1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with promise), 3 “so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger. Instead, raise them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 5 Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with deep respect and trembling, in the honesty of your heart. Be obedient to them as you would be obedient to Christ. 6 Be obedient not only when your masters are watching in order to please them. Instead, be obedient as slaves of Christ, who do the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve with all your heart, as though you were serving the Lord and not people, 8 because we know that for whatever good deed each person does, he will receive a reward from the Lord, whether he is slave or free. 9 Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them. You know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the scheming plans of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand in this time of evil, and after you have done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand, therefore, after you have put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. 15 Then as shoes for your feet, put on the readiness to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, by which you will be able to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit. To this end, always be watching with all perseverance, as you offer prayers for all the saints. 19 And pray for me, that a message might be given to me when I open my mouth. Pray that I might make known with boldness the hidden truth about the gospel. 20 It is for the gospel that I am an ambassador who is kept in chains, so that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. 21 Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you may know how I am doing. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are, and so that he may encourage your hearts. 23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be to all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an incorruptible love.
Ephesians · Unlocked Literal Bible
Ephesians 6 Unlocked Literal Bible
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)