Scripture
Children and Parents
1Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord,[1] for this is the right thing to do. 2“Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”[2]
4Fathers,[3] do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.
Slaves and Masters
5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. 6Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. 7Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 8Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.
9Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites.
The Whole Armor of God
10A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12For we[4] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.[5] 16In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.[6] 17Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.[7]
19And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.[8] 20I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
Translation notes (8)
- 6:1 Or Children, obey your parents who belong to the Lord; some manuscripts read simply Children, obey your parents.
- 6:2-3 Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16.
- 6:4 Or Parents.
- 6:12 Some manuscripts read you.
- 6:15 Or For shoes, put on the readiness to preach the Good News of peace with God.
- 6:16 Greek the evil one.
- 6:18 Greek all of God’s holy people.
- 6:19 Greek explain the mystery of the Good News; some manuscripts read simply explain the mystery.
16Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
If we are not careful, our prayers can tend to be self-focused. Unfortunately, we may unintentionally find ourselves praying only for our hopes and needs. When we pray this way, we miss out on the opportunity to pray for the needs of the people around us and see God moving in their lives. As followers of Christ, we are called to be people who pray for each other and the people all around us.
He calls followers of Christ to pray for each other. "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed," James writes. This is a call for each of us to take our eyes off ourselves and think about others. Not only this, but Scripture teaches that praying for each other leads to healing. This does not only mean physical healing. It can mean spiritual healing as well. God moves when we pray for each other.
This command to pray for each other from James 5 comes with a promise: our prayers are not in vain. Look at the very end of James 5:16: "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." Our prayers have an impact. God hears our prayers and responds to them according to His will. Not only this but there is also a second impact of our prayers: they change us as we pray. They align our will with God's, and when we pray for others, they help us become less self-focused and cause us to think about others.
My friend, as we pray, we must remember to look beyond ourselves and pray for others. Ephesians 6:18 tells us to be "persistent in [our] prayers for all believers everywhere." That means we never stop. As we pray for each other, God will move. He will bring healing. Who can you be praying for today?
Moving toward action
Spend time in prayer now. During this prayer time, pray only for the people in your life. Pray for the needs that they may be facing. Pray that God would intervene in the places in their lives where they are desperate to see God work. Ask God to give them peace in whatever situation they are facing. As you go throughout your day, look for ways to encourage these people you have prayed for. Let them know that they are not forgotten.
Going Deeper
Ephesians 6:1-20
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