1 Children, do what is ordered by your fathers and mothers in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Give honour to your father and mother (which is the first rule having a reward), 3 So that all may be well for you, and your life may be long on the earth. 4 And, you fathers, do not make your children angry: but give them training in the teaching and fear of the Lord. 5 Servants, do what is ordered by those who are your natural masters, having respect and fear for them, with all your heart, as to Christ; 6 Not only under your master's eye, as pleasers of men; but as servants of Christ, doing the pleasure of God from the heart; 7 Doing your work readily, as to the Lord, and not to men: 8 In the knowledge that for every good thing anyone does, he will have his reward from the Lord, If he is a servant or if he is free. 9 And, you masters, do the same things to them, not making use of violent words: in the knowledge that their Master and yours is in heaven, and he has no respect for a man's position. 10 Lastly, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power. 11 Take up God's instruments of war, so that you may be able to keep your position against all the deceits of the Evil One. 12 For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against authorities and powers, against the world-rulers of this dark night, against the spirits of evil in the heavens. 13 For this reason take up all the arms of God, so that you may be able to be strong in the evil day, and, having done all, to keep your place. 14 Take your place, then, having your body clothed with the true word, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 Be ready with the good news of peace as shoes on your feet; 16 And most of all, using faith as a cover to keep off all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. 17 And take salvation for your head-dress and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 With prayers and deep desires, making requests at all times in the Spirit, and keeping watch, with strong purpose, in prayer for all the saints, 19 And for me, that words may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make clear without fear the secret of the good news, 20 For which I am a representative in chains, and that I may say without fear the things which it is right for me to say. 21 But so that you may have knowledge of my business, and how I am, Tychicus, the well-loved brother and tested servant in the Lord, will give you news of all things: 22 Whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, so that you may have knowledge of our position, and that he may give comfort to your hearts. 23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all those who have true love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians · Bible in Basic English
Ephesians 6 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Tychicus
A man from Asia who traveled with Paul; Paul calls him a beloved brother and faithful servant and sent him with letters to Ephesus, Colossae, and elsewhere.
Cited in the guide: Acts 20:4; Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7
Cross references (24)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Colossians 3:20–25; Proverbs 23:22; Proverbs 6:20; Colossians 3:16–17; Proverbs 1:8
- 2 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 27:16; Matthew 15:4–6; Proverbs 20:20; Ezekiel 22:7
- 3 Deuteronomy 5:16; Deuteronomy 4:40; Deuteronomy 12:28; Deuteronomy 12:25; Deuteronomy 6:3
- 4 Colossians 3:21; Proverbs 22:6; Proverbs 29:15; Proverbs 19:18; Deuteronomy 6:7
- 5 1 Peter 2:18–21; Titus 2:9–10; Colossians 3:17–24; Psalm 86:11; Ephesians 5:22
- 6 Colossians 3:22–23; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; Galatians 1:10; Ephesians 5:17; 1 Peter 4:2
- 7 Colossians 3:23; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 6:5–6; 2 Kings 5:13; Genesis 31:38–40
- 8 Colossians 3:24; Luke 14:14; Matthew 16:27; Matthew 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:10
- 9 Colossians 3:25–4:1; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Job 31:13–15; Deuteronomy 10:17
- 10 Philippians 4:13; Isaiah 40:31; Joshua 1:9; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 1 Peter 5:10
- 11 2 Corinthians 10:4; Romans 13:12; Ephesians 6:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:8; 1 Peter 5:8
- 12 Colossians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Colossians 2:15; Acts 26:18
- 13 2 Corinthians 10:4; Luke 21:36; Ephesians 6:11–17; Ephesians 5:16; Revelation 3:10
- 14 Isaiah 59:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8; Isaiah 11:5; Luke 12:35; 2 Corinthians 6:7
- 15 Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21; Habakkuk 3:19; Luke 15:22
- 16 1 Peter 5:8–9; 1 John 5:4–5; Proverbs 18:10; Psalm 56:3–4; Genesis 15:1
- 17 Hebrews 4:12; Isaiah 59:17; Revelation 19:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:8; Isaiah 49:2
- 18 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Colossians 4:2; Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:1; Jude 20
- 19 Colossians 4:3; Acts 4:29; 2 Thessalonians 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; Hebrews 13:18
- 20 2 Corinthians 5:20; Colossians 4:4; 2 Timothy 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:2; 1 John 3:16
- 21 Acts 20:4; 2 Timothy 4:12; Titus 3:12; Colossians 4:7–9; 1 Timothy 4:6
- 22 Philippians 2:25; Colossians 4:7–8; 2 Thessalonians 2:17; Colossians 2:2; Philippians 2:19
- 23 Galatians 6:16; Galatians 5:6; 1 Peter 5:14; 1 Timothy 1:14; 2 Thessalonians 3:16
- 24 Matthew 22:37; Matthew 6:13; 1 Corinthians 16:22–23; Titus 2:7; Titus 3:15
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
As a man in forming a body, places the head first, after that the neck, then the feet, so does the blessed Paul proceed in his discourse. He has spoken of the husband, he has spoken of the wife, who is second in authority, he now goes on by gradual advances to the third rank--which is that of children.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
For we hear also of the shield of faith, "wherewith," says the apostle, "ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Nor ought we, on the other hand, in regard to spiritual armor of this kind to assign faith to the shield only; for we read in another place of the breastplate of faith: "putting …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Yes, for a grievous conflict is at hand, and against the powers unseen is our wrestling; against "the spiritual wickednesses" our fight, "against principalities, against powers" our warfare: and it is well for us, if when we are earnest and sober and thoroughly awakened, we can be able to sustain that savage phalanx.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… watch not; but, since the enemy is unseen, we have faith as our strong armour, according to the saying of the Apostle, In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… true, says, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." But in a phrase of this kind there is no suggestion of any lowly and subordinate ministry, but rather of the succour rendered "in the power of his might." For He Himself has bound the strong man and spoiled his goods, that is, us …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)