50 Bible Verses about Submission

Therefore, be humble [in your actions] before God's powerful authority, so that you may be exalted [by Him] at the proper time.

Therefore, you should pray this way: 'Our Father in heaven, may your name be highly honored. May your kingdom come [to earth]; may your will be done on earth just as it is [already being done] in heaven.

Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them [for it]; should we not much rather submit to the Father of our spirits [i.e., God], so we can live [spiritually]?

So, you should submit yourselves to God, but oppose the devil, and he will flee from you.

saying, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup [i.e., of suffering] away from me; nevertheless, let it not be what I want, but what you want [for me]."

And He went on ahead a short distance and fell face-down and prayed, "My Father, allow this cup [i.e., of suffering] to pass away from me if it is [at all] possible; nevertheless, let it not be what I want, but what You want [for me]."

So, He said, "Abba, [which means] Father, everything is possible with you. Take this cup [i.e., of suffering] away from me; however, let it not be what I want but what you want for me."

So, Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son [of God] cannot do anything on His own [i.e., independently of the Father]; but [He does] what He sees His Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does as well.

For I did not speak from myself [i.e., on my own authority], but the Father Himself, who sent me, has ordered me what to say and speak. And I know that [obeying] His commandments [leads to] never ending life. So, the things which I say are what the Father has told me [to say]."

For He [i.e., God] placed everything in subjection under His [i.e., Christ's] feet. But when God said, "Everything is in subjection [to Him]," it is clear that this did not include God [Himself], who placed everything in subjection to Him [i.e., Christ]. And after everything [else] has been subjected to Christ, then the Son Himself will also be subjected [i.e., He will subject Himself] to God, who subjected everything to Christ, so that God may rule over everything.

During His life on earth Jesus offered up prayers and special requests with loud crying and tears to God, who was able to save Him from dying, and He was heard because of His [earnest] devotion [to God]. [And] although He was a Son, still He learned obedience from the things He suffered,

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said [to God], [Psa. 40:6-8 LXX], "You did not want an [animal] sacrifice and an offering, but you prepared a body for me [to sacrifice]. You were not pleased with whole burnt offerings and sin offerings. Then I said, 'Look, I have come to do what you want, O God, [just as] it is written in the scroll of the book [about me].'"

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

You should think about things the way Christ Jesus did. He existed in the form of God [i.e., He shared God's very nature], but did not consider [remaining] equal with God something [to continue] to hold onto. Instead, He gave up what He had and took on the form [i.e., the nature] of a slave, becoming like a man, [and even] His appearance was found to be like a man's.

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

And God placed everything in subjection under His [i.e., Christ's] feet, and appointed Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His [spiritual] body. The church is completely filled by Christ [or, "Christ is completely filled by God"], who completely fills everything in every way.

And He is the head of the [spiritual] body, the church. He is [its] source, the firstborn One from the dead [i.e., the first one to return to life, never to die again], so that He could rank first [in importance] over all things.

You should let the peace given by Christ rule in your hearts, since you people were called [to be at peace] in one body [i.e., the church]; and you should be thankful.

But you should not deceive yourselves by just listening [to God's word] instead of doing what the word teaches. For if anyone is [only] a listener to the word and does not practice it, he is like a person who sees his natural face in a mirror, and [then after] he sees himself, [he] goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.read more.
But the person who looks closely into the perfect law that brings freedom, and continues to do so, is not a listener who forgets [what he hears], but someone who does the work [it requires]. This person will be blessed for doing so.

I testify to every person who hears the words of the prophecy of this book [Note: This is probably Jesus speaking, but could possibly be John]. If anyone adds to these words, God will add to him the calamities described in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

[You should] obey your leaders [Note: This probably refers to church elders] and submit to their oversight, for they look out for [the welfare of] your souls as men who will give an accounting [for your spiritual progress]. [Be obedient], so that they will be able to do this joyfully and not with sorrow, for that would be unprofitable to you.

Every person must be submissive to the ruling authorities, for all authorities come from God. And the existence of authorities has been established by God.

You know that [members of] the family of Stephanas are the firstfruits of Achaia [i.e., the first converts in that province of southern Greece], and that they have committed themselves to serving God's people [i.e., the saints]. Now I urge you, brothers, that you should also submit to [the leadership of] such people and to everyone [else] who works and labors [with them].

But we urge you, brothers, to know [i.e., appreciate and respect] those who work hard among you, and who lead you and warn you in [the fellowship of] the Lord. [Note: These men were probably the elders. See Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:17]. And regard them very highly, in a loving way, because of the work they do. You should live at peace with one another.

And the prophets' spirits are [to be] under the prophets' control [i.e., a prophet was to determine if or when he exercised his gift],

They answered Him, "Caesar's." Then He replied, "Pay to Caesar whatever belongs to Caesar and pay to God whatever belongs to God."

Then Jesus replied to them, "Pay to Caesar whatever belongs to Caesar and pay to God whatever belongs to God." And they greatly marveled at Him.

He replied, "Then pay to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar and pay to God the things that belong to God."

