Colossians 3:18
New International Version
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

New Living Translation
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.

English Standard Version
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

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

Berean Literal Bible
Wives, submit yourselves to the husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

King James Bible
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

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

New American Standard Bible
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

NASB 1995
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

NASB 1977
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Legacy Standard Bible
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Amplified Bible
Wives, be subject to your husbands [out of respect for their position as protector, and their accountability to God], as is proper and fitting in the Lord.

Christian Standard Bible
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Wives, be submissive to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

American Standard Version
Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Contemporary English Version
A wife must put her husband first. This is her duty as a follower of the Lord.

English Revised Version
Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Wives, place yourselves under your husbands' authority. This is appropriate behavior for the Lord's people.

Good News Translation
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, for that is what you should do as Christians.

International Standard Version
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is appropriate for those who belong to the Lord.

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

NET Bible
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

New Heart English Bible
Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

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

Weymouth New Testament
Married women, be submissive to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

World English Bible
Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The wives: be subject to your own husbands, as is fit in the LORD;

Berean Literal Bible
Wives, submit yourselves to the husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Young's Literal Translation
The wives! be subject to your own husbands, as is fit in the Lord;

Smith's Literal Translation
Women, place yourselves under your own husbands, as was permitted in the Lord.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as it behoveth in the Lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Wives, be submissive to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord.

New American Bible
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord.

New Revised Standard Version
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as it is appropriate in Christ.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as that is right in The Messiah.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as it is becoming in the Lord.

Godbey New Testament
Ye wives, submit to your husbands as is becoming in the Lord.

Haweis New Testament
Wives be subject to your own husbands, as is fit in the Lord.

Mace New Testament
Dames, be submissive to your husbands, as becomes christians.

Weymouth New Testament
Married women, be submissive to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Worrell New Testament
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as it was fitting in the Lord.

Worsley New Testament
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as becometh you in the Lord:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Christian Households
17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. 18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.…

Cross References
Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. / 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. / Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

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, ...

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.”

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.

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 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. ...

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.

Genesis 2:18
The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”

1 Corinthians 7:3-4
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.

Ephesians 5:33
Nevertheless, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

1 Samuel 25:3
His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.

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.

Ruth 3:1-5
One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek a resting place for you, that it may be well with you? / Now is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been working, a relative of ours? In fact, tonight he is winnowing barley on the threshing floor. / Therefore wash yourself, put on perfume, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. ...

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 it is fit in the Lord.

submit.

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 1:20
And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.

1 Corinthians 11:3
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

as.

Acts 5:29
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Ephesians 5:3
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

Ephesians 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

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Authority Fit Fitting Husbands Married Right Subject Subjection Submissive Submit Wives Women Yourselves
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Authority Fit Fitting Husbands Married Right Subject Subjection Submissive Submit Wives Women Yourselves
Colossians 3
1. He shows where we should seek Christ.
5. He exhorts to holiness;
10. to put off the old self, and put on Christ;
12. exhorting to charity, humility,
18. and other duties.














Wives
The term "wives" in this context refers to married women within the Christian community. In the original Greek, the word used is "γυναῖκες" (gynaikes), which simply means women or wives, depending on the context. Historically, the role of women in the Greco-Roman world was often limited, with societal expectations for them to manage the household and support their husbands. However, in the Christian context, the role of a wife is elevated to a partnership in the faith, where mutual respect and love are emphasized. This verse begins a section on household codes, which were common in ancient ethical writings, but Paul’s instructions are distinctively Christian, focusing on relationships transformed by Christ.

submit
The Greek word here is "ὑποτάσσεσθε" (hypotassesthe), which means to arrange under, to subordinate, or to subject oneself. In the Christian context, submission is not about inferiority or coercion but a voluntary and loving yielding to another out of reverence for Christ. This concept is rooted in the order and harmony that God desires within the family unit, reflecting the relationship between Christ and the Church. Submission is a mutual and reciprocal act, as seen in Ephesians 5:21, where believers are called to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

to your husbands
This phrase specifies the direction of the submission, which is to their own husbands. The Greek word for "husbands" is "ἀνδράσιν" (andrasin), indicating a personal and intimate relationship. The instruction is not a blanket statement for all men but is specific to the marital relationship. In the historical context, this was a radical call for mutual respect and love within marriage, contrasting with the often authoritarian and patriarchal structures of the time.

