Ephesians 5:21 kjv
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Ephesians 5:21 nkjv
submitting to one another in the fear of God.
Ephesians 5:21 niv
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:21 esv
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:21 nlt
And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Eph. 5:20 | Always giving thanks for everything in the name of our Lord | Gratitude and Thanksgiving |
| Phil. 2:3-4 | Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility...consider others better than yourselves. | Humility and considering others |
| Rom. 12:10 | Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. | Brotherly love and honor |
| 1 Pet. 5:5 | Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. | Humility and God's grace |
| Gal. 5:13 | For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. | Service through love |
| Col. 3:18 | Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. | Specific submission (husband/wife context) |
| Col. 3:19 | Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. | Specific love (husband/wife context) |
| Heb. 13:17 | Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. | Submission to church leaders |
| 1 Pet. 4:8 | Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. | Earnest love covering sin |
| John 13:34-35 | A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. | Christ's example of love for believers |
| 1 Cor. 1:10 | I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. | Unity and agreement within the church |
| Eph. 4:2-3 | With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. | Qualities for unity: humility, gentleness, patience |
| Rom. 15:7 | Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. | Mutual welcome in Christ's name |
| Phil. 2:5 | Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, | Mind of Christ |
| Heb. 12:28 | Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God pleasing service with reverence and awe. | Gratitude and reverent service |
| Matt. 18:4 | Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. | Humility for greatness in the Kingdom |
| 1 Thess. 5:11 | Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. | Encouragement and building up others |
| Col. 3:12 | Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. | Virtues of the new creation |
| Eph. 5:22 | Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. | Specific application of submission |
| Eph. 5:23 | For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church... | Christ's headship as a model |
| 1 Cor. 11:3 | But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. | Headship structure |
Ephesians 5 verses
Ephesians 5 21 Meaning
Mutual submission in the body of Christ is rooted in the reverence for Christ. This voluntary yielding to one another, based on respect and submission to Christ's authority, fosters unity and demonstrates the character of God.
Ephesians 5 21 Context
Ephesians 5:21 serves as an introductory statement for the subsequent instructions given to wives, husbands, children, and servants in the following verses. It establishes the overarching principle of mutual submission within the Christian community, rooted in their shared submission to Christ. This instruction comes after Paul's exhortation for believers to walk in love, imitate God, and live as children of light, highlighting the interconnectedness of these behaviors. The verse precedes specific applications of this principle to familial and household relationships, reflecting the cultural context of hierarchical structures in Roman society, yet Paul reorients these structures around Christ's lordship and the love of the fellowship.
Ephesians 5 21 Word Analysis
αὐτούς (autous): "Yourselves." This is a direct and emphatic pronoun referring back to the believers addressed in the letter, underlining that this submission is reciprocal among them.
ὑποτασσόμενοι (hypotassomenoi): "Submitting yourselves." This is a present participle of the verb "hypotasso," which means to arrange oneself under, to subordinate, or to yield. It implies a voluntary, active yielding, not forced subservience.
ἀλλήλους (allēlous): "One another." This reciprocal pronoun emphasizes that the submission is not one-directional but mutual, involving all believers within the fellowship.
Group Analysis: "Submitting yourselves one to another": This core phrase sets a radical precedent for Christian community life. It calls for humility and respect across all relationships, before detailing specific roles. It emphasizes that unity and Christ-like living begin with an attitude of placing others’ needs and preferences before one’s own, reflecting the mind of Christ.
Ephesians 5 21 Bonus Section
The concept of "hypotasso" (to submit) carries connotations of arranging oneself under or placing oneself in order. It's an active decision, a placing of oneself in relation to another. In ancient Greek culture, while hierarchies were strong, voluntary alliances and subordination were also common in military and political spheres. Paul uses this idea to establish a spiritual principle for the church: voluntarily ordering oneself under fellow believers out of respect for Christ. This counters potential arrogance or self-assertion within the community, ensuring that service and deference are prioritized. The early church experienced radical social leveling in terms of spiritual worth (Galatians 3:28), and this mutual submission is a practical expression of that equality in Christ.
Ephesians 5 21 Commentary
This verse introduces a foundational principle for Christian relationships: mutual submission. It's not about erasing distinctions or authority but about a shared humility and deference rooted in the believers' common submission to Christ. This is the spirit that should pervade all interactions, ensuring that love and respect are the driving forces. It's a proactive decision to honor others, mirroring Christ's own self-giving nature, and setting the stage for properly understanding and living out specific household codes.