6:1 Children, ¹  obey your parents in the Lord ²  for this is right. 6:2 “Honor your father and mother,” ³  which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, 6:3 “that it may go ⁴  well with you and that you will live ⁵  a long time on the earth.” ⁶ 

6:4 Fathers, ⁷  do not provoke your children to anger, ⁸  but raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

6:5 Slaves, ⁹  obey your human masters ¹⁰  with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ, 6:6 not like those who do their work only when someone is watching ¹¹  – as people-pleasers – but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. ¹²  6:7 Obey ¹³  with enthusiasm, as though serving the Lord ¹⁴  and not people, 6:8 because you know that each person, whether slave or free, if he does something good, this ¹⁵  will be rewarded by the Lord.

6:9 Masters, ¹⁶  treat your slaves ¹⁷  the same way, ¹⁸  giving up the use of threats, ¹⁹  because you know that both you and they have the same master in heaven, ²⁰  and there is no favoritism with him.

6:10 Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 6:11 Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes ²¹  of the devil. 6:12 For our struggle ²²  is not against flesh and blood, ²³  but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, ²⁴  against the spiritual forces ²⁵  of evil in the heavens. ²⁶  6:13 For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground ²⁷  on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. 6:14 Stand firm therefore, by fastening ²⁸  the belt of truth around your waist, ²⁹  by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, 6:15 by fitting your ³⁰  feet with the preparation that comes from the good news ³¹  of peace, ³²  6:16 and in all of this, ³³  by taking up the shield ³⁴  of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation ³⁵  and the sword ³⁶  of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 6:18 With every prayer and petition, pray ³⁷  at all times in the Spirit, and to this end ³⁸  be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints. 6:19 Pray ³⁹  for me also, that I may be given the message when I begin to speak ⁴⁰  – that I may confidently make known ⁴¹  the mystery of the gospel, 6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak.

6:21 Tychicus, my ⁴²  dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you, so that you too may know about my circumstances, ⁴³  how I am doing. 6:22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances ⁴⁴  and that he may encourage your hearts.

6:23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, ⁴⁵  and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 6:24 Grace be ⁴⁶  with all of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. ⁴⁷