Colossians 3:18 (DBY)

Passage

Wives, be subject to [your] husbands, as is fitting in [the] Lord.

Nearby Context

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of the Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:17 And everything, whatever ye may do in word or in deed, [do] all things in [the] name of [the] Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by him.

Colossians 3:18 Wives, be subject to [your] husbands, as is fitting in [the] Lord.

Colossians 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in [the] Lord.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wives", "subject", "husbands", "fitting", and "lord". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wives" and "subject", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "And everything whatever ye may do in..." into verse 19's "Husbands love your wives and be not...", so "wives" and "subject" belong inside that flow. In Colossians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "wives" and "subject" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.