MODERN LITERAL VERSION

6:1 Children, obey* your* parents in the Lord; for* this is righteous.
6:2 Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise),
6:3 that* it may become well with you and you may be upon the earth a long time.
6:4 And, you* fathers, do not rouse your* children to anger, but rear them in the discipline and admonition of the Lord.

6:5 Bondservants, be obedient* to those who are your* lords according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in clarity of your* heart, as to Christ;
6:6 not according to eye-service, like men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, practicing the will of God from the soul;
6:7 serving* with benevolence to the Lord and not to men.
6:8 Knowing that if each one is doing anything good, he will get this back from the Lord, whether bond or free.
6:9 And lords, do the same things toward them and be lax with the threatening; knowing that your own Lord is also in the heavens and there is no partiality with him.

6:10 Furthermore, my brethren, be empowered in the Lord and in the dominion of his power.
6:11 Clothe yourselves with the full-armor of God, that you* may be able to stand up before the schemes of the Devil.
6:12 Because our wrestling is not with flesh and blood, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world dominions of the darkness of the world, with the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
6:13 Because of this, take up the full-armor of God, that* you* may be able to withstand in the evil day, and to stand straight, having worked against all things.
6:14 Therefore stand, having girded your* hips with truth and having clothed yourselves with the breastplate of righteousness,
6:15 and having tied each of the feet with the readiness of the good-news of peace.
6:16 Upon all these, take up the shield of the faith, with which you* will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
6:17 And to accept the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
6:18 through all prayer and supplication praying in all seasons in the Spirit and to this same thing, watching with all perseverance and supplication concerning all the holy-ones.
6:19 And pray on my behalf, that* the word may be given to me, in opening my mouth to make known the mystery of the good-news in boldness,
6:20 over which, I am an ambassador in chains; that* I may speak boldly in it, as I ought to speak.

6:21 But that* you* may also know the things in regard to me, what I am doing; I will make known to you* all things. Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord,
6:22 whom, I have sent to you* *for this same thing, that* you* may know the things concerning us and that* he may encourage your* hearts.

6:23 Peace and love* be to the brethren with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
6:24 Grace be with all those who love* our Lord Jesus Christ with an incorruptible love. Amen.