Ephesians 6 - Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Children and Parents

6 Children, obey your parents the way the Lord wants, because this is the right thing to do. 2 The command says, “You must respect your father and mother.”[a] This is the first command that has a promise with it. 3 And this is the promise: “Then all will go well with you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”[b]

4 Fathers, don’t make your children angry, but raise them with the kind of teaching and training you learn from the Lord.

Slaves and Masters

5 Slaves, obey your masters here on earth with fear and respect. And do this with a heart that is true, just as you obey Christ. 6 You must do this not just to please your masters while they are watching, but all the time. Since you are really slaves of Christ, you must do with all your heart what God wants. 7 Do your work, and be happy to do it. Work as though it is the Lord you are serving, not just an earthly master. 8 Remember that the Lord will give everyone a reward for doing good. Everyone, slave or free, will get a reward for the good things they do.

9 Masters, in the same way, be good to your slaves. Don’t say things to scare them. You know that the one who is your Master and their Master is in heaven, and he treats everyone the same.

Wear the Full Armor of God

10 To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord and in his great power. 11 Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks. 12 Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places. 13 That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.

14 So stand strong with the belt of truth tied around your waist, and on your chest wear the protection of right living. 15 On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. 16 And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows that come from the Evil One. 17 Accept God’s salvation as your helmet. And take the sword of the Spirit—that sword is the teaching of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up. Always pray for all of God’s people.

19 Also pray for me—that when I speak, God will give me words so that I can tell the secret truth about the Good News without fear. 20 I have the work of speaking for that Good News, and that is what I am doing now, here in prison. Pray that when I tell people the Good News, I will speak without fear as I should.

Final Greetings

21 I am sending you Tychicus, the brother we love. He is a faithful servant of the Lord’s work. He will tell you everything that is happening with me. Then you will know how I am and what I am doing. 22 That’s why I am sending him—to let you know how we are and to encourage you.

23 I pray that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will give peace and love with faith to all the brothers and sisters there. 24 God’s grace to all of you who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love that never ends.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 6:2 Quote from Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16.
  2. Ephesians 6:3 Quote from Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16.

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Ephesians 6 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

6 The children! obey your parents in the Lord, for this is righteous; 2 honour thy father and mother, 3 which is the first command with a promise, `That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live a long time upon the land.' 4 And the fathers! provoke not your children, but nourish them in the in...
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Ephesians 6 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

6 Sons, obey ye to your father and mother, in the Lord; for this thing is rightful [for this thing is just, or rightful]. 2 Honour thou thy father and mother, that is the first commandment in [the] promise; 3 that it be well to thee, and that thou be long living on the earth. 4 And, [ye] fathers,...
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Ephesians 6 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

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 t...
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Ephesians 6 - World English Bible (WEB)

6 Children, 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 be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.” Deuteronomy 5:16 4 You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but nurture the...
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Ephesians 6 - The Voice (VOICE)

6 Now to you, children, obey your parents in the Lord because this is right in God’s eyes. 2 This is the first commandment onto which He added a promise: “Honor your father and your mother, and 3 if you do, you will live long and well in this land.”[a] 4 And, fathers, do not drive your children ma...
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Ephesians 6 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Orderly Relationships: Parents6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. [a] 2 “Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “so that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.” [b] 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to a...
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Ephesians 6 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Children and Parents6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring ...
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Ephesians 6 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Children and Parents6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring ...
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Ephesians 6 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

6 Children, 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 so that it may be well with you and that you may live long on earth. 4 And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger. But bring them up in the trainin...
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Ephesians 6 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Children, Parents, Slaves and Masters6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord. This is right and proper. 2 ‘Honour your father and your mother’ – this is the first commandment that comes with a promise attached! – 3 ‘so that things may go well with you and that you may live a long life on earth.’...
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Ephesians 6 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Children and Parents6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord,[a] for this is right. 2 ‘Honour your father and mother’—this is the first commandment with a promise: 3 ‘so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’ 4 And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but br...
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Ephesians 6 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Children and Parents6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord,[a] for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—this is the first commandment with a promise(A)—3 “so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”4 And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but brin...
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Ephesians 6 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

How children should behave toward their fathers and mothers; likewise fathers toward their children, servants toward their masters, and masters toward their servants. An exhortation to the spiritual battle, and what weapons Christians should fight with. 6 Children, obey your fathers and mothers in t...
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Ephesians 6 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Children and Parents6 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord,[a] for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life o...
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Ephesians 6 - New Life Version (NLV)

How Children Must Live6 Children, as Christians, obey your parents. This is the right thing to do. 2 Respect your father and mother. This is the first Law given that had a promise. 3 The promise is this: If you respect your father and mother, you will live a long time and your life will be full of...
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Ephesians 6 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Children and Parents(A)6 Children, (B)obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 (C)“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” 4 And (D)you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrat...
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