Ephesians 5:21

Ephesians 5:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
• New International Version (NIV)Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
• English Standard Version (ESV)submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
• New King James Version (NKJV)submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Context of Ephesians 5:21

19speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, 20giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of Christ. 22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, 23because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body.

Ephesians 5:21 word by word

ὑποτασσόμενοι ἀλλήλοις ἐν φόβῳ Χριστοῦ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Submittingὑποτάσσωhupotassō · to subjectG5293
• yourselves one to anotherἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the fearφόβοςphobos · fearG5401
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for Ephesians 5:21

• Ephesians 5:22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord,
• Genesis 16:9The angel of the Lord said to her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her authority.”
• 1 Chronicles 29:24All the leaders and the mighty men, and all of King David’s sons as well, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.
• Romans 13:1Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.
• 1 Corinthians 16:16also to submit to such people, and to everyone who works and labors with them.
• Philippians 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.
• 1 Timothy 2:11A woman is to learn quietly with full submission.
• 1 Timothy 3:4He must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity.
• Hebrews 13:17Obey your leaders and submit to them, since they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
• 1 Peter 2:13Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority
• 1 Peter 5:5In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
• 2 Chronicles 19:7And now, may the terror of the Lord be on you. Watch what you do, for there is no injustice or partiality or taking bribes with the Lord our God.”
• Nehemiah 5:9Then I said, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies?
• Proverbs 24:21My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king, and don’t associate with rebels,
• 2 Corinthians 7:1So then, dear friends, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
• 1 Peter 2:17Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Commentaries on Ephesians 5:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Submitting - one to another - Let no man be so tenacious of his own will or his opinion in matters indifferent, as to disturb the peace of the Church; in all such matters give way to each other, and let love rule. In the fear of God - Setting him always before your eyes, and considering that he has commanded you to love one another, and to bear each other's burdens; and that what you do in this or any other commanded case, you do as unto the Lord. Instead…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Submitting yourselves one to another - Maintaining due subordination in the various relations of life. This general principle of religion, the apostle proceeds now to illustrate in reference to wives Ephesians 5:22-24; to children Ephesians 6:1-3; and to servants, Ephesians 6:5-8. At the same time that he enforces this duty of submission, however, he enjoins on others to use their authority in a proper manner, and gives solemn injunctions that there…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-21Verses 15-21 Another remedy against sin, is care, or caution, it being impossible else to maintain purity of heart and life. Time is a talent given us by God, and it is misspent and lost when not employed according to his design. If we have lost our time heretofore, we must double our diligence for the future. Of that time which thousands on a dying bed would gladly redeem at the price of the whole world, how little do men think, and to what trifles they…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Submit to one another: The verb form connects it with the command to be filled (5:18). This general instruction (compare Philippians 2:3) applies to all three relationships Paul discusses: wives and husbands (Ephesians 5:22–33), children and parents (6:1–4), and slaves and masters (6:5–9). Believers express submission not out of fear or personal gain, but out of respect for Christ.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. (Php 2:3; 1Pe 5:5.) Here he passes from our relations to God, to those which concern our fellow men. in the fear of God--All the oldest manuscripts and authorities read, "in the fear of Christ." The believer passes from under the bondage of the law as a letter, to be "the servant of Christ" (1Co 7:22), which, through the instinct of love to Him, is really to be "the Lord's freeman"; for he is "under the law to Christ" (1Co 9:21; compare Joh 8:36)…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 5:21

• Commandments
• Fear of God
• Humility

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Arise
• Awake
• Dear
• Fear of the Lord the
• Fellowship
• Flesh
• Fruit
• Light

Commentaries on Ephesians 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings