English Standard Version
Ephesians 5:22
22Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
- New Living Translation (NLT)For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
Context of Ephesians 5:22
20giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Read all of Ephesians 5Ephesians 5:22 word by word
Αἱ γυναῖκες, τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ephesians 5:22
- Ephesians 5:24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
- Genesis 3:16To the woman he said, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you."
- Esther 1:16Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, "Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
- 1 Corinthians 14:34the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.
- Colossians 3:18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
- 1 Timothy 2:11Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.
- 1 Peter 3:1Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives,
- Ephesians 6:5Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,
- Colossians 3:22Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
Commentaries on Ephesians 5:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands - As the Lord, viz. Christ, is the head or governor of the Church, and the head of the man, so is the man the head or governor of the woman. This is God's ordinance, and should not be transgressed. The husband should not be a tyrant, and the wife should not be the governor. Old Francis Quarles, in his homely rhymes, alluding to the superstitious notion, that the crowing of a hen bodes ill luck to the family…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands - On this passage, compare notes on 1 Corinthians 11:3-9. The duty of the submission of the wife to her husband is everywhere enjoined in the Scriptures; see 1 Peter 3:1; Colossians 3:18; Titus 2:5. While Christianity designed to elevate the character of the wife, and to make her a fit companion of an intelligent and pious husband, it did not intend to destroy all subordination and authority. Man, by the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-33Verses 22-33 The duty of wives is, submission to their husbands in the Lord, which includes honouring and obeying them, from a principle of love to them. The duty of husbands is to love their wives. The love of Christ to the church is an example, which is sincere, pure, and constant, notwithstanding her failures. Christ gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify it in this world, and glorify it in the next, that he might bestow on all his members…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22A wife’s Christian commitment includes choosing to submit to her husband as part of living out her faith (see 1 Corinthians 11:3–10; 14:34–35; Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:11–12; Titus 2:5; 1 Peter 3:1–6). At the same time, all Christians (including husbands and wives) are called to submit to one another out of respect for Christ (Ephesians 5:21). At the same time, husbands are called to love their wives and care for them sacrificially, following the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-3322. (Ep 6:9.) The Church's relation to Christ in His everlasting purpose, is the foundation and archetype of the three greatest of earthly relations, that of husband and wife (Ep 5:22-33), parent and child (Ep 6:1-4), master and servant (Ep 6:4-9). The oldest manuscripts omit "submit yourselves"; supplying it from Ep 5:21, "Ye wives (submitting yourselves) unto your own husbands." "Your own" is an argument for submissiveness on the part of the wives; it…Read the comment
Topics related to Ephesians 5:22
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries