Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.(A) “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”[a](B)

Fathers,[b] do not exasperate your children;(C) instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.(D)

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect(E) and fear, and with sincerity of heart,(F) just as you would obey Christ.(G) Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ,(H) doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,(I) because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do,(J) whether they are slave or free.

And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours(K) is in heaven, and there is no favoritism(L) with him.

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord(M) and in his mighty power.(N) 11 Put on the full armor of God,(O) so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,(P) but against the rulers, against the authorities,(Q) against the powers(R) of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.(S) 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God,(T) so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,(U) with the breastplate of righteousness in place,(V) 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.(W) 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,(X) with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.(Y) 17 Take the helmet of salvation(Z) and the sword of the Spirit,(AA) which is the word of God.(AB)

18 And pray in the Spirit(AC) on all occasions(AD) with all kinds of prayers and requests.(AE) With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying(AF) for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me,(AG) that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly(AH) make known the mystery(AI) of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador(AJ) in chains.(AK) Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Final Greetings

21 Tychicus,(AL) the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are,(AM) and that he may encourage you.(AN)

23 Peace(AO) to the brothers and sisters,[c] and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.[d]

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 6:3 Deut. 5:16
  2. Ephesians 6:4 Or Parents
  3. Ephesians 6:23 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.
  4. Ephesians 6:24 Or Grace and immortality to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.

Children and Parents

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

And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.(B)

Slaves and Masters

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect[b] and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ,(C) not with a slavery performed merely for looks, to please people, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the soul. Render service with enthusiasm, as for the Lord and not for humans, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are enslaved or free.

And, masters,[c] do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same Lord[d] in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.(D)

The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power; 11 put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, 12 for our[e] struggle is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present[f] darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.[g](E) 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on the evil day and, having prevailed against everything, to stand firm.(F) 14 Stand, therefore, and belt your waist with truth and put on the breastplate of righteousness(G) 15 and lace up your sandals in preparation for the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these,[h] take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.(H) 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.(I) 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.(J) 19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,[i](K) 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.(L)

Personal Matters and Benediction

21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus will tell you everything. He is a dear brother and a faithful minister in the Lord.(M) 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.

23 Peace be to the brothers and sisters and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(N) 24 Grace be with all who have an undying love for[j] our Lord Jesus Christ.[k]

Footnotes

  1. 6.1 Other ancient authorities lack in the Lord
  2. 6.5 Or fear
  3. 6.9 In Gk the same word is used for master and Lord
  4. 6.9 In Gk the same word is used for master and Lord
  5. 6.12 Other ancient authorities read your
  6. 6.12 Gk lacks present
  7. 6.12 Gk heavenlies
  8. 6.16 Or In all circumstances
  9. 6.19 Other ancient authorities lack of the gospel
  10. 6.24 Or Grace immortal be with all who love
  11. 6.24 Other ancient authorities add Amen

· ho Children teknon, obey hypakouō · ho your hymeis parents goneus in en the Lord kyrios, for gar this houtos is eimi right dikaios. Honor timaō · ho your sy father patēr and kai · ho mother mētēr”— which hostis is eimi the first prōtos commandment entolē with en a promise epangelia that hina it may go ginomai well with you sy and kai that you may live eimi in epi the ho land for a long makrochronios time .” And kai · ho fathers patēr, do not provoke parorgizō · ho your hymeis children teknon to anger , but alla raise ektrephō them autos up in en the discipline paideia and kai admonition nouthesia of the Lord kyrios.

