6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.^{(A) 2} “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— ³ “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”^[a](B)

⁴ Fathers,^[b] do not exasperate your children;^(C) instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.^(D)

⁵ Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect^(E) and fear, and with sincerity of heart,^(F) just as you would obey Christ.^{(G) 6} Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ,^(H) doing the will of God from your heart. ⁷ Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,^{(I) 8} because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do,^(J) whether they are slave or free.

3 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves^(A) to your own husbands^(B) so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over^(C) without words by the behavior of their wives, ² when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. ³ Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.^{(D) 4} Rather, it should be that of your inner self,^(E) the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.^{(F) 5} For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God^(G) used to adorn themselves.^(H) They submitted themselves to their own husbands, ⁶ like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord.^(I) You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

⁷ Husbands,^(J) in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.