Ephesians 6:4

Ephesians 6:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
• New International Version (NIV)Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Fathers, 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.

Context of Ephesians 6:4

2"Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3"that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 5Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

Ephesians 6:4 word by word

Καὶ οἱ πατέρες, μὴ παροργίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκτρέφετε αὐτὰ ἐν παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ κυρίου.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• yeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• provokeπαροργίζωparorgizō · to angerG3949
• notμήmē · notG3361
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• bringἐκτρέφωektrephō · to nourish/rearG1625
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the nurtureπαιδείαpaideia · disciplineG3809
• admonitionνουθεσίαnouthesia · admonitionG3559
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962

Cross-references for Ephesians 6:4

• Genesis 31:14Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, "Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father's house?
• 1 Samuel 20:30Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?
• Colossians 3:21Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
• Genesis 18:19For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."
• Exodus 12:26And when your children say to you, 'What do you mean by this service?'
• Exodus 13:14And when in time to come your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall say to him, 'By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.
• Deuteronomy 4:9"Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children—
• Deuteronomy 6:7You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
• Deuteronomy 11:19You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
• Joshua 4:6that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?'
• Joshua 4:21And he said to the people of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in times to come, 'What do these stones mean?'
• Joshua 24:15And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
• 1 Chronicles 22:10He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.'
• 1 Chronicles 28:9"And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
• 1 Chronicles 29:19Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provision."
• Psalms 71:17O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

Commentaries on Ephesians 6:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath - Avoid all severity; this will hurt your own souls, and do them no good; on the contrary, if punished with severity or cruelty, they will be only hardened and made desperate in their sins. Cruel parents generally have bad children. He who corrects his children according to God and reason will feel every blow on his own heart more sensibly than his child feels it on his body. Parents are called to correct; not…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And ye fathers - A command addressed particularly to “fathers,” because they are at the head of the family, and its government is especially committed to them. The object of the apostle here is, to show parents that their commands should be such that they can be easily obeyed, or such as are entirely reasonable and proper. If children are required to “obey,” it is but reasonable that the commands of the parent should be such that they can be obeyed, or…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath: Fathers can make their children angry by being harsh or unfair (see Colossians 3:21). bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord: Parents should teach their children discipline and lessons from the Lord so they learn a good way of living that pleases God. This discipline should be loving and gentle. It should not be excessive, so that children are not turned away from the Lord but are drawn…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. fathers--including mothers; the fathers are specified as being the fountains of domestic authority. Fathers are more prone to passion in relation to their children than mothers, whose fault is rather over-indulgence. provoke not--irritate not, by vexatious commands, unreasonable blame, and uncertain temper [Alford]. Col 3:21, "lest they be discouraged." nurture--Greek, "discipline," namely, training by chastening in act where needed (Job 5:17; He…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 6:4

• Children
• Instruction
• Parents

In the dictionaries

• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Nurture
• Obey
• Provoke
• Wrestle
• Baptismal Regeneration
• Bring
• Chastening; Chastisement
• Ephesians, Epistle to the
• Father

Commentaries on Ephesians 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings