Ephesians 6

Ephesians 6:1

Do you, children, whatever be your age and circumstances in the world, submissively, readily, and cheerfully hearken to and obey the counsels and commands of your parents in all lawful things, from love to Christ, regard to his authority, and for his glory and honour;—for, according to all laws, human and divine, this is a just debt, and is highly fit and acceptable in itself, as ye have been brought into being by their means, and are so much beholden to their care and kindness

Ephesians 6:2

Yes, the first command of the second table of the moral law, and the only command which has a promise annexed to itself in particular, requires every one of you to think and speak of, and conduct yourself towards, both your parents in the most affectionate, reverential, submissive, obedient, and honourable manner

Ephesians 6:3

That, through the blessing of God upon your obedience, your life on earth may continue long and prosperous

Ephesians 6:4

And do you parents carefully avoid every thing humoursome, unreasonable or harsh, towards your children, which might provoke their resentment, exasperate their passions, and prejudice them against you or your Christian religion: and, by a holy and diligent example, by much fervent prayer, by earnest and persuasive instruction, and by prudent, moderate, and reasonable, correction, administered to them in obedience to Christ’s authority, and in dependence 9 on his blessing to concur therewith, bring them up in the knowledge, fear, worship, and obedience, of God in him.—Earnestly watch over and restrain the first appearances of inward corruptions, errors, or immoralities; and direct and encourage them to every thing dutiful towards God or men.—5. Servants, make conscience of obeying all the lawful commands of your earthly masters and mistresses, who, in things pertaining to this world, are set over you by God’s providence, and have a right to your services, whether they are believers or not. Be willingly and faithfully subject to them, with a reverential fear of their, and especially of God’s, displeasure if ye should betray your trust, and embezzle their goods, or disobey their just orders. And see that ye do all this with a sincere, ingenious, and honest, heart, as therein desiring and intending to serve the Lord Christ and adorn the doctrines of the gospel

Ephesians 6:6

Fulfil your services with diligence, constancy, and fidelity: not merely when the eyes of your masters or others are upon you, as if ye only aimed at pleasing men for your own honour or advantage, but as from regard to Christ’s authority, and always under his eye, and in view of being judged by him, and in order to promote his honour, doing whatever God requires of you in this matter from a sincere principle of religious regard towards him

Ephesians 6:7

In this manner perform every part of your due service, freely, affectionately, and industriously, and with all readiness of mind, as persons who love your masters, and have their interest at heart,—doing every thing which God or they call you to from a sense of duty to Jesus Christ, your supreme Lord and Master, that ye may serve, please, and glorify, him: and not merely to acquit yourselves in the sight, and gain the esteem, of men

Ephesians 6:8

And know, for your encouragement, that however your masters may reward you in this world, ye shall receive a gracious and eternal reward of all your faithful services from the Lord Jesus in the great day of judgment

Ephesians 6:9

And, ye believing masters, take heed that ye fulfil the duties of your stations with the like views, in singleness of heart as to Christ, and according to the will of God; and that ye behave towards your servants, not in a domineering, severe, threatening, insolent, cruel, or oppressive, manner, but with gentleness and humanity,—always remembering that ye yourselves are the servants of our Lord Christ, who takes notice of your conduct, and will call you to account for it, without paying any more respect to you than to the meanest of your servants

Ephesians 6:10

And, that ye may perform your relative and other duties, and resist all the influences of sin, Satan, and the world, who labour to oppose you in your progress heavenward, act out and press forward, like valiant soldiers, under the Captain of salvation, not in your own strength, but in the strength of Christ, and through his almighty influences enabling you to every duty, service, and suffering, to which ye are at any time called

Ephesians 6:11

And, that while ye set out in his strength ye may be thoroughly furnished for all encounters with your spiritual enemies, always earnestly endeavour, under a sense of their power and your own weakness and danger, to live in the constant exercise of all those graces, and use of those means, which God appoints, gives, and makes effectual for the full defence and spiritual safety of his people, that ye may be able to withstand and defeat the numerous, ensnaring, fallacious, and cunning, attacks of the devil and his instruments

