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¹ Children, obey your parents in the Lord,[fn] for this is the right thing to do.[xr] ² "Honor your father and mother." This is a very important commandment with a promise:[xr] ³ "So that it may go well for you, and that you may have a long life on the earth."[fn] ⁴ Fathers, do not make your children angry, but bring them up in the training[fn] and instruction of the Lord.[xr] ⁵ Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, with trembling, and along with sincerity,[fn] as when you obey Christ.[fn][xr] ⁶ Do not do this only while being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of Christ who do God's will from the heart.[xr] ⁷ Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people.[fn] ⁸ For you know that everyone will receive a reward from the Lord for whatever good he has done, whether he is a slave or free.[xr] ⁹ Masters, treat your slaves[fn] the same way. Do not threaten them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.[xr]

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty strength.[xr] ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the devil's strategies.[fn][xr] ¹² For our[fn] struggle is not against a human opponent,[fn] but against rulers, against authorities, against cosmic powers in the darkness around us,[fn] against evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm.[xr] ¹³ For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand in that evil day. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm.[xr] ¹⁴ Stand firm, therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,[xr] ¹⁵ and having put shoes on your feet so that you are ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.[fn][xr] ¹⁶ In addition to all of these, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one,[xr] ¹⁷ also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.[xr] ¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert with every kind of effort and request for all the saints.[xr]

¹⁹ Pray[fn] also for me, so that, when I open my mouth, the right words will be given to me. Then I will boldly make known the secret of the gospel,[xr] ²⁰ for whose sake I am an ambassador in chains, desiring to declare it as boldly as I should.[fn][xr] ²¹ So that you may know what has happened to me and how I am doing, Tychicus, our dear brother and a faithful minister in the Lord, will tell you everything.[xr] ²² I am sending him to you for this very reason, so that you may know how we are doing and that he may encourage your hearts.[xr] ²³ May the brothers have peace and love, with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ![xr] ²⁴ May grace be with all who love the Lord Jesus Christ with sincerity![fn][xr]