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

19singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For 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.

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 5:22For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
• Genesis 16:9The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.”
• 1 Chronicles 29:24All the officials, the warriors, and the sons of King David pledged their loyalty to King Solomon.
• Romans 13:1Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.
• 1 Corinthians 16:16to submit to them and others like them who serve with such devotion.
• Philippians 2:3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
• 1 Timothy 2:11Women should learn quietly and submissively.
• 1 Timothy 3:4He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.
• Hebrews 13:17Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.
• 1 Peter 2:13For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state,
• 1 Peter 5:5In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
• 2 Chronicles 19:7Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.”
• Nehemiah 5:9Then I pressed further, “What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations?
• Proverbs 24:21My child, fear the Lord and the king. Don’t associate with rebels,
• 2 Corinthians 7:1Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.
• 1 Peter 2:17Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect 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