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 in your hearts to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, 23because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being 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 16:9Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.
• 1 Chronicles 29:24All the officers and warriors, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.
• Romans 13:1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.
• 1 Corinthians 16:16also to submit to people like this, and to everyone who cooperates in the work and labors hard.
• Philippians 2:3Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.
• 1 Timothy 2:11A woman must learn quietly with all submissiveness.
• 1 Timothy 3:4He must manage his own household well and keep his children in control without losing his dignity.
• Hebrews 13:17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work. Let them do this with joy and not with complaints, for this would be no advantage for you.
• 1 Peter 2:13Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme
• 1 Peter 5:5In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
• 2 Chronicles 19:7Respect the Lord and make careful decisions, for the Lord our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery.”
• Nehemiah 5:9Then I said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong! Should you not conduct yourselves in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies?
• Proverbs 24:21Fear the Lord, my child, as well as the king, and do not associate with rebels,
• 2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God.
• 1 Peter 2:17Honor all people, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king.

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