Ephesians 5:22

Exhortations to Households

5:22 ¹ Wives, submit ²  to your husbands as to the Lord,

Ephesians 5:24

5:24 But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Genesis 16:9

16:9 Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit ³  to her authority.

Genesis 16:1

The Birth of Ishmael

16:1 Now Sarai, ⁴  Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, ⁵  but she had an Egyptian servant ⁶  named Hagar. ⁷ 

Genesis 29:24

29:24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) ⁸ 

Romans 13:1-5

Submission to Civil Government

13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, ⁹  and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 13:2 So the person who resists such authority ¹⁰  resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment 13:3 (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation, 13:4 for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be in fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God’s servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer. 13:5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities ¹¹  but also because of your conscience. ¹² 

Romans 13:1

Submission to Civil Government

13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, ¹³  and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.

Colossians 1:16

1:16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him – all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, ¹⁴  whether principalities or powers – all things were created through him and for him.

Philippians 2:3

2:3 Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition ¹⁵  or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.

Philippians 2:1

Christian Unity and Christ’s Humility

2:1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, ¹⁶  any affection or mercy, ¹⁷ 

Philippians 2:11

2:11 and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord

to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:1

Christian Unity and Christ’s Humility

2:1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, ¹⁸  any affection or mercy, ¹⁹ 

Philippians 3:4

3:4 – though mine too are significant. ²⁰  If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, ²¹  I have more:

Hebrews 13:17

13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work. ²²  Let them do this ²³  with joy and not with complaints, for this would be no advantage for you.

Hebrews 13:1

Final Exhortations

13:1 Brotherly love must continue.

Hebrews 2:13

2:13 Again he says, ²⁴  “I will be confident in him,” and again, “Here I am, ²⁵  with ²⁶  the children God has given me.” ²⁷ 

Hebrews 5:5

5:5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming high priest, but the one who glorified him was God, ²⁸  who said to him, “You are my Son! Today I have fathered you,” ²⁹ 

[5:22]  ¹ tn Many scholars regard Eph 5:21 as the verse which introduces this section, rather than 5:22. This is due in part to the lack of a main verb in this verse (see tc note which follows). This connection is not likely, however, because it requires the participle ὑποτασσόμενοι (Jupotassomenoi, “submitting”) in 5:21 to act as the main verb of the section, and this participle more likely is linked to the command “be filled by the Spirit” in 5:18 as a participle of result (see sn above). In any case, 5:21 does form a strong link between 5:18-21 and what follows, so the paragraph division which has been placed between 5:21 and 22 should not be viewed as a complete break in the author’s thought.

[5:22]  ² tc The witnesses for the shorter reading (in which the verb “submit” is only implied) are minimal (Ì⁴⁶ B Cl Hier^mss), but significant and early. The rest of the witnesses add one of two verb forms as required by the sense of the passage (picking up the verb from v. 21). Several of these witnesses have ὑποτασσέσθωσαν (Jupotassesqwsan), the third person imperative (so א A I P Ψ 0278 33 81 1175 1739 1881 al lat co), while other witnesses, especially the later Byzantine cursives, read ὑποτάσσεσθε (Jupotassesqe), the second person imperative (D F G Ï sy). The text virtually begs for one of these two verb forms, but the often cryptic style of Paul’s letters argues for the shorter reading. The chronology of development seems to have been no verb – third person imperative – second person imperative. It is not insignificant that early lectionaries began a new day’s reading with v. 22; these most likely caused copyists to add the verb at this juncture.

[16:9]  ³ tn The imperative וְהִתְעַנִּי (vÿhit’anni) is the Hitpael of עָנָה (’anah, here translated “submit”), the same word used for Sarai’s harsh treatment of her. Hagar is instructed not only to submit to Sarai’s authority, but to whatever mistreatment that involves. God calls for Hagar to humble herself.

[16:1]  ⁴ tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of a new episode in the story.

[16:1]  ⁵ sn On the cultural background of the story of Sarai’s childlessness see J. Van Seters, “The Problem of Childlessness in Near Eastern Law and the Patriarchs of Israel,” JBL 87 (1968): 401-8.

[16:1]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew term שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah, translated “servant” here and in vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8) refers to a menial female servant.

[16:1]  ⁷ sn The passage records the birth of Ishmael to Abram through an Egyptian woman. The story illustrates the limits of Abram’s faith as he tries to obtain a son through social custom. The barrenness of Sarai poses a challenge to Abram’s faith, just as the famine did in chap. 12. As in chap. 12, an Egyptian figures prominently. (Perhaps Hagar was obtained as a slave during Abram’s stay in Egypt.)

[29:24]  ⁸ tn Heb “and Laban gave to her Zilpah his female servant, to Leah his daughter [for] a servant.” This clause gives information parenthetical to the narrative.

[13:1]  ⁹ tn Grk “by God.”

[13:2]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “the authority,” referring to the authority just described.

[13:5]  ¹¹ tn Grk “its wrath”; the referent (the governing authorities) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:5]  ¹² tn Grk “because of (the) conscience,” but the English possessive “your” helps to show whose conscience the context implies.

[13:1]  ¹³ tn Grk “by God.”

[1:16]  ¹⁴ tn BDAG 579 s.v. κυριότης 3 suggests “bearers of the ruling powers, dominions” here.

[2:3]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “not according to selfish ambition.” There is no main verb in this verse; the subjunctive φρονῆτε (fronhte, “be of the same mind”) is implied here as well. Thus, although most translations supply the verb “do” at the beginning of v. 3 (e.g., “do nothing from selfish ambition”), the idea is even stronger than that: “Don’t even think any thoughts motivated by selfish ambition.”

[2:1]  ¹⁶ tn Or “spiritual fellowship” if πνεύματος (pneumato") is an attributive genitive; or “fellowship brought about by the Spirit” if πνεύματος is a genitive of source or production.

[2:1]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “and any affection and mercy.” The Greek idea, however, is best expressed by “or” in English.

[2:1]  ¹⁸ tn Or “spiritual fellowship” if πνεύματος (pneumato") is an attributive genitive; or “fellowship brought about by the Spirit” if πνεύματος is a genitive of source or production.

[2:1]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “and any affection and mercy.” The Greek idea, however, is best expressed by “or” in English.

[3:4]  ²⁰ tn Grk “though I have reason for confidence even in the flesh.”

[3:4]  ²¹ tn Grk “flesh.”

[13:17]  ²² tn Or “as ones who will give an account”; Grk “as giving an account.”

[13:17]  ²³ tn Grk “that they may do this.”

[2:13]  ²⁴ tn Grk “and again,” as a continuation of the preceding.

[2:13]  ²⁵ tn Grk “behold, I,” but this construction often means “here is/there is” (cf. BDAG 468 s.v. ἰδού 2).

[2:13]  ²⁶ tn Grk “and.”

[2:13]  ²⁷ sn A quotation from Isa 8:17-18.

[5:5]  ²⁸ tn Grk “the one”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:5]  ²⁹ tn Grk “I have begotten you”; see Heb 1:5.