b. Also see church in the Glossary for more information.

His body: The phrase His body refers to the church. See how you translated this metaphor in 1:23a and 4:4a, 4:12b, and 4:16a.

Here are some other ways to translate this metaphor:

his people are like a body

his people who are united to him like his body is united to his head

those who belong to him

his people/disciples/followers

5:23c

of which He is the Savior.

of which He is the Savior: The Greek text that the BSB translates as of which He is the Savior is literally “and he-himself is the savior of the body.” This refers to Christ only, and not to husbands. You may want to make this clear in your translation. One way to do this is to make this clause a separate sentence in your translation:

Christ is the Savior

Christ is the one who saves his people

This same Christ rescues his people from their sins

See save, Word 3 in the Glossary for more information.

General Comment on 5:23a–b

Here are some other ways to translate this verse:

The husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. It is his body, and he is its Savior. (GW)

A husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head and the Savior of the church, which is his own body. (CEV)

For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. (NLT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ὅτι

because

The connecting word For introduces the reason of the reason-result relationship. The reason is that the husband is head of the wife in the same way that Christ is head of the church. The result is that wives should submit to their husbands. Use a phrase in your language that connects a reason to a result.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

κεφαλὴ τῆς γυναικὸς & κεφαλὴ τῆς ἐκκλησίας

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅτι ἀνήρ ἐστίν κεφαλή τῆς γυναικός ὡς καί ὁ Χριστός κεφαλή τῆς ἐκκλησίας αὐτός Σωτήρ τοῦ σώματος)

The word head here represents the leader.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τοῦ σώματος

˱of˲_the body

The church is often referred to as the body of Christ.

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

    1. OET-LV words
    2. OET-RV words
    3. Strongs
    4. Greek word
    5. Greek lemma
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. because
    2. because
    3. 37540
    5. hoti
    6. C-·······
    7. because
    8. because
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130061
    1. +the husband
    2. husband
    3. 4350
    5. anēr
    6. N-····NMS
    7. ˓the˒ husband
    8. ˓the˒ husband
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130063
    1. is
    2. -
    3. 15100
    5. eimi
    6. V-IPA3··S
    7. is
    8. is
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130064
    1. head
    2. -
    3. 27760
    5. kefalē
    6. N-····NFS
    7. head
    8. head
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130065
    1. of the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····GFS
    7. ˱of˲ the
    8. ˱of˲ the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130067
    1. wife
    2. wife
    3. 11350
    5. gunē
    6. N-····GFS
    7. wife
    8. wife
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130068
    1. as
    2. -
    3. 56130
    5. hōs
    6. C-·······
    7. as
    8. as
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130069
    1. also
    2. -
    3. 25320
    5. kai
    6. D-·······
    7. also
    8. also
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130070
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····NMS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130071
    1. chosen one messiah is
    2. messiah
    3. 55470
    4. WN
    5. χristos
    6. N-····NMS
    7. chosen_one/messiah ‹is›
    8. Messiah ‹is›
    9. WN
    10. Y64; Person=Jesus
    11. 130072
    1. +the head
    2. -
    3. 27760
    5. kefalē
    6. N-····NFS
    7. ˓the˒ head
    8. ˓the˒ head
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130073
    1. of the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····GFS
    7. ˱of˲ the
    8. ˱of˲ the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130074
    1. assembly
    2. -
    3. 15770
    5. ekklēsia
    6. N-····GFS
    7. assembly
    8. assembly
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130075
    1. he
    2. -
    3. 8460
    5. autos
    6. R-···3NMS
    7. he
    8. he
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130077
    1. +the saviour
    2. saviour
    3. 49900
    4. G
    5. sōtēr
    6. N-····NMS
    7. ˓the˒ saviour
    8. ˓the˒ Savior
    9. G
    10. Y64
    11. 130080
    1. of the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····GNS
    7. ˱of˲ the
    8. ˱of˲ the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130081
    1. body
    2. body
    3. 49830
    5. sōma
    6. N-····GNS
    7. body
    8. body
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 130082

OET (OET-LV) because the_husband is head of_the wife, as also the chosen_one/messiah is the_head of_the assembly, he the_saviour of_the body.

OET (OET-RV) because the husband is the leader of the wife just like the messiah is the head and saviour of his body, the church.

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

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◄ ← EPH 5:23 ↑ → ► ║ ©