1 Children, obey your parents in union with the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor ˢyour father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, 3 “that things may go well for you and you may live long in the land.”+ 4 And fathers, don’t treat your children in a way that makes them angry and resentful, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 5 Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, with sincere hearts, just as you would the Messiah, 6 fulfilling your duties not only when they are watching you, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of the Messiah, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 serving gladly, as though you were serving the Lord and not mere men, 8 knowing that each person, if he does anything at all that is good, the same he will receive back from the Lord, irrespective of whether he had been a slave or a free man. 9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way, refraining from using threats, knowing that the Master over both them and you is in the heavens and judges all people by the same standard.

10 Finally, be strong through union with the Lord and through his mighty power and strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For the intense hand-to-hand battle we are fighting is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this dark age, against the spirit-forces of evil among the heavenly ones. 13 That is the reason why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand your ground in the evil day, and having made every preparation, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm, therefore, having fastened around your waist the belt of faithfulness,+ and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having sandaled your feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, 16 along with all these having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to put out these: All the fiery arrows of the evil one. 17 Take in hand, too, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times, in union with the Spirit, with every kind of prayer and request, and to this end staying alert and persisting in prayer for all the Lord’s holy people+— 19 and especially for me, that to me would be given the right words as I begin to solemnly declare the message, so that I will make the mystery of the gospel known very boldly, 20 the mystery for the sake of which I am an authorized representative of the Messiah, as a prisoner. Pray that, by God’s help, I will have courage to declare it boldly, as is my duty.

21 Now, so that you, too, may know how I am, what I am doing, Tychicus, our dear brother and a trustworthy servant in union with the Lord, will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very reason, so that you may know how we are getting along, and so that he can strengthen and encourage your hearts. 23 Peace, and love with faith, to the brothers and sisters from God the Father and the Lord Jesus the Messiah. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus the Messiah with an undying love.