Ephesians 5:22

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

Ephesians 5:22 in Other Translations

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

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

22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

22 Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ.

22 Wives, [be in subjection] unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

22 Wives, place yourselves under your husbands' authority as you have placed yourselves under the Lord's authority.

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord,

22 Wives, follow the lead of your husbands as you follow the Lord.

Ephesians 5:22 Meaning and Commentary

Ephesians 5:22

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands
This is an instance, explaining the above general rule; which subjection lies in honour and reverence, ( Ephesians 5:33 ) , and in obedience; they should think well of their husbands, speak becomingly to them, and respectfully of them; the wife should take care of the family, and family affairs, according to the husband's will; should imitate him in what is good, and bear with that which is not so agreeable; she should not curiously inquire into his business, but leave the management of it to him; she should help and assist in caring and providing for the family; and should abide with him in prosperity and adversity, and do nothing without his will and consent: and this subjection is only to her husband; not to any other man, nor to her children, nor to her servants, or any brought into her house; and this consideration should render the subjection more easy, voluntary, and cheerful: and which is but reasonable that it should be; as may be gathered from the time, matter, and end of the woman's creation, she was made after him, out of him, and for him; and from her fall, and being first in the transgression; and from her being the weaker and inferior sex; and from the profitableness and comeliness of it; and the credit of religion requires it, that so the word of God be not blasphemed: wherefore it follows,

as unto the Lord;
that is, either as the Lord has commanded, that so it should be, showing a regard to his precepts; or as in the sight of the Lord, and so yielding it sincerely and heartily; or in things pertaining to the Lord, which are consistent with the law of the Lord, and the Gospel of Christ; and in like manner as the church is subject to Christ, her Lord and husband, as follows.

Ephesians 5:22 In-Context

20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

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

23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 3:16; 1 Corinthians 14:34; Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:12; Titus 2:5; 1Pe 3:1,5,6
• 2. Ephesians 6:5