Ephesians 6
New American Standard Bible
Children and Parents
6 (A)Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 (B)Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 so that it may turn out well for you, and that you may live long on the earth.
4 (C)Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but (D)bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Slaves and Masters
5 (E)Slaves, be obedient to those who are your [a]masters according to the flesh, with (F)fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, (G)as to Christ; 6 (H)not [b]by way of [c]eye-service, as (I)people-pleasers, but as (J)slaves of Christ, (K)doing the will of God from the [d]heart. 7 With goodwill [e]render service, (L)as to the Lord, and not to people, 8 (M)knowing that (N)whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, (O)whether slave or free.
9 And masters, do the same things to them, and (P)give up threatening, knowing that (Q)both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is (R)no partiality with Him.
The Armor of God
10 Finally, (S)be strong in the Lord and in (T)the strength of His might. 11 (U)Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the (V)schemes of the devil. 12 For our (W)struggle is not against [f](X)flesh and blood, but (Y)against the rulers, against the powers, against the (Z)world forces of this (AA)darkness, against the (AB)spiritual forces of wickedness in (AC)the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up (AD)the full armor of God, so that you will be able to (AE)resist on (AF)the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, (AG)having belted your waist with truth, and having (AH)put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having (AI)strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 [g]in addition to all, taking up the (AJ)shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the (AK)flaming arrows of (AL)the evil one. 17 And take (AM)the helmet of salvation and the (AN)sword of the Spirit, which is (AO)the word of God.
18 [h]With every (AP)prayer and request, [i](AQ)pray at all times (AR)in the Spirit, and with this in view, [j](AS)be alert with all (AT)perseverance and every (AU)request for all the [k]saints, 19 and (AV)pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me (AW)in the opening of my mouth, to make known with (AX)boldness (AY)the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an (AZ)ambassador (BA)in [l]chains; that [m]in proclaiming it I may speak (BB)boldly, (BC)as I ought to speak.
21 (BD)Now, so that you also may know about my circumstances as to [n]what I am doing, (BE)Tychicus, (BF)the beloved brother and faithful [o]servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you. 22 [p](BG)I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know [q]about us, and that he may (BH)comfort your hearts.
23 (BI)Peace be to the brothers and sisters, and (BJ)love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ [r]with incorruptible love.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 6:5 I.e., earthly masters, as in first-century Roman culture
- Ephesians 6:6 Lit according to
- Ephesians 6:6 I.e., only when the master is watching
- Ephesians 6:6 Lit soul
- Ephesians 6:7 Lit rendering
- Ephesians 6:12 Lit blood and flesh
- Ephesians 6:16 Lit in all
- Ephesians 6:18 Lit Through
- Ephesians 6:18 Lit praying
- Ephesians 6:18 Lit being
- Ephesians 6:18 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Ephesians 6:20 Lit a chain
- Ephesians 6:20 Two early mss I may speak it boldly
- Ephesians 6:21 Or how
- Ephesians 6:21 Or minister
- Ephesians 6:22 Lit Whom I have sent to you
- Ephesians 6:22 Lit the things about us
- Ephesians 6:24 Lit in incorruption
Ephesians 6
International Standard Version
Advice for Children and Parents
6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord,[a] for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother…”[b] (This is a very important commandment with a promise.) 3 “…so that it may go well for you, and that you may have a long life on the earth.”[c]
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up by training[d] and instructing them about the Lord.
Advice for Slaves and Masters
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, trembling, and sincerity, as when you obey[e] the Messiah.[f] 6 Do not do this only while you’re being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah,[g] who are determined to obey God’s will. 7 Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people,[h] 8 because you know that everyone will receive a reward from the Lord for whatever good he has done, whether he is a slave or free.
9 Masters, treat your slaves[i] the same way. Do not threaten them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
Putting on the Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, relying on his mighty strength. 11 Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the Devil’s strategies.[j] 12 For our[k] struggle is not against human opponents,[l] but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers in the darkness around us,[m] and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm. 13 For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm.
14 Stand firm, therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and being firm-footed in the gospel of peace.[n] 16 In addition to having clothed yourselves with these things, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one, 17 also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request. Likewise, be alert with your most diligent efforts and pray for all the saints. 19 Pray[o] also for me, so that, when I begin to speak, the right words will come to me. Then I will boldly make known the secret of the gospel, 20 for whose sake I am an ambassador in chains, desiring to declare the gospel[p] as boldly as I should.[q]
Final Greeting
21 So that you may know what has happened to me and how I am doing, Tychicus, our dear brother and a faithful minister in service to the Lord, will tell you everything. 22 I am sending him to you for this very reason, so that you may know how we are doing and that he may encourage your hearts.
23 May peace and love, with faith, be with the brothers, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah![r]
24 May grace be with all who sincerely love the Lord Jesus, the Messiah![s]
Footnotes
- Ephesians 6:1 Other mss. lack in the Lord
- Ephesians 6:2 Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16
- Ephesians 6:3 Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16
- Ephesians 6:4 Or discipline
- Ephesians 6:5 Lit. as to
- Ephesians 6:5 Or Christ
- Ephesians 6:6 Or Christ
- Ephesians 6:7 Lit. as to the Lord and not people
- Ephesians 6:9 Lit. treat them
- Ephesians 6:11 Or schemes
- Ephesians 6:12 Other mss. read your
- Ephesians 6:12 Lit. against flesh and blood
- Ephesians 6:12 Lit. powers of this darkness
- Ephesians 6:15 Or wear on your feet readiness for the gospel of peace
- Ephesians 6:19 The Gk. lacks Pray
- Ephesians 6:20 Lit. declare it
- Ephesians 6:20 Lit. as I should speak
- Ephesians 6:23 Or Christ
- Ephesians 6:24 Or Christ; other mss. read Messiah! Amen.
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