| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. | 1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. |
| 2"Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, | 2"Honor your father and mother…" (This is a very important commandment with a promise.) |
| 3"that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth." | 3"…so that it may go well for you, and that you may have a long life on the earth." |
| 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. | 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up by training and instructing them about the Lord. |
| 5Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ, | 5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, trembling, and sincerity, as when you obey the Messiah. |
| 6not like those who do their work only when someone is watching--as people-pleasers--but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. | 6Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will. |
| 7Obey with enthusiasm, as though serving the Lord and not people, | 7Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people, |
| 8because you know that each person, whether slave or free, if he does something good, this will be rewarded by the Lord. | 8because you know that everyone will receive a reward from the Lord for whatever good he has done, whether he is a slave or free. |
| 9Masters, treat your slaves the same way, giving up the use of threats, because you know that both you and they have the same master in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. | 9Masters, treat your slaves the same way. Do not threaten them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. |
| 10Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. | 10Finally, be strong in the Lord, relying on his mighty strength. |
| 11Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. | 11Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the devil's strategies. |
| 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. | 12For our struggle is not against human opponents, but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers in the darkness around us, and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm. |
| 13For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. | 13For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm. |
| 14Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, | 14Stand firm, therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, |
| 15by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace, | 15and being firm-footed in the gospel of peace. |
| 16and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. | 16In addition to having clothed yourselves with these things, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one, |
| 17And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. | 17also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. |
| 18With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints. | 18Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request. Likewise, be alert with your most diligent efforts and pray for all the saints. |
| 19Pray for me also, that I may be given the message when I begin to speak--that I may confidently make known the mystery of the gospel, | 19Pray also for me, so that, when I begin to speak, the right words will come to me. Then I will boldly make known the secret of the gospel, |
| 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak. | 20for whose sake I am an ambassador in chains, desiring to declare the gospel as boldly as I should. |
| 21Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you, so that you too may know about my circumstances, how I am doing. | 21So that you may know what has happened to me and how I am doing, Tychicus, our dear brother and a faithful minister in service to the Lord, will tell you everything. |
| 22I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. | 22I am sending him to you for this very reason, so that you may know how we are doing and that he may encourage your hearts. |
| 23Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | 23May peace and love, with faith, be with the brothers, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah! |
| 24Grace be with all of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. | 24May grace be with all who sincerely love the Lord Jesus, the Messiah! |
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