aChildren, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.Prov 6:20; 23:22; Col 3:20 2 aHONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),Ex 20:12; Deut 5:16 3 SO THAT IT MAY TURN OUT WELL FOR YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.
4 aFathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bbring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.Col 3:21Gen 18:19; Deut 6:7; 11:19; Ps 78:4; Prov 22:6; 2 Tim 3:15
5 aSlaves, be obedient to those who are your 1masters according to the flesh, with bfear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, cas to Christ;I.e., earthly masters, as in first-century Roman cultureCol 3:22; 1 Tim 6:1; Titus 2:91 Cor 2:3Eph 5:22 6 anot 1by way of 2eye-service, as bpeople-pleasers, but as cslaves of Christ, ddoing the will of God from the 3heart.Lit according toI.e., only when the master is watchingLit soulCol 3:22Gal 1:101 Cor 7:22Mark 3:35 7 With goodwill 1render service, aas to the Lord, and not to people,Lit renderingCol 3:23 8 aknowing that bwhatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, cwhether slave or free.Col 3:24Matt 16:27; 2 Cor 5:10; Col 3:24f1 Cor 12:13; Col 3:11
9 And masters, do the same things to them, and agive up threatening, knowing that bboth their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is cno partiality with Him.Lev 25:43Job 31:13ff; John 13:13; Col 4:1Deut 10:17; Acts 10:34; Col 3:25
10 Finally, abe strong in the Lord and in bthe strength of His might.1 Cor 16:13; 2 Tim 2:1Eph 1:19 11 aPut on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the bschemes of the devil.Rom 13:12; Eph 6:13Eph 4:14 12 For our astruggle is not against 1bflesh and blood, but cagainst the rulers, against the powers, against the dworld forces of this edarkness, against the fspiritual forces of wickedness in gthe heavenly places.Lit blood and flesh1 Cor 9:25Matt 16:17Eph 1:21; 2:2; 3:10John 12:31Acts 26:18; Col 1:13Eph 3:10Eph 1:3 13 Therefore, take up athe full armor of God, so that you will be able to bresist on cthe evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.Eph 6:11James 4:7Eph 5:16 14 Stand firm therefore, ahaving belted your waist with truth, and having bput on the breastplate of righteousness,Is 11:5; Luke 12:35; 1 Pet 1:13Is 59:17; Rom 13:12; Eph 6:13; 1 Thess 5:8 15 and having astrapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace;Is 52:7; Rom 10:15 16 1in addition to all, taking up the ashield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the bflaming arrows of cthe evil one.Lit in all1 Thess 5:8Ps 7:13; 120:4Matt 5:37 17 And take athe helmet of salvation and the bsword of the Spirit, which is cthe word of God.Is 59:17Is 49:2; Hos 6:5; Heb 4:12Eph 5:26; Heb 6:5
18 1With every aprayer and request, 2bpray at all times cin the Spirit, and with this in view, 3dbe alert with all eperseverance and every frequest for all the 4saints,Lit ThroughLit prayingLit beingLit holy ones; i.e., God’s peoplePhil 4:6Luke 18:1; Col 1:3; 4:2; 1 Thess 5:17Rom 8:26fMark 13:33Acts 1:141 Tim 2:1 19 and apray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me bin the opening of my mouth, to make known with cboldness dthe mystery of the gospel,Col 4:3; 1 Thess 5:252 Cor 6:112 Cor 3:12Eph 3:3 20 for which I am an aambassador bin 1chains; that 2in proclaiming it I may speak cboldly, das I ought to speak.Lit a chainTwo early mss I may speak it boldly2 Cor 5:20; Philem 9 mgActs 21:33; 28:20; Eph 3:1; Phil 1:7; Col 4:32 Cor 3:12Col 4:4
21 aNow, so that you also may know about my circumstances as to 1what I am doing, bTychicus, cthe beloved brother and faithful 2servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you.Or howOr ministerEph 6:21, 22: <IT>Col 4:7-9</IT>Acts 20:4; 2 Tim 4:12Col 4:7 22 1aI have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know 2about us, and that he may bcomfort your hearts.Lit Whom I have sent to youLit the things about usCol 4:8Col 2:2; 4:8
23 aPeace be to the brothers and sisters, and blove with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Rom 15:33; Gal 6:16; 2 Thess 3:16; 1 Pet 5:14Gal 5:6; 1 Thess 5:8 24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ 1with incorruptible love.Lit in incorruption