Children and Parents

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ² “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise, ³ “so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”^[a]

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

Servants and Masters

⁵ Servants, obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of your heart, as to Christ, ⁶ not serving when eyes are on you, but as pleasing men as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷ with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, ⁸ knowing that whatever good thing any man does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is enslaved or free.

⁹ And masters, do the same things for them, no longer threatening, knowing that your Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

The Battle Against Evil

¹⁰ Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your waist girded with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ having your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace, ¹⁶ and above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit always with all kinds of prayer and supplication. To that end be alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. ¹⁹ Pray for me, that the power to speak may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.

Final Greetings

²¹ Now that you also may know my activities and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. ²² I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you might know our activities and that he might comfort your hearts.

²³ Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.