Ephesians 6
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In the final chapter of Ephesians, Paul moves from theology to life. He addresses children and parents, servants and masters - instructions for Tuesday morning, for the dinner table, for the workplace. And in each case, the instruction is the same: know that you answer to Christ. When a child obeys a parent, she is obeying the Lord. When a servant works, he works as if working for Christ. When a master commands, he remembers that his Master is in heaven.
Tap any highlighted phrase to jump to the commentary that unpacks it.
Ephesians 6:1-3Children, Obey Your Parents in the Lord
1Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; 3That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Paul does not say "Obey your parents because they are wise" or "because they are always right." He says obey them "in the Lord." This reframes obedience. The child honors the order that God has placed in the family. Obedience to parents becomes a spiritual act - a way of learning to submit to authority as it is arranged by God.
The commandment to honor father and mother is unique: it is the only commandment of the second table (commandments 5-10) that comes with a promise attached. "That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." This is an invitation to blessing. When you honor those who gave you life, you live well and long.
Ephesians 6:4Fathers, Provoke Not Your Children to Wrath
4And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Paul shifts address. He speaks directly to fathers - the heads of households, those who carry authority. The warning is sharp: do not provoke your children to wrath. This is a command. A father who uses his authority to anger, to shame, to crush his children's spirit is sinning. He is abusing the trust God has placed in him.
Nurture (ektrophē) is the warm, sustaining work of raising a child. Admonition (nouthesia) is gentle rebuke, correction, training in wisdom. A father's task is both: to provide for, to encourage, to build up (nurture), and to correct gently when the child goes astray (admonition). Both flow from the Lord. Neither is an excuse for rage.
Ephesians 6:5-8Servants, Work as Unto Christ
5Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
This is the revolutionary reframing: you obey your earthly master as if you are obeying Christ. Your obedience is ultimately to Christ. You do your work to please Jesus. This elevates the work - ordinary labor becomes spiritual act.
The servant becomes, in Paul's vision, a servant of Christ first. The earthly relationship has not changed. The slave is still enslaved. But the relationship has been re-narrated. The slave now sees himself as serving Christ, doing the will of God. This is spiritual freedom in the midst of physical bondage.
Ephesians 6:9Masters, Remember Your Master in Heaven
9And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
Paul tells masters to do the same things. Serve. Work with singleness of heart. Do not try to impress. Forbear threatening. Remember your Master in heaven. Masters are also under authority. They answer to Christ.
Ephesians 6:10-13Be Strong in the Lord; We Wrestle Not Against Flesh and Blood
10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Paul's closing word is a call to be strong in the Lord - the shift he makes throughout Ephesians: the power is in Christ. You are strong only insofar as you are united to Him, drawing on His might.
The devil's wiles are his strategies, his schemes. He does not always attack head-on. Often he works through deception, through temptation, through the slow erosion of faith. The armor of God is your defense against these subtle attacks.
Principalities (archai) and powers (exousiai) are spiritual entities arrayed against you. Rulers of the darkness of this world - these are powers that work in the systems, the ideologies, the narratives of the fallen world. Spiritual wickedness in high places - demonic forces at work in the spiritual realm.
Ephesians 6:14aLoins Girt About with Truth
14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
In ancient warfare, the soldier would gird his loins - bind his garment tightly - to be ready for movement and combat. Paul begins the armor with truth. You stand ready when you are grounded in the truth as it is in Jesus.
Ephesians 6:14bBreastplate of Righteousness
14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
The breastplate protects the heart and vital organs. Paul pairs it with righteousness - right living, right standing with God. The righteousness of Christ, imputed to you, becomes the lived reality of your choices and character.
Isaiah 59:17 says God Himself wears a breastplate of righteousness. When you put on this breastplate, you are putting on an aspect of Christ. His perfect obedience, His alignment with the will of God, His integrity - these become your protection. They shield your heart from guilt, from shame, from the accusations of the enemy.
Ephesians 6:15Feet Shod with the Gospel of Peace
15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
The Roman soldier's sandals were studded to give him traction in battle. Paul says your feet are shod with the gospel of peace. This is what grounds you, what keeps you steady. The gospel - the good news that Christ died for you, rose again, and offers you peace with God - is your foundation for movement and advance.
Ephesians 6:16Shield of Faith
16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Paul says this shield is primary: "Above all." Faith is your primary defense. The enemy attacks with fiery darts - accusations, doubts, temptations to despair. The conviction that God is good, that His word is true, that He will not abandon you - this is what extinguishes the enemy's attacks.
Ephesians 6:17aHelmet of Salvation
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
The helmet protects the head and mind. Paul pairs it with salvation. Your hope - the assurance that you are saved, that Christ has purchased your redemption, that eternal life is yours - protects your thoughts. The enemy attacks your mind with despair, with the feeling that you are beyond help. The helmet of salvation counters this: you are saved. This is settled.
This is not arrogant presumption. Paul speaks of the hope of salvation (Titus 2:13) - the confident expectation that what Christ has begun in you He will complete (Phil. 1:6). You know you are saved because Christ died for you and rose again. That work is finished.
Ephesians 6:17bSword of the Spirit
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
All the other pieces of armor are defensive. The sword is your only offensive weapon. And it is the word of God - the living, active word of Scripture. It is sharp enough to divide soul and spirit, discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12). When you face temptation, when you face the accusations of the enemy, you wield this word.
The word of God is the only offensive weapon in the armor - a living, active power that accomplishes what God intends (Isa. 55:11). In moments of testing, it is your sword: the means by which you overcome the lies and accusations of the enemy.
Ephesians 6:18-20Praying Always with All Prayer
18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Prayer activates all the armor. "Praying always" means maintaining a posture of dependency on God, a willingness to speak to Him about everything, a constant awareness that you are not self-sufficient.
Paul, the Apostle, asks for prayer that "utterance may be given unto me." Even he, seasoned in faith and commissioned by Christ, needs the prayers of the church for boldness and the right words. This is the realism of spiritual dependence. The church's intercession gives him courage to speak the gospel openly.
Prayer is paired with watching - remaining alert - and perseverance. You do not pray once and think you are done. You pray continuously, persistently, knowing that the battle is long and your resources come from God alone.
Ephesians 6:21-24Tychicus, Peace, and Grace
21But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: 23Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
Paul ends the epistle by naming Tychicus - a trusted coworker, a messenger who will carry this letter to Ephesus and speak to them in person. This is a reminder that the church is a community. The word Paul has written comes alive through personal encounter.
Paul's final word is peace - peace woven together with love and faith. These three flow from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, gifts of the risen Christ to His church.
The final phrase is key: grace be with all them that "love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." The blessing is for those who genuinely love Him, not those who merely profess a shallow faith. This love is uncorruptible, genuine, enduring.