Ephesians 6
1 Children, be obedient to your parents as a Christian duty, for it is a duty.
The children: obey your parents in the LORD, for this is right;
2 "Honour your father and your mother" --this is the first Commandment which has a promise added to it--
honor your father and mother,
3 "so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth."
which is the first command with a promise, “That it may be well with you, and you may live a long time on the land.”
4 And you, fathers, do not irritate your children, but bring them up tenderly with true Christian training and advice.
And the fathers: do not provoke your children, but nourish them in the instruction and admonition of the LORD.
5 Slaves, be obedient to your earthly masters, with respect and eager anxiety to please and with simplicity of motive as if you were obeying Christ.
The servants: obey the masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to the Christ;
6 Let it not be in acts of eye-service as if you had but to please men, but as Christ's bondservants who are doing God's will from the heart.
not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but as servants of the Christ, doing the will of God out of [your] soul,
7 With right good will, be faithful to your duty as service rendered to the Lord and not to man.
serving with goodwill, as to the LORD, and not to men,
8 You well know that whatever right thing any one does, he will receive a requital for it from the Lord, whether he is a slave or a free man.
having known that whatever good thing each one may do, this he will receive from the LORD, whether servant or freeman.
9 And you masters, act towards your slaves on the same principles, and refrain from threats. For you know that in Heaven there is One who is your Master as well as theirs, and that merely earthly distinctions there are none with Him.
And the masters! Do the same things to them, letting threatening alone, having also known that your Master is in the heavens, and favor by appearance is not with Him.
10 In conclusion, strengthen yourselves in the Lord and in the power which His supreme might imparts.
As to the rest, my brothers, be strong in the LORD, and in the power of His might;
11 Put on the complete armour of God, so as to be able to stand firm against all the stratagems of the Devil.
put on the whole armor of God, so you are able to stand against the schemes of the Devil,
12 For ours is not a conflict with mere flesh and blood, but with the despotisms, the empires, the forces that control and govern this dark world--the spiritual hosts of evil arrayed against us in the heavenly warfare. (aiōn g165)
because our wrestling is not with flesh and blood, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual [forces] of evil in the heavenly [places]; (aiōn g165)
13 Therefore put on the complete armour of God, so that you may be able to stand your ground on the day of battle, and, having fought to the end, to remain victors on the field.
because of this take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the day of the evil, and having done all things—to stand.
14 Stand therefore, first fastening round you the girdle of truth and putting on the breastplate of uprightness
Stand, therefore, having your loins girded around in truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 as well as the shoes of the Good News of peace-- a firm foundation for your feet.
and having the feet shod in the preparation of the good news of peace;
16 And besides all these take the great shield of faith, on which you will be able to quench all the flaming darts of the Wicked one;
in all, having taken up the shield of faith, in which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one,
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.
and receive the helmet of the salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
18 Pray with unceasing prayer and entreaty on every fitting occasion in the Spirit, and be always on the alert to seize opportunities for doing so, with unwearied persistence and entreaty on behalf of all God's people,
through all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and in this, watching in all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones—
19 and ask on my behalf that words may be given to me so that, outspoken and fearless, I may make known the truths (hitherto kept secret) of the Good News--
and in behalf of me, that to me may be given a word in the opening of my mouth, in freedom, to make known the secret of the good news,
20 to spread which I am an ambassador in chains--so that when telling them I may speak out boldly as I ought.
for which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may speak freely—as it is necessary for me to speak.
21 But in order that you also may know how I am doing, Tychicus our dearly-loved brother and faithful helper in the Lord's service will tell you everything.
And that you may know—you also—the things concerning me—what I do, Tychicus will make all things known to you, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the LORD,
22 I have sent him to you for the very purpose--that you may know about us and that he may encourage you.
whom I sent to you for this very thing, that you might know the things concerning us, and that he might comfort your hearts.
23 Peace be to the brethren, and love combined with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Peace to the brothers, and love, with faith, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ!
24 May grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with perfect sincerity.
The grace with all those loving our Lord Jesus Christ—undecayingly! Amen.
