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^1 (C1)Children, obey your parents in the Lord that is, accept their guidance and discipline as His representatives, for this is right for obedience teaches wisdom and self-discipline.^2 (C1)HONOR esteem, value as precious YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER and be respectful to them—this is the first commandment with a promise—³ SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY HAVE A LONG LIFE ON THE EARTH. ^(VR1)

^4 (C1)Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by showing favoritism or indifference to any of them, but ^(C2)bring them up tenderly, with lovingkindness in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

^5 (F1)(C1)Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with ^(C2)respect for authority, and with a sincere heart seeking to please them, ^(C3)as service to Christ—^6 (C1)not in the way of eye-service working only when someone is watching you and only to ^(C2)please men, but as ^(C3)slaves of Christ, ^(C4)doing the will of God from your heart;⁷ rendering service with goodwill, ^(C1)as to the Lord, and not only to men,^8 (C1)knowing that ^(C2)whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, ^(C3)whether he is slave or free.

⁹ You masters, do the same showing goodwill toward them, and ^(C1)give up threatening and abusive words, knowing that He who is ^(C2)both their true Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is ^(C3)no partiality with Him regardless of one's earthly status.

The Armor of God

¹⁰ In conclusion, ^(C1)be strong in the Lord draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him and in ^(C2)the power of His boundless might.^11 (C1)Put on the full armor of God for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier, so that you may be able to successfully stand up against all the ^(C2)schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil.¹² For our ^(C1)struggle is not against ^(C2)flesh and blood contending only with physical opponents, but ^(C3)against the rulers, against the powers, against the ^(C4)world forces of this present ^(C5)darkness, against the ^(C6)spiritual forces of wickedness in ^(C7)the heavenly (supernatural) places.¹³ Therefore, put on ^(C1)the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to successfully ^(C2)resist and stand your ground in ^(C3)the evil day of danger, and having done everything that the crisis demands, to stand firm in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious.¹⁴ So stand firm and hold your ground, ^(C1)HAVING ^(F1)TIGHTENED THE WIDE BAND OF TRUTH (personal integrity, moral courage) AROUND YOUR WAIST and HAVING ^(C2)PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (an upright heart), ^(VR1)15 and having ^(F1)(C1)strapped on YOUR FEET THE GOSPEL OF PEACE IN PREPARATION to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news. ^(VR1)16 Above all, lift up the protective ^(F1)(C1)shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the ^(C2)flaming arrows of ^(C3)the evil one.¹⁷ And take ^(C1)THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the ^(C2)sword of the Spirit, which is ^(C3)the Word of God. ^(VR1)

¹⁸ With all ^(C1)prayer and petition ^(C2)pray with specific requests at all times on every occasion and in every season ^(C3)in the Spirit, and with this in view, ^(C4)stay alert with all ^(C5)perseverance and ^(C6)petition interceding in prayer for all ^(F1)God's people.¹⁹ And ^(C1)pray for me, that words may be given to me ^(C2)when I open my mouth, to proclaim ^(C3)boldly ^(C4)the mystery of the good news of salvation,²⁰ for which I am an ^(C1)ambassador ^(C2)in chains. And pray that in proclaiming it I may speak ^(C3)boldly and courageously, ^(C4)as I should.

^21 (C1)Now, so that you may know how I am and what I am doing, ^(C2)Tychicus, ^(C3)the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will tell you everything.^22 (C1)I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are, and that he may ^(C2)comfort and encourage and strengthen your hearts.

^23 (C1)Peace be to the ^(F1)brothers and sisters, and ^(C2)love joined with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.²⁴ Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying and incorruptible love.