as is fitting
The phrase "as is fitting" comes from the Greek "καθὼς ἀνῆκεν" (kathōs anēken), which implies what is proper or appropriate. This suggests that the submission of wives to their husbands should align with the Christian understanding of marriage, which is characterized by love, respect, and mutual edification. It is not a submission that leads to oppression or diminishment but one that is appropriate within the context of a loving and Christ-centered relationship.

in the Lord
This final phrase, "in the Lord," is crucial as it frames the entire instruction within the context of a relationship with Christ. The Greek "ἐν Κυρίῳ" (en Kyriō) indicates that the submission is not merely a social or cultural expectation but a spiritual act of obedience to Christ. It underscores that the ultimate authority and model for behavior in marriage is the Lord Himself. This phrase ensures that the submission is not blind or absolute but is always in accordance with the teachings and character of Jesus Christ, who exemplifies love, sacrifice, and service.

[6.Special Exhortation as to the relations of life.

(1)THE DUTY OF WIVES AND HUSBANDS (Colossians 3:18-19).

(2)THE DUTY OF CHILDREN AND PARENTS (Colossians 3:20-21).

(3)THE DUTY OF SLAVES AND MASTERS (Colossians 3:22 to Colossians 4:1).] . . .

Verse 18 - Colossians 4:1. - SECTION VIII. THE CHRISTIAN VIEW OF FAMILY DUTIES. We note that in each of the three family relations here dealt with, the subordinate party is first addressed, and the duty of submission is primarily insisted upon (vers. 18, 20, 22: comp. 1 Peter 2:13, 18; 1 Peter 3:1-6). So in Ephesians 5:21-24; Ephesians 6:1-3, 5-8. There may have been some special reason for this in the state of the Asiatic Churches or of Greek society in that region. But other indications show (1 Corinthians 7:24; 1 Corinthians 11:3-16; 1 Corinthians 14:34, 35; Galatians 5:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:11, 12; 1 Timothy 2:11, 12; 1 Timothy 6:1, 2; Titus 2:5, 9, 10; Titus 3:1) that the apostle perceived and sought to check the danger of unsettlement in the natural order of family and social life which often attends great spiritual revolutions, especially when they are in the direction of religious liberty. As in the case of Luther, the apostle's later teaching is largely directed against the antinomianism which resulted, by way of perversion and abuse, from the preaching of salvation by grace and of the sanctity of the individual believer (comp. introductory note to this chapter). Observe how the Lord and his authority are made to furnish a higher sanction for each of these natural duties. Verse 18. - Ye wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fit in the Lord (Ephesians 5:22-24; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; Titus 2:5; 1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Corinthians 14:34, 35; 1 Peter 3:1-6; Genesis 3:16). On this duty the apostle dilates in the Ephesian letter, in illustration of its teaching respecting "Christ and the Church" (comp. the very different treatment of it in 1 Peter 3:1-7), The use of the article (αἱ γύναικες) in the nominative of address is frequent in New Testament, though not in classical Greek. Lightfoot thinks it Hebraistic. Ανηκεν stands in the imperfect tense (literally, it was fit), denoting a normal propriety (comp. Ephesians 5:4, Westcott and Hort; and for the general expression, 1 Corinthians 11:13, 14; Philemon 1:8; Ephesians 5:3; 1 Timothy 2:10; Philippians 4:8; Romans 1:29). Like all men of a sound moral nature, St Paul has a strong sense of natural propriety. The adjunct "in the Lord" belongs to "was fit," not "be subject" (comp. ver. 20). The constitution of nature, as we have learnt in Colossians 1:15-18, is grounded "in the Lord." In Ephesians 5:22-33 St. Paul shows that this inherent propriety has a deep spiritual significance; and he makes the subjection of the Church to her heavenly Lord a new reason for wifely submission.

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
ὑποτάσσεσθε (hypotassesthe)
Verb - Present Imperative Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 5293: From hupo and tasso; to subordinate; reflexively, to obey.

to [your]
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.

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.

is fitting
ἀνῆκεν (anēken)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 433: Is due, becoming, suitable, proper. From ana and heko; to attain to, i.e. be proper.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[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.


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