| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Children, obey your parents as you would the Lord, because this is right. | 1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. |
| 2Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, | 2"Honor your father and mother…" (This is a very important commandment with a promise.) |
| 3so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. | 3"…so that it may go well for you, and that you may have a long life on the earth." |
| 4Fathers, don't stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. | 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up by training and instructing them about the Lord. |
| 5Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ. | 5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, trembling, and sincerity, as when you obey the Messiah. |
| 6Don't work only while being watched, in order to please men, but as slaves of Christ, do God's will from your heart. | 6Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will. |
| 7Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men, | 7Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people, |
| 8knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. | 8because you know that everyone will receive a reward from the Lord for whatever good he has done, whether he is a slave or free. |
| 9And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him. | 9Masters, treat your slaves 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. |
| 10Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. | 10Finally, be strong in the Lord, relying on his mighty strength. |
| 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. | 11Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the devil's strategies. |
| 12For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. | 12For our struggle is not against human opponents, but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers in the darkness around us, and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm. |
| 13This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. | 13For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm. |
| 14Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, | 14Stand firm, therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, |
| 15and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. | 15and being firm-footed in the gospel of peace. |
| 16In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. | 16In addition to having clothed yourselves with these things, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one, |
| 17Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God's word. | 17also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. |
| 18Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. | 18Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request. Likewise, be alert with your most diligent efforts and pray for all the saints. |
| 19Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. | 19Pray also for me, so that, when I begin to speak, the right words will come to me. Then I will boldly make known the secret of the gospel, |
| 20For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should. | 20for whose sake I am an ambassador in chains, desiring to declare the gospel as boldly as I should. |
| 21Tychicus, our dearly loved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed. | 21So that you may know what has happened to me and how I am doing, Tychicus, our dear brother and a faithful minister in service to the Lord, will tell you everything. |
| 22I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts. | 22I 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. |
| 23Peace to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | 23May peace and love, with faith, be with the brothers, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah! |
| 24Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ. | 24May grace be with all who sincerely love the Lord Jesus, the Messiah! |
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