Book of Common Prayer

¹⁸ Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as it is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and do not be grievous to them.

²⁰ Children, obey your fathers and mothers in all things, for that is well pleasing to the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not berate your children, lest they be of a desperate mind.

²² Servants, be obedient to your earthly masters in all things – not with eye-service, as men pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. ²³ And whatever you do, do it heartily as for the Lord, and not for men, ²⁴ inasmuch as you know that from the Lord you will receive the reward of inheritance. For you serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵ But he who does wrong, will receive for the wrong that he has done. For there is no respect of persons with God. 4 ¹ You masters, be just and fair to your servants, seeing you know that you also have a master in heaven.

He exhorts them to be fervent in prayer, to walk wisely with regard to persons who have not yet come to the true knowledge of Christ, and greets them.

² Continue in prayer, and keep vigil in the same with thanksgiving, ³ praying also for us: that God would open for us the door of utterance so that we may speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; ⁴ that I may speak it as it behoves me to do.

⁵ Walk wisely toward those who are without, and redeem the time. ⁶ Let your speech be always with grace and powdered with salt, so that you may know how to answer every person.

⁷ The dear brother Tychicus can tell you about all my affairs. He is a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord, ⁸ whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, and to find out how you are doing, and to encourage your hearts. ⁹ With him is Onesimus, a faithful and a beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything that is happening here.

¹⁰ Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you; as does Mark, the son of Barnabas’ sister, concerning whom you received instructions (if he comes to you, receive him); ¹¹ and also Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and were to me a consolation.

¹² Epaphras, the servant of Christ who is one of you, greets you, and always labours fervently for you in prayers that you may stand perfect and full in all that is the will of God. ¹³ I can attest that he has a fervent mind toward you, and toward the people of Laodicea and of Hieropolis.

¹⁴ Dear Luke the physician greets you, and Demas.

¹⁵ Greet the brethren who are of Laodicea, and greet Nymphas and the congregation that is in his house. ¹⁶ And when the epistle has been read by you, ensure that it is read in the congregation of the Laodiceans also, and that you likewise read the Laodiceans’ epistle. ¹⁷ And say to Archippus: Take heed to the office that you have received in the Lord, to fulfil it.

¹⁸ The greeting by the hand of me, Paul.
Remember my bonds. Grace
be with you.
Amen.
Sent from Rome by the hand
of Tychicus and
Onesimus.

In this chapter and the two next following is contained the most excellent and loving sermon of Christ in the Mount, which sermon is the very key that opens the understanding into the law. In this fifth chapter especially, he preaches of the 8 beatitudes, or blessings; of manslaughter, wrath, and anger; of adultery, of swearing, of suffering wrong; and of love, even toward a person’s enemies.

5 When Jesus saw the crowds of people, he went up into a mountain. And when he was seated, his disciples came to him. ² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: