In Greek this verse is a participial clause, related to what precedes; verses 19 and 20 both begin with participles also (verse 19 “speaking among yourselves”; verse 20 “giving thanks always”), and this participle “submitting (to one another),” like the other two, is syntactically dependent on the main verb in verse 18, “be filled with the Spirit.” All editions of the Greek New Testament join this verse to the preceding section (as do New American Bible, Translator’s New Testament, and others), but most modern translations (Moffatt, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others) join it to what follows. As Beare points out, the participle is often used in the New Testament in an imperatival sense, and here it points forward, not backward; the following verse does not have a verb, which must be supplied from verse 21. So Good News Translation joins verse 21 with what follows.

For the verb “to submit” (also 1.22; 5.24) see the discussion in the next verse. Each Christian is to make his or her interests subordinate to those of his or her fellow Christian. In a number of languages the closest equivalent of submit yourselves to one another is “be willing to obey one another.” One might also employ such expressions as “be willing to accept orders from one another” or “willingly accept what others say you should do.”

“In the fear of Christ” is how New English Bible translates the last phrase in the verse; Translator’s New Testament “out of reverence for Christ.” This is the basic attitude that makes obedience to this command possible (compare Mark 10.43-45). See similar exhortations in Romans 12.10; Philippians 2.3.

The phrase because of your reverence for Christ may be turned into a clause, for example, “because of the way in which you revere Christ.” Or else the translation may be “in order to honor Christ” or “as proof of your reverence for Christ.” But in many languages there may not be a fully satisfactory word for either reverence or “revere.” The closest equivalent may be “regard Christ as Lord” or “regard Christ as one who should be obeyed.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .