Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them.
Parallel Translations
-
Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them.
-
Husbandes love youre wyves and be not bitter vnto them.
-
Husbands, loue your wiues, and be not bitter vnto them.
Cross-references (13)
Passages linked to Colossians 3:19 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Peter 3:7 You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as also being joint heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
- Genesis 2:23-24 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.
- Colossians 3:21 Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.
- Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;
- Ephesians 5:28-29 Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly;
- Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander be put away from you, with all malice.
- Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
- Proverbs 5:18-19 Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe and a graceful deer— let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love.
- Ecclesiastes 9:9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity, for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun.
- Malachi 2:14-16 Yet you say, ‘Why?’ Because Yahweh has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion, and the wife of your covenant. Did he not make you one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? Why one? He sought godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. One who hates and divorces”, says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “covers his garment with violence!” says Yahweh of Armies. “Therefore pay attention to your spirit, that you don’t be unfaithful.
- James 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth.
- Genesis 24:67 Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
- Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain He requireth of husbands, that they love their wives,…
He requireth of husbands, that they love their wives, and use them gently.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter…
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Ver. 19. Husbands, love your wives] He saith not, Rule over them, subdue them if they will not submit, but love them, and so win them to your will; make their yoke as easy as may be, for they stand on even ground with you, as yokefellows, though they draw on the left side. "Yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant," Mal 2:14. He therefore that is free may frame his choice to his mind; but he that hath chosen must frame his heart to his choice.
Read full note →
" Uxorem vir amato, marito pareat uxor:
Coniugis illa sui cor, caput ille suae."
And be not bitter against them] Nothing akin to Nabal, to those Chaldeans, a bitter and furious nation, or to that star, Rev 8:11, called wormwood, that embittereth the third part of the waters. The heathen, when they sacrificed at their marriage feasts, used to cast the gall of the beasts sacrificed outside; to signify that married couples should be as doves without gall. (Plut. praec, coniug.) Vipera virus ob venerationem nuptiarum evomit, saith Basil. The viper, going to copulate, vomiteth up her venom; and wilt not thou, for the honour of marriage, lay aside thy bitterness and boisterous behaviour?
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The husband’s duty is love, which the apostle doth…
The husband’s duty is love, which the apostle doth ever inculcate from the most obliging considerations when he speaks of this relation; see Mat 19:6; 1Co 7:3, with Eph 5:25,33; to sweeten on the one hand the subjection of the wife, and to temper on the other hand the authority of the husband.
And be not bitter against them; who, that upon his authority he may not grow insolent, the apostle forbids him frowardness with his wife, thereby requiring a conversation with her full of sweetness and amity: wrath and bitterness is to be laid aside towards all others, Col 3:8, with Eph 4:31, much more towards his own wife, in whom he is to joy and delight, Pro 5:15,18,19; 1Pe 3:7.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Observe, 1. The general duty of the husband declared,…
Observe, 1. The general duty of the husband declared, to love his wife with a special, peculiar, conjugal affection, and to discover this love by a tender care over her, an affectionate regard to her, cohabitation with her, contentment and satisfaction in her, a patient bearing with her weaknesses, or prudential hiding of her infirmities, a cheerful supplying of her wants, a readiness to instruct and direct her, a willingness to pray for her, and with her; where true love is found these duties will be performed.
Observe, 2. A particular sin, which all husbands are to avoid in their conversation with their wives, and that is being bitter against them: not bitter in affection towards them, that is, cold and indifferent in their love to them; not bitter in expression towards them, speaking reproachfully to them; not bitter in their actions towards them, giving them bitter blows, which is contrary to the law of God and nature.
Read full note →
Learn hence, That it is the will and command of God, that husbands should not behave themselves churlishly, sourly, or imperiously towards their wives; not ruling with rigour or being morose and rough, stern and severe in their carriage towards them, but to treat them with that endearing familiarity that is due to them, as part of ourselves.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Husbands, love your wives,.... See Gill on Eph 5:25.
