| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. | 1Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. |
| 2“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: | 2"Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, |
| 3“that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” | 3"that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth." |
| 4And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. | 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. |
| 5Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; | 5Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ, |
| 6not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, | 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. |
| 7with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, | 7Obey with enthusiasm, as though serving the Lord and not people, |
| 8knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. | 8because you know that each person, whether slave or free, if he does something good, this will be rewarded by the Lord. |
| 9And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him. | 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. |
| 10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. | 10Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. |
| 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. | 11Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. |
| 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. | 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. |
| 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. | 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. |
| 14Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, | 14Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, |
| 15and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; | 15by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace, |
| 16above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. | 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. |
| 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; | 17And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. |
| 18praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— | 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. |
| 19and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, | 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, |
| 20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. | 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak. |
| 21But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you; | 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. |
| 22whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts. | 22I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. |
| 23Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | 23Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 24Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. | 24Grace be with all of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. |
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