Therefore, the person who resists [these] authorities is opposing what God has ordained. And those who oppose [these authorities] will bring judgment on themselves. For [our] rulers are not a threat to [the person doing] a good deed, but to [the person doing] an evil one. So, do you want to avoid having to be afraid of the authorities? Then do what is good and you will be commended by them [generally]. For they are servants of God for your good. But you should be afraid if you do what is evil, because they do not carry the sword [i.e., for executing criminals] for nothing. For they are servants of God who take revenge [on wrongdoing] by punishing the person who does evil.read more.
Therefore, you must submit [to the authorities], not only because of [the threat of] punishment, but also for the sake of [your] conscience. This is the reason why you should pay taxes also. For the authorities are God's servants who continually tend to this matter [i.e., of collecting taxes]. [So], pay everyone what you owe them; pay taxes to the tax collector; pay revenue to the revenue collector; show respect to the one deserving it; give honor to the one deserving it.

Remind the people [where you minister] to be in subjection to [civic] rulers, [governmental] authorities, to be obedient [to them], to be prepared for [doing] every good deed,

Submit yourselves to every authority set up by people for the Lord's sake. [Submit to] a king as the [highest] authority, or to governors who are appointed by him to punish wrongdoers, and to commend those who do right.

Wives, you should submit to your own husbands, as you would to the Lord. For the husband is the [spiritual] head over his wife, just as Christ is also the [spiritual] head over the church, since He is the Savior of the body. But just as the church submits to Christ, so wives also should submit to their husbands in everything.

You wives should submit to your husbands, as this is proper in [the fellowship of] the Lord.

Then they can train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, [morally] pure, [good] homemakers, kind [and] in subjection to their own husbands, so that God's message will not be spoken against.

In the same way [that Jesus was submissive], you wives should submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even though they may not obey the [Gospel] message [they have heard] they may, without your talking [to them about it],

Children, you should obey your parents in the Lord [i.e., as part of your Christian responsibility], for this is the right thing to do. [Ex. 20:12 says], "Show honor to your father and mother," (which is the first commandment that carries the promise), "that things may go well with you and that you will live a long time on earth."

He is [still] under [the direction of] guardians and managers [of his affairs] until the day his father decides [to give him his inheritance].

You children should obey your parents in everything, for this is very pleasing to the Lord.

Slaves, you should obey those who are your earthly masters, out of reverence and eagerness to please them, with a sincere heart, as you would [obey] Christ. Do not serve them only when you are being watched, just to gain their approval, but as slaves of Christ, doing what God wants from your heart. Render your service wholeheartedly, as you would to the Lord, and not [just] to people,read more.
knowing that whatever good deed a person does, he will be rewarded for it from the Lord, whether he is a slave or a free person.

You slaves should obey your earthly masters in everything, [and] do not do it just when they are looking [at you], or to gain their favor, but do it with a sincere heart, out of reverence for the Lord. In whatever you do, work wholeheartedly, as though it were for the Lord and not [just] for people, knowing that you will receive from the Lord a [spiritual] inheritance as a reward, [for] you are [really] serving the Lord.

Slaves should be in subjection to their own masters in everything. They should try hard to please them, without talking back or keeping [part of their master's] property for themselves, but proving to be completely trustworthy, so that they will make the teaching of God our Savior attractive in every way.

Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters and show them respect, not just the ones who are good [to you] and treat you well, but also to those who are harsh toward you.

And in the same way, you younger [Christians] should be [respectfully] submissive to the older ones. And all of you should [be willing to] humbly serve one another, for God stands opposed to [the efforts of] proud people, but extends His unearned favor to those [who serve] with humility.

Husbands, you should love your wives just as Christ also loved the church, and gave up His life for her, so that He could dedicate her [to Himself], after cleansing her by means of the washing of water [i.e., immersion], accompanied by the word. [Note: "The word" here refers either to a person's profession of faith (See Rom. 10:9) or to the Gospel message (See Rom. 10:17), both of which are associated with immersion]. [This is] so He could present the church to Himself in all her splendor, without any kind of stain or wrinkle, but that she should be holy and without [moral] flaw.read more.
In the same way also, husbands should love their own wives as they love their own bodies. The man who loves his own wife [actually] loves himself. For no [normal] person ever hated his own [physical] body, but [instead] he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ also does for the church, because we are parts of His [spiritual] body. [Gen. 2:24 says], "For this reason a man will leave [the home of] his father and mother, and will cling to his wife, [so that] the two will become one flesh [i.e., united in such a close relationship, as to practically constitute one body]." The secret [truth] of this is great, but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each of you men individually should also love his own wife the way he loves himself. And the wife should respect her husband.

And you fathers [Note: This word probably includes both parents], do not stir up your children to become angry, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

First of all, then, I urge you to offer [special] requests, prayers, intercessions [Note: "Intercessions" probably refers to praying on behalf of others], and thanksgivings for all people. [Offer them] for kings and for all people in prominent [governmental] positions, so that we can live a peaceful and quiet life in all reverence [toward God] and respectability [toward people].

So, the elders in the various places where you live, are to receive the following exhortation. (I too, am an elder and have witnessed the sufferings of Christ, and am also assured of partaking of the glorious [salvation, 1:5] that will someday be revealed). You should serve as shepherds of God's flock [i.e., the church], among whom you minister, providing careful oversight [of the people], not because you feel forced to, but because you want to, as this is in accordance with the way God wants it to be. Do not [serve as elders] simply out of a desire for the income you receive, but because your heart is in it. Do not act as dictators over the people you are assigned to care for, but [rather] serve as examples of how they ought to live.read more.
And when the Supreme Shepherd [i.e., Jesus] comes back, you will receive [for your effort] a glorious crown [of reward] that will never fade away [Note: The idea of "fading away" is suggested by the laurel wreath bestowed on the winner of an athletic contest].