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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline 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.

Context of Ephesians 6:4

2Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 5Slaves, 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; 6not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves 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

• Fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• do not provokeπαροργίζωparorgizō · to angerG3949
• your childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• bringἐκτρέφωektrephō · to nourish/rearG1625
• them up in the disciplineπαιδείαpaideia · disciplineG3809
• and instructionνουθεσίαnouthesia · admonitionG3559
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962

Cross-references for Ephesians 6:4

• Genesis 31:14Rachel and Leah said to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house?
• 1 Samuel 20:30Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?
• Colossians 3:21Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
• Genesis 18:19For I have chosen him, so 