· ho Slaves, obey hypakouō your ho earthly kata sarx masters kyrios with meta fear phobos and kai trembling tromos, with en sincerity haplotēs of ho your hymeis heart kardia, as hōs though obeying · ho Christ Christos, not by way of kata eye-service ophthalmodoulia, as hōs people-pleasers anthrōpareskos, but alla as hōs slaves of Christ Christos doing poieō the ho will thelēma of ho God theos from ek the heart psychē, serving douleuō with meta enthusiasm eunoia as hōs though serving the ho Lord kyrios and kai not ou men anthrōpos, knowing oida that hoti each hekastos person , if ean he does poieō something tis good agathos, will be repaid komizō by para the Lord kyrios for this houtos, whether eite he is a slave or eite free eleutheros. And kai · ho masters kyrios, do poieō the ho same autos to pros them autos, giving up the use aniēmi of · ho threats apeilē, knowing oida that hoti the ho one who is both kai their autos master kyrios and kai yours hymeis is eimi in en heaven ouranos, and kai that there is eimi no ou favoritism prosōpolēmpsia with para him autos.

10 · ho Finally loipos, grow strong endynamoō in en the Lord kyrios and kai in en the ho strength kratos of ho his autos power ischus. 11 Put on endyō the ho full armor panoplia of ho God theos, so that pros you hymeis may be able dynamai to stand histēmi against pros the ho schemes methodeia of the ho devil diabolos; 12 for hoti our hēmeis struggle palē is eimi not ou · ho against pros flesh sarx and kai blood haima, but alla against pros the ho rulers archē, against pros the ho authorities exousia, against pros the ho world kosmokratōr rulers of ho this houtos darkness skotos, against pros the ho spiritual pneumatikos forces of ho evil ponēria in en the ho heavenly epouranios realms . 13 Therefore dia houtos take up analambanō the ho full armor panoplia of ho God theos, so that hina you may be able dynamai to stand anthistēmi your ground on en the ho evil ponēros day hēmera, · ho and kai having done katergazomai everything hapas, to stand histēmi. 14 Stand histēmi therefore oun, by girding perizōnnymi · ho your hymeis waist osphys with en truth alētheia, · kai by putting endyō on the ho breastplate thōrax of ho righteousness dikaiosynē, 15 · kai by fitting hypodeō your ho feet pous with en the readiness hetoimasia of the ho gospel euangelion of ho peace eirēnē; 16 and besides en all pas these , by taking analambanō up the ho shield thureos of ho faith pistis, with en which hos you will be able dynamai to extinguish sbennymi all pas the ho flaming pyroō arrows belos of the ho evil ponēros one . · ho 17 And kai take dechomai the ho helmet perikephalaia of ho salvation, and kai the ho sword machaira of the ho Spirit pneuma, which hos is eimi the word rhēma of God theos. 18 By means of dia all pas prayer proseuchē and kai petition deēsis, pray proseuchomai at en every pas time kairos in en the Spirit pneuma, and kai to eis this autos end keep alert agrypneō with en all pas perseverance proskarterēsis and kai petition deēsis for peri all pas the ho saints hagios, 19 and kai for hyper me egō, that hina when en I open anoixis my egō mouth stoma the word logos will be given didōmi to me egō · ho—that with en boldness parrēsia I will make known gnōrizō the ho mystery mystērion of the ho gospel euangelion, 20 for hyper which hos I am an ambassador presbeuō in en chains halysis. Pray that hina I may declare it autos boldly parrēsiazomai, as hōs I egō ought dei to speak laleō.

21 Now de in order that hina you hymeis also kai may know oida my egō circumstances ho kata, how tis I am doing prassō, Tychicus Tychikos, a dear agapētos brother adelphos and kai faithful pistos servant diakonos in en the Lord kyrios, will tell gnōrizō you hymeis everything pas. · ho 22 I am sending pempō him hos to pros you hymeis for eis this houtos very autos purpose, that hina you may know ginōskō how ho peri we hēmeis are, and kai that he may encourage parakaleō · ho your hymeis hearts kardia. 23 Peace eirēnē be to the ho brothers adelphos, and kai love agapē with meta faith pistis, from apo God theos the Father patēr and kai the Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos. 24 · ho Grace charis be with meta all pas who ho love agapaō · ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos, with love incorruptible aphtharsia.