Ephesians 6

1 The children! obey your parents in the Lord, for this is righteous;

Children, be obedient to your parents as a Christian duty, for it is a duty.

2 honour thy father and mother,

"Honour your father and your mother" --this is the first Commandment which has a promise added to it--

3 which is the first command with a promise, 'That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live a long time upon the land.'

"so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth."

4 And the fathers! provoke not your children, but nourish them in the instruction and admonition of the Lord.

And you, fathers, do not irritate your children, but bring them up tenderly with true Christian training and advice.

5 The servants! obey the masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to the Christ;

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.

6 not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but as servants of the Christ, doing the will of God out of soul,

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.

7 with good-will serving, as to the Lord, and not to men,

With right good will, be faithful to your duty as service rendered to the Lord and not to man.

8 having known that whatever good thing each one may do, this he shall receive from the Lord, whether servant or freeman.

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.

9 And the masters! the same things do ye unto them, letting threatening alone, having known that also your Master is in the heavens, and acceptance of persons is not with him.

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.

10 As to the rest, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might;

In conclusion, strengthen yourselves in the Lord and in the power which His supreme might imparts.

11 put on the whole armour of God, for your being able to stand against the wiles of the devil,

Put on the complete armour of God, so as to be able to stand firm against all the stratagems of the Devil.

12 because we have not the wrestling with blood and flesh, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual things of the evil in the heavenly places; (aiōn g165)

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)

13 because of this take ye up the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to resist in the day of the evil, and all things having done — to stand.

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.

14 Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about in truth, and having put on the breastplate of the righteousness,

Stand therefore, first fastening round you the girdle of truth and putting on the breastplate of uprightness

15 and having the feet shod in the preparation of the good-news of the peace;

as well as the shoes of the Good News of peace-- a firm foundation for your feet.

16 above all, having taken up the shield of the faith, in which ye shall be able all the fiery darts of the evil one to quench,

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;

17 and the helmet of the salvation receive, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the saying of God,

and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.

18 through all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and in regard to this same, watching in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints —

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,

19 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,

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--

20 for which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may speak freely — as it behoveth me to speak.

to spread which I am an ambassador in chains--so that when telling them I may speak out boldly as I ought.

21 And that ye may know — ye also — the things concerning me — what I do, all things make known to you shall Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful ministrant in the Lord,

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.

22 whom I did send unto you for this very thing, that ye might know the things concerning us, and that he might comfort your hearts.

I have sent him to you for the very purpose--that you may know about us and that he may encourage you.

23 Peace to the brethren, and love, with faith, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Peace be to the brethren, and love combined with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 The grace with all those loving our Lord Jesus Christ — undecayingly! Amen.

May grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with perfect sincerity.