Skip to main content
Psalmlog Logo

Ephesians 6

Ephesians 6 places household authority under Christ’s rule and equips the church to stand against evil through God’s strength.

Paul addresses children and fathers, then enslaved servants and their masters, placing each relationship under the Lord’s authority. He then calls the whole church to stand against spiritual evil with God’s armor and persistent prayer. Writing as an ambassador in chains, he asks for prayer that he will speak the Good News with boldness. Tychicus will bring news of his circumstances and comfort the readers. The letter closes with peace, love, and grace from God.

parentingfear for the futurewanting a steady prayer habit
Read
1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
2“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise:
3“that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.”
4You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
5Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ,
6not in the way of service only when eyes are on you, as men pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
7with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men,
8knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive the same good again from the Lord, whether he is bound or free.
9You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace,
16above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints.
19Pray for me, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News,
20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
21But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things.
22I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our state and that he may comfort your hearts.
23Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
24Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. Amen.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Ephesians 6:10This command locates the church’s strength in the Lord’s might, setting the foundation for everything said about spiritual conflict.
Ephesians 6:11God supplies the whole armor so his people can stand against the devil’s schemes.
Ephesians 6:18Prayer accompanies the armor, extending watchful perseverance beyond personal concerns to all the saints.
Where this chapter reaches

Colossians shares instructions for households and the account of Tychicus bringing news, while Deuteronomy supplies the command to honor parents with its promise of well-being and long life. Isaiah shares the imagery of righteousness as a breastplate and salvation as a helmet.

Ephesians 6's chapter linksAll strongest linksHover or tap a book
Notice

After reading the whole chapter

Which part of God’s armor deserves closer attention in your present struggles, and why?

Write on this

How does Paul’s request for boldness in chains shape what you want to pray for others?

Write on this

Questions people ask about Ephesians 6

What is the armor of God in Ephesians 6?

The armor describes God’s provision for standing against spiritual evil: truth, righteousness, readiness associated with the Good News of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. Paul follows the armor imagery with a call to persistent prayer for all the saints. The repeated goal is to stand.

Does Ephesians 6 support slavery?

Paul addresses enslaved people and masters within an existing slaveholding society. He commands servants to serve Christ from the heart and commands masters to stop threatening, since both answer to the same impartial Lord. The passage does not call for abolition, and its commands give masters no license to harm.

Does Ephesians 6 promise a long life to every obedient child?

Paul quotes the command to honor parents together with its promise of well-being and long life. He presents that promise as a reason to obey. The passage does not explain individual exceptions or offer a formula for predicting lifespan; a child’s early death cannot establish that the child was disobedient.

Read it. Now write it.

Start an entry on Ephesians 6. Your words go beside the text, and you get one next step for the week.

Ephesians · 6 chapters
123456
What the Bible says about parenting →What the Bible says about fear →

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).