Ephesians 6

New American Standard Bible 1995

Family Relationships

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 be well with 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.

^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 eyeservice, as ^(I)men-pleasers, but as ^(J)slaves of Christ, ^(K)doing the will of God from the ^[c]heart. ⁷ With good will ^[d]render service, ^(L)as to the Lord, and not to men, ^8 (M)knowing that ^(N)whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive 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 ^[e](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 in ^(AF)the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand firm therefore, ^(AG)having girded your loins with truth, and having ^(AH)put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having ^(AI)shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ^16 [f]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 [g]With all ^(AP)prayer and petition ^[h](AQ)pray at all times ^(AR)in the Spirit, and with this in view, ^[i](AS)be on the alert with all ^(AT)perseverance and ^(AU)petition for all the saints, ¹⁹ and ^(AV)pray on my behalf, that utterance 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 ^[j]chains; that ^[k]in proclaiming it I may speak ^(BB)boldly, ^(BC)as I ought to speak.

^21 (BD)But that you also may know about my circumstances, ^[l]how I am doing, ^(BE)Tychicus, ^(BF)the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. ^22 [m](BG)I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know ^[n]about us, and that he may ^(BH)comfort your hearts.

^23 (BI)Peace be to the brethren, 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 ^[o]with incorruptible love.