Ephesians 5:22
New International Version
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.

New Living Translation
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

English Standard Version
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Berean Standard Bible
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

Berean Literal Bible
wives, to the own husbands as to the Lord;

King James Bible
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

New King James Version
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

New American Standard Bible
Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

NASB 1995
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

NASB 1977
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Legacy Standard Bible
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Amplified Bible
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as [a service] to the Lord.

Christian Standard Bible
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord,

American Standard Version
Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Contemporary English Version
A wife should put her husband first, as she does the Lord.

English Revised Version
Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Wives, place yourselves under your husbands' authority as you have placed yourselves under the Lord's authority.

Good News Translation
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord.

International Standard Version
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord.

Majority Standard Bible
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

NET Bible
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord,

New Heart English Bible
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Weymouth New Testament
Married women, submit to your own husbands as if to the Lord;

World English Bible
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The wives: [subject yourselves] to your own husbands, as to the LORD,

Berean Literal Bible
wives, to the own husbands as to the Lord;

Young's Literal Translation
The wives! to your own husbands subject yourselves, as to the Lord,

Smith's Literal Translation
Women, yield ye obedience to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Wives should be submissive to their husbands, as to the Lord.

New American Bible
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.

New Revised Standard Version
Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Wives submit yourselves to your husbands as to our LORD.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Wives, be subject to your husbands as to Our Lord,
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Wives, be subject to your own husbands as to the Lord:

Godbey New Testament
Wives, be submissive to your own husbands, as to the Lord,

Haweis New Testament
Wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Mace New Testament
let married women be submissive to their husbands, out of regard to the Lord.

Weymouth New Testament
Married women, submit to your own husbands as if to the Lord;

Worrell New Testament
the wives, to their own husbands, as to the Lord;

Worsley New Testament
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Wives and Husbands
21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.…

Cross References
Colossians 3:18
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

1 Peter 3:1-6
Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives / when they see your pure and reverent demeanor. / Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, ...

1 Corinthians 11:3
But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

Titus 2:4-5
In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children, / to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.

Genesis 2:18-24
The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.” / And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would name each one. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. / The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. ...

1 Corinthians 14:34-35
Women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. / If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.

1 Timothy 2:11-14
A woman must learn in quietness and full submissiveness. / I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; she is to remain quiet. / For Adam was formed first, and then Eve. ...

Genesis 3:16
To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

Proverbs 31:10-12
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies. / The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value. / She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.

1 Corinthians 7:3-5
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. / The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife. / Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

1 Peter 3:7
Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Matthew 19:4-6
Jesus answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ / and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? / So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

1 Corinthians 7:10-11
To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. / But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

Malachi 2:14-16
Yet you ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have broken faith, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. / Has not the LORD made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because He seeks godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. / “For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith.

Song of Solomon 2:16
My beloved is mine and I am his; he pastures his flock among the lilies.


Treasury of Scripture

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

submit.

Ephesians 5:24
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Genesis 3:16
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Esther 1:16-18,20
And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus…

as.

Ephesians 6:5
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

Colossians 3:22,23
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: …

Jump to Previous
Authority Husbands Married Subject Subjection Submit Wives Women Yourselves
Jump to Next
Authority Husbands Married Subject Subjection Submit Wives Women Yourselves
Ephesians 5
1. After general exhortations to love;
3. to flee sexual immorality;
4. and all uncleanness;
7. not to converse with the wicked;
15. to walk carefully;
18. and to be filled with the Spirit;
22. he descends to the particular duties, how wives ought to obey their husbands;
25. and husbands ought to love their wives,
32. even as Christ does his church.














Wives, submit to your husbands
This phrase addresses the role of wives within the Christian household, reflecting the cultural context of the first-century Greco-Roman world where household codes were common. The term "submit" is often understood as a voluntary yielding in love and respect, not as an enforced subjugation. This submission is modeled after the relationship between Christ and the Church, emphasizing mutual respect and love. The concept of submission here is not about inferiority but about order and function within the family unit, as seen in other biblical passages like Colossians 3:18 and 1 Peter 3:1-6. The idea of submission is also rooted in the creation order described in Genesis, where man and woman are created with distinct roles.

as to the Lord
This phrase provides the motivation and manner for the submission, indicating that it is ultimately an act of worship and obedience to Christ. The comparison to the Lord suggests that the submission is not absolute but is within the context of a godly relationship. It implies that the husband's leadership should reflect Christ's love and sacrifice for the Church, as elaborated in Ephesians 5:25-33. This connection to the Lord elevates the act of submission to a spiritual level, aligning it with the broader Christian call to live in a way that honors God. The phrase also underscores the importance of a Christ-centered marriage, where both partners seek to emulate Christ's example in their relationship.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of the letter to the Ephesians, Paul was a key figure in the early Christian church, known for his missionary journeys and theological teachings.

2. Ephesus
A major city in Asia Minor where the Ephesian church was located. It was a center of commerce and culture, and the church there faced various challenges from both pagan and Jewish influences.

3. Wives and Husbands
The primary subjects of this verse, representing the marital relationship and its reflection of Christ's relationship with the Church.
Teaching Points
Understanding Submission
The Greek word for "submit" (hypotass?) implies a voluntary yielding in love, not a forced subjugation. It is an act of respect and love, mirroring the Church's submission to Christ.

Role of Husbands
While this verse addresses wives, it is crucial to understand it in the context of the following verses, which call husbands to love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the Church.

Mutual Respect and Love
The marital relationship is a partnership where both parties are called to honor and respect each other, reflecting the unity and love between Christ and the Church.

Cultural Context
In the first-century Greco-Roman world, the concept of mutual submission was revolutionary. Understanding the cultural backdrop helps us appreciate the radical nature of Paul's teaching.

Application in Modern Marriages
In today's context, this verse challenges couples to cultivate a relationship based on mutual love, respect, and service, transcending cultural norms and focusing on biblical principles.[5.Practical Exhortation continued (Ephesians 5:22 to Ephesians 6:9).

(4)THE BEARING OF THE TRUTH OF UNITY ON THE THREE GREAT RELATIONS OF LIFE.

(a)Between husbands and wives--a relation which is a type of the unity between Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:22-33).

(b) Between parents and children--a relation hallowed as existing "in the Lord" (Ephesians 6:1-4). . . .

Verse 22.-Ephesians 6:9. - EXHORTATION TO RELATIVE DUTIES. Verse 22. - Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. Though Christiani

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Wives,
γυναῖκες (gynaikes)
Noun - Vocative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1135: A woman, wife, my lady. Probably from the base of ginomai; a woman; specially, a wife.

[submit] to
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

your
ἰδίοις (idiois)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2398: Pertaining to self, i.e. One's own; by implication, private or separate.

husbands
ἀνδράσιν (andrasin)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 435: A male human being; a man, husband. A primary word; a man.

as
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

to the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Lord.
Κυρίῳ (Kyriō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.


Links
Ephesians 5:22 NIV
Ephesians 5:22 NLT
Ephesians 5:22 ESV
Ephesians 5:22 NASB
Ephesians 5:22 KJV

Ephesians 5:22 BibleApps.com
Ephesians 5:22 Biblia Paralela
Ephesians 5:22 Chinese Bible
Ephesians 5:22 French Bible
Ephesians 5:22 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: Ephesians 5:22 Wives be subject to your own husbands (Ephes. Eph. Ep)
Ephesians 5:21
Top of Page
Top of Page