1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (箴1:8; 箴6:20; 箴23:22)2“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), (出20:12)3“that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (创18:19; 申4:9; 申6:7; 申11:19; 诗78:4; 箴19:18; 箴22:6; 箴29:17; 提后3:15)
Bondservants and Masters
5Bondservants,[1] obey your earthly masters[2] with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, (林后11:3; 弗5:22; 彼前2:18)6not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, (加1:10)7rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,8knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. (诗62:12; 加3:28; 西3:11)9Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master[3] and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. (利25:43; 申10:17; 伯31:13; 约13:13)
The Whole Armor of God
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. (羅4:20; 弗1:19; 弗3:16; 提后2:1; 约一2:14)11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (伯29:14; 羅13:12; 林后10:4; 弗4:14; 弗6:13; 弗6:14)12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (路22:53; 林前9:25; 弗1:3; 弗1:21; 弗2:2; 弗3:10; 西1:13)13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (弗5:16; 彼前4:1)14Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (赛11:5; 赛59:17; 赛61:10; 路12:35; 林后6:7; 帖前5:8; 彼前1:13)15and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. (出12:11; 赛52:7; 羅10:15)16In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; (诗120:4; 太13:19; 约一5:4)17and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, (赛49:2; 何6:5; 林后6:7; 弗6:14; 來4:12)18praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, (可13:33; 路18:1; 羅8:26; 西4:2; 提前2:1; 犹1:20)19and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, (赛50:4; 徒4:29; 弗3:3; 西4:3; 帖前5:25; 帖后3:1)20for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (徒28:20; 林后5:20)
Final Greetings
21So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. (徒20:4; 西4:7; 提后4:12; 多3:12)22I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. (西2:2)23Peace be to the brothers,[4] and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (加5:6; 加6:16; 帖前5:8; 帖后3:16; 彼前5:14)24Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (林前16:22)