(Colossians 3:18–21)
1
The children: obey your parents in the LORD, for this is right;
2
honor your father and mother,
3
which is the first command with a promise, “That it may be well with you, and you may live a long time on the land.”
4
And the fathers: do not provoke your children, but nourish them in the instruction and admonition of the LORD.
Serving with Honor
(Colossians 3:22–25; 1 Timothy 6:1–2)
5
The servants: obey the masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to the Christ;
6
not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but as servants of the Christ, doing the will of God out of [your] soul,
7
serving with goodwill, as to the LORD, and not to men,
8
having known that whatever good thing each one may do, this he will receive from the LORD, whether servant or freeman.
9
And the masters! Do the same things to them, letting threatening alone, having also known that your Master is in the heavens, and favor by appearance is not with Him.
The Full Armor of God
10
As to the rest, my brothers, be strong in the LORD, and in the power of His might;
11
put on the whole armor of God, so you are able to stand against the schemes of the Devil,
12
because our wrestling is not with flesh and blood, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual [forces] of evil in the heavenly [places];
13
because of this take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the day of the evil, and having done all things—to stand.
14
Stand, therefore, having your loins girded around in truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15
and having the feet shod in the preparation of the good news of peace;
16
in all, having taken up the shield of faith, in which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one,
17
and receive the helmet of the salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
18
through all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and in this, watching in all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones—
19
and in behalf of me, that to me may be given a word in the opening of my mouth, in freedom, to make known the secret of the good news,
20
for which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may speak freely—as it is necessary for me to speak.
Final Greetings
(Philippians 4:21–23; 2 Timothy 4:19–22)
21
And that you may know—you also—the things concerning me—what I do, Tychicus will make all things known to you, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the LORD,
22
whom I sent to you for this very thing, that you might know the things concerning us, and that he might comfort your hearts.
23
Peace to the brothers, and love, with faith, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ!
24
The grace with all those loving our Lord Jesus Christ—undecayingly! Amen.
Copyright © 2020 Covenant Press and the CCC - licensed under CC BY-SA