The Message Bible MSG
New American Standard Bible NAS
1 Children, do what your parents tell you. This is only right.
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Children, obey your parents in the Lord , for this is right.
2 "Honor your father and mother" is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely,
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HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise ),
3 "so you will live well and have a long life."
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SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.
4 Fathers, don't exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.
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Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord .
5 Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ.
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Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;
6 Don't just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ's servants doing what God wants you to do.
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not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
7 And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you're really serving God.
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With good will render service, as to the Lord , and not to men,
8 Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free.
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knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord , whether slave or free.
9 Masters, it's the same with you. No abuse, please, and no threats. You and your servants are both under the same Master in heaven. He makes no distinction between you and them.
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And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
10 And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong.
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Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
11 So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way.
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Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
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For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet.
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Therefore , take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
14 Truth, righteousness,
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Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
15 peace,
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and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;
16 faith,
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in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon.
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And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
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With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
19 And don't forget to pray for me. Pray that I'll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that I,
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and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20 jailbird preacher that I am, am responsible for getting out.
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for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
21 Tychicus, my good friend here, will tell you what I'm doing and how things are going with me. He is certainly a dependable servant of the Master!
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But that you also may know about my circumstances , how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord , will make everything known to you.
22 I've sent him not only to tell you about us but to cheer you on in your faith.
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I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.
23 Good-bye, friends. Love mixed with faith be yours from God the Father and from the Master, Jesus Christ.
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Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Pure grace and nothing but grace be with all who love our Master, Jesus Christ.
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Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California. All rights reserved.