Ephesians 6:1-24
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearinga threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against fleshb and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds:c that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:
22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.
23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.d Amen. [To the Ephesians written from Rome, by Tychicus.]
The teaching now turned to the next relationship of importance in the Christian household-the relationship of parents and children. Children are to yield obedience, and thus be set free from all care and anxiety. When the period of childhood passes, obligation does not cease. They are still to honor father and mother.
The responsibility of parents is referred to only with regard to the father. Thus the apostle emphasized that the chief responsibility for training a child should rest with the father. In the exercise of parental authority there must always be the principle of reasonableness, that the obedience of the child may be constrained by love.
The next relationship in the Christian household is that between servants and masters. Service is to be rendered, ever remembering that the final standard must come from the Lord Himself, and is to be rendered as to Him. Masters also are to rule always from the standpoint of loyalty to Christ. The master's relation to his servant will depend on his relation to his own Master in heaven.
The apostle now turned to the subject of conflict. Life on earth after the pattern of the heavens is bound to bring the soul into conflict with all the forces that are opposed to God. He recognized that behind all the opposition of man is the more terrific opposition of spiritual powers. If, however, there is the revelation of a terrible conflict, there is no room for cowardly fear. Perfect provision is made for the saint. Concerning this armor the apostle has two injunctions. First, 'Tut on the whole amour of God"; second, "Take up the whole armour of God," indicating equipment and actual conflict. Then the saint is "to stand," and "to withstand," and, 'laving done all, to stand." The letter ends with personal matters, every one of which is interesting and suggestive, and, finally, the benediction.