Ephesians 6:12

And great need we have of all this help;—for, in our holy warfare, we ministers and others, who have enlisted under Christ’s banner, have to engage in close and sharp contention, not only with the carnal reasonings, authority, and violence of men, but with all ranks and orders of malicious, crafty, deceitful, powerful, spirits, who, through the permission of God, have erected an usurped empire over the minds and hearts of blinded sinners! and, being in themselves most vilely and implacably wicked, make it their whole business to propagate spiritual wickedness, unbelief, pride, idolatry, error, malice, wrath, envy,—and who, hovering in the air, and seated in our souls, strenuously labour to prevent our obtaining the eternal inheritance

Ephesians 6:13

Since ye have therefore so many subtle and powerful enemies to contend with, see that ye be fully armed, and, in Jesus’ strength, make a proper use of every spiritual weapon, defensive or offensive, wherewith God hath furnished you, that ye may be able to resist and overcome all these or other formidable enemies, in every day of conflict and trial

Ephesians 6:14

In order therefore to your obtaining a glorious victory, it is necessary that, in the strength of Christ, ye, in your stations, indefatigably and incessantly, with all watchfulness, diligence, and stedfastness, keep your ground in the field of battle, having your whole man girt about with the truths of God revealed in his word, and with sincerity and uprightness of heart and conversation, that thereby ye may be steady, resolute, and active;—let your heart be protected by the righteousness of Christ applied to your conscience, and by the daily exercise of righteousness and true holiness, which proceed from faith and love

Ephesians 6:15

And, that ye may be enabled to hold out against all hardships and snares, and be ready for every encounter, let your affections and conversation be duly influenced by the doctrines, promises, encouragements, and provisions, of the gospel, by which God exhibits, offers, and applies, the whole peace and consolation of the new covenant, that nothing may hurt, discompose, or embroil, you

Ephesians 6:16

But especially let a lively exercise of faith on Christ’s person, blood, righteousness, and fulness, and the power and grace of God in him through the declarations and promises of the new covenant, be your all-protecting shield, by which you may be enabled to silence every terrifying charge of guilt,—to repel every attempt to surprise you into hard or blasphemous thoughts of God or Christ, or sudden emotions of wrath, revenge, unchastity, or other wickedness,—and to disarm of its force every furious temptations or sudden suggestion, wherewith the devil may attempt to penetrate and influence your soul with horror, anguish, or guilt: 17. And let the hope of eternal salvation protect you from fear in danger, and fortify you against the most furious and threatening attacks of Satan and his confederates. And let the doctrines, promises, commands, threatenings, and histories, of God’s word, which the Holy Ghost indited, explains, and applies, be used, in the hand of your faith, for the destruction and confusion of your spiritual enemies

Ephesians 6:18

And, as none of your efforts, or even graces, oracles, or ordinances of God, can be effectual without the special aids of the divine Spirit, maintain always a praying frame of heart; and let all your conflicts be attended with solemn, stated, or ejaculatory, prayer, in all sorts of addresses to God, and on all occasions, public or private, in the name of Christ, and by the assistance of his Spirit, and with your whole heart, for all seasonable help and direction. And, while ye watch against the designs and stratagems of your enemies, and for opportunities to annoy and defeat them, watch also for convenient opportunities of spiritual influences in, and gracious answers to, your prayers:—and continuing constant and unwearied therein, earnestly beg that God would not only avert evils from or bestow blessings on yourselves, but also all your fellow Christians, that they, along with you, may stand their ground in their spiritual warfare, and more and more abound in light, grace, comfort, and holiness, to the glory of God, and confusion of Satan and his instruments

Ephesians 6:19

And particularly pray for me, your faithful and affectionate apostle and friend, whose work and trials are so important and difficult, and whose strength is so small,—that God would relieve me from my present imprisonment, and give opportunity and ability to publish the great mysteries of the gospel, in an open, bold, plain, impartial, earnest, and successful, manner

Ephesians 6:20

That I, the graciously honoured ambassador of Christ, who am now a prisoner for preaching that gospel, may yet have opportunity, and be enabled, to preach it undauntedly, freely, and plainly, according to the duty of my office, without molestation. 21, 22. And, that ye may the better know how to order your supplications or thanksgivings for me, I have sent Tychicus, one of your dear Asiatic friends, an upright, diligent, and laborious, minister of Christ, with this letter, that he may fully acquaint you with my various sufferings and comforts under them, and my labours and success,—that, by informing you how the Lord supports, directs and comforts