ὕπανδρος (hupandros)
hupandros
married
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective hupandros describes a woman who is under the authority of a man, specifically meaning she is married. It combines the prefix hupo, indicating position or subjection, with andros, the genitive form of man. This term appears only once in the New Testament, in Romans 7:2, where Paul uses it to define the legal bond of marriage.
In this context, the word emphasizes the binding nature of the marital covenant. A wife is considered hupandros as long as her husband lives; upon his death, she is released from that specific legal constraint and free to marry whom she wishes, provided it is within the Lord. The term highlights the structural reality of ancient marriage laws rather than offering a general commentary on gender roles.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hupandros appears just once in the New Testament, found in Romans 7:2. Paul uses this specific term to describe a married woman as being bound to her husband while he lives. It highlights the legal and covenantal nature of marriage in the first century, emphasizing that this bond is real and binding until death ends it.
For your faith life, this passage offers clarity on commitment. It reminds us that relationships are not casual arrangements but serious covenants with lasting weight. When we understand the seriousness of these bonds, we can approach our own commitments with greater respect and integrity, knowing that God values the promises we make to one another.
Paul goes on to explain that when a husband dies, the wife is released from this law. This shows that while marriage is sacred, it is also part of our earthly life. Understanding these boundaries helps us navigate grief and new beginnings with grace, trusting that God’s laws are designed for order and peace in our daily lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- married1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὕπανδρος1×
Key Verses
-
Romans 7:2
For the woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband.
This is the only occurrence of the word, where Paul defines the legal binding nature of marriage that lasts only while the husband lives.