1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
2“Honor your father and mother” — which is the first commandment with a promise —
3“that it may go well with you and that you may live long on the earth.”
4And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
5Slaves, obey your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in sincerity of your heart, as to Christ,
6not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the soul,
7serving with goodwill, as to the Lord and not to people,
8knowing that whatever good each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
9And masters, do the same toward them, giving up the threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in the heavens, and there is no partiality with him.
10Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the might of his strength.
11Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil;
12for our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
13Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having accomplished everything, to stand.
14Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15and having shod your feet with the readiness of the gospel of peace,
16in all things taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one;
17and receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
18through all prayer and petition, praying at every time in the Spirit, and to this end keeping alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
19and for me, that a word may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
21But so that you also may know my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you,
22whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know the things concerning us and that he may encourage your hearts.
23Peace to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
24Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruptibility.
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