Ephesians 6

Worldwide English (New Testament)

6 Children, obey your parents as the Lord wants you to. This is the right thing to do. 2,

² `Respect your father and mother.' This is the first law of God with a promise: `So that all will be well with you, and that you may live long on earth.'

³ Fathers, do not make your children angry. But teach them the things children need to know, and tell them what they must not do. Teach them what Christ would teach them.

⁴ Servants, obey your boss. Respect him with all your heart and try to please him as you would Christ.

⁵ Obey not only when he is looking at you, as if you were pleasing a man. But obey as the servants of Christ, and do with all your heart what God wants you to do.

⁶ Work gladly as if you were working for the Lord and not for men.

⁷ You know that the Lord will pay every man for the good things he does. It does not matter if he is a servant or a free man.

⁸ And you who are bosses, be good to your servants also. Do not talk loud, hard words to them. Remember that both their Lord and yours is in heaven. He does not love one person more than another.

⁹ Last of all, I say this. Be strong in the Lord and use the strength he gives.

¹⁰ Use everything that God has given you so that you can fight against the tricks of the devil.

¹¹ We are not fighting against people of flesh and blood. But we are fighting against rulers and powers whom we cannot see. We are fighting against those who control the darkness of this world, and against bad spirits who have power in the air.

¹² So use everything that God has given you, that you can fight when the bad time comes. You will need to do everything you can do to stand!

¹³ So then, stand and hold on tight to the truth like you put on a belt. Do what is right. Wear it as a cover for your body.

¹⁴ You have the good news of peace. Wear that like shoes on your feet.

¹⁵ You believe in God. Take that and cover all of yourself with it. With that you can stop all the poison arrows of the devil.

¹⁶ You have been saved. Wear your salvation like you wear something on your head to protect yourself. And take with you the big knife or sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁷ Always talk to God in the Spirit. Talk to him about everything and ask him for what you need. Put your mind on what you are saying, asking God to help all his people.

¹⁸ And also, ask God to help me to talk without fear and tell people God's plan about the good news.

¹⁹ I am in prison with chains on because I speak the good news about Jesus Christ. Ask God to help me to tell the good news without fear as I should tell it.

²⁰ Tychicus will tell you all about me and what I am doing. He is a brother whom I love and a very good helper in the Lord's work.

²¹ I am sending him to you so that you will know about us, and so that he may comfort your hearts.

²² May God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, give our brothers peace and love with faith.

²³ May the kindness of God bless all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.