Husbands, love your wives,.... See Gill on Eph 5:25.
and be not bitter against them; turning love into hatred of their persons; ruling with rigour, and in a tyrannical manner; behaving towards them in a morose, churlish, and ill natured way; giving them either bitter words, or blows, and denying them their affection, care, provision, protection, and assistance, but using them as servants, or worse. All which is barbarous, brutish, and unchristian, and utterly unbecoming the Gospel.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Be not bitter - (Which may be without any…
Be not bitter - (Which may be without any appearance of anger) either in word or spirit.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 19. Be not bitter against them.] Wherever bitterness…
Verse 19. Be not bitter against them.] Wherever bitterness is, there love is wanting. And where love is wanting in the married life, there is hell upon earth.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Husbands, love your wives ... - Notes, Eph 4:25-29.
Husbands, love your wives ... - Notes, Eph 4:25-29.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain (Eph 5:22-33.)
(Eph 5:22-33.)
be not bitter--ill-tempered and provoking. Many who are polite abroad, are rude and bitter at home because they are not afraid to be so there.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 19. Love your wives—As their head and protector, with…
19. Love your wives—As their head and protector, with Christ’s love for the Church as the model.
Be not bitter—Sharp, exasperated, the exact opposite and ruin of love.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 19. Husbands] Cp. Eph_5:25-33; 1Pe_3:7.
19. Husbands] Cp. Eph_5:25-33; 1Pe_3:7.
love] A word deepened and hallowed indefinitely by the Gospel, in reference to matrimonial truth and tenderness. See our note on Eph_5:25.
Read full note →
be not bitter] with the wretched irritability of a supposed absolute superiority and authority. “The husband’s primacy is not for dominion but for guidance, with sweetness, wisdom and peace” (Quesnel).—To be “bitter,” in the sense of angry, is a phrase of O.T. Greek. See the LXX. in e.g. Jeremiah 44 :(Heb. 37)15 (where A. V. reads “they were wroth”); Hab_1:6.—Cp. Eph_4:31.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (19) Be not bitter.—Properly, grow not bitter, suffer not…
(19) Be not bitter.—Properly, grow not bitter, suffer not yourselves to be exasperated. The word is used metaphorically only in this passage, literally in Rev_8:11; Rev_10:9-10.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Ye husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter…
Ye husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against (Eph_5:25-31; 1Pe_3:7) "Love" is ajgapaw, the word which expresses the highest spiritual affection as Christ loved the Church". (Eph_5:25) Here, first and most of all, the "new commandment" of new Joh_13:34 applies. St. Paul only uses the verb pikrai ("to make bitter") here, but he has the noun pikria ("bitterness") in a wider application in Eph_4:31. It denotes "exasperation," prompting to hasty severity. Bengel defines it as "odium amori mixtum hatred infused into love.
The duties of husbands.
Read full note →
"Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
I THE DUTY OF LOVE. This love, which is consistent with his headship over her, implies:
1. That he is to delight in her, (Pro_5:18, Pro_5:19) and please her. (1Co_7:33)
1. That he is to cherish her as Christ the Church, (Eph_5:29) providing for her support and comfort. (1Ti_5:3)
2. That he is to protect her as the weaker vessel.
3. That he is not to be bitter against her, using bitter words or sour looks, acting rigorously or imperiously, as if she were a slave and not a companion.
4. That he is to seek her spiritual good, for she is to be an heir with him of the grace of life. (1Pe_3:7)
II THE REASONS OF THIS DUTY.
1. The intimacy of the relationship between them. He leaves father and mother to cleave to his wife. She is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. (Eph_5:28, Eph_5:29, Eph_5:33)
1. She was originally provided as a help meet for him. (Gen_2:18) "Yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant". (Mal_2:14)
2. She is the glory of the man. (1Co_11:7)
3. The strongest argument is the analogous love of Christ to his Church. (Eph_5:25-28) T. C.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 19. Husbands, love your wives. See notes on Eph.…
19. Husbands, love your wives. See notes on Eph. 5:25.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 3:19 The exhortation to wives to submit to their…
3:19 The exhortation to wives to submit to their husbands is immediately followed by a command to the husbands to love their wives (see also Eph 5:25-30; 1 Pet 3:7).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.