Family Relations

^18 (A)Wives, ^(B)be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ^19 (C)Husbands, love your wives and do not become bitter against them. ^20 (D)Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing ^[a]to the Lord. ^21 (E)Fathers, do not ^[b]antagonize your children, so that they will not become discouraged.

^22 [c](F)Slaves, obey those who are your ^[d]human masters in everything, ^(G)not with ^[e]eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, do your work ^[f]heartily, ^(H)as for the Lord and not for people, ^24 (I)knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward ^[g]of ^(J)the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you ^(K)serve. ²⁵ For ^(L)the one who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and ^[h](M)that without partiality.

4 Masters, grant your slaves justice and fairness, ^(N)knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

^2 (O)Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; ³ praying at the same time ^(P)for us as well, that God will open up to us a ^(Q)door for ^(R)the word, so that we may proclaim ^(S)the mystery of Christ, for which I have also ^(T)been imprisoned; ⁴ that I may make it clear ^(U)in the way that I ought to proclaim it.

^5 [i](V)Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward ^(W)outsiders, ^[j](X)making the most of the opportunity. ^6 (Y)Your speech must always be ^[k]with grace, as though seasoned with ^(Z)salt, so that you will know how you should ^(AA)respond to each person.