Chapter 6

Family Relationships

1 aChildren, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

2 aHonor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise),

3 so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.

4 aFathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bbring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

5 aSlaves, be obedient to those who are your 1masters according to the flesh, with bfear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, cas to Christ;

6 anot 1by way of eyeservice, as bmen-pleasers, but as cslaves of Christ, ddoing the will of God from the 2heart.

7 With good will 1render service, aas to the Lord, and not to men,

8 aknowing that bwhatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, cwhether slave or free.

9 And masters, do the same things to them, and agive up threatening, knowing that bboth their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is cno partiality with Him.

The Armor of God

10 Finally, abe strong in the Lord and in bthe strength of His might.

11 aPut on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the bschemes of the devil.

12 For our astruggle is not against 1bflesh and blood, but cagainst the rulers, against the powers, against the dworld forces of this edarkness, against the fspiritual forces of wickedness in gthe heavenly places.

13 Therefore, take up athe full armor of God, so that you will be able to bresist in cthe evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

14 Stand firm therefore, ahaving girded your loins with truth, and having bput on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having ashod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 1in addition to all, taking up the ashield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the bflaming arrows of cthe evil one.

17 And take athe helmet of salvation, and the bsword of the Spirit, which is cthe word of God.

18 1With all aprayer and petition 2bpray at all times cin the Spirit, and with this in view, 3dbe on the alert with all eperseverance and fpetition for all the saints,

19 and apray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me bin the opening of my mouth, to make known with cboldness dthe mystery of the gospel,

20 for which I am an aambassador bin 1chains; that 2in proclaiming it I may speak cboldly, das I ought to speak.

21 aBut that you also may know about my circumstances, 1how I am doing, bTychicus, cthe beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.

22 1aI have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know 2about us, and that he may bcomfort your hearts.

23 aPeace be to the brethren, and blove with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ 1with incorruptible love.