1 C hildren, as Christians, obey your parents. This is the right thing to do.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

2 R espect your father and mother. This is the first Law given that had a promise.

“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise:

3 T he promise is this: If you respect your father and mother, you will live a long time and your life will be full of many good things.

“that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.”

4 F athers, do not be too hard on your children so they will become angry. Teach them in their growing years with Christian teaching.

You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

5 Y ou servants who are owned by someone must obey your owners. Work for them as hard as you can. Work for them the same as if you were working for Christ.

Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ;

6 D o not work hard only when your owner sees you. You would be doing this just to please men. Work as you would work for Christ. Do what God wants you to do with all your heart.

not in the way of service only when eyes are on you, as men pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

7 B e happy as you work. Do your work as for the Lord, not for men.

with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men;

8 R emember this, whatever good thing you do, the Lord will pay you for it. It is the same to the Lord if you are a servant owned by someone or if you work for pay.

knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive the same again from the Lord, whether he is bound or free.

9 O wners, do the right thing for those who work for you. Stop saying that you are going to be hard on them. Remember that your Owner and their Owner is in heaven. God does not respect one person more than another. Things God Gives the Christian to Fight With

You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.

10 T his is the last thing I want to say: Be strong with the Lord’s strength.

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.

11 P ut on the things God gives you to fight with. Then you will not fall into the traps of the devil.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 O ur fight is not with people. It is against the leaders and the powers and the spirits of darkness in this world. It is against the demon world that works in the heavens.

For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 B ecause of this, put on all the things God gives you to fight with. Then you will be able to stand in that sinful day. When it is all over, you will still be standing.

Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.

14 S o stand up and do not be moved. Wear a belt of truth around your body. Wear a piece of iron over your chest which is being right with God.

Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 W ear shoes on your feet which are the Good News of peace.

and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace;

16 M ost important of all, you need a covering of faith in front of you. This is to put out the fire-arrows of the devil.

above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.

17 T he covering for your head is that you have been saved from the punishment of sin. Take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. How and What to Pray For

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

18 Y ou must pray at all times as the Holy Spirit leads you to pray. Pray for the things that are needed. You must watch and keep on praying. Remember to pray for all Christians.

with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:

19 P ray for me also. Pray that I might open my mouth without fear. Pray that I will use the right words to preach that which is hard to understand in the Good News.

on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News,

20 T his is the reason I was sent out. But now I am in chains for preaching the Good News. I want to keep on speaking for Christ without fear the way I should.

for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

21 T ychicus will tell you how I am getting along. He is a much-loved brother and a faithful preacher.

But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things;

22 I have sent him to you because I want him to tell you about us. He will comfort you.

whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts.

23 M ay all the Christian brothers have peace and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

24 M ay God give loving-favor to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with a love that never gets weak.

Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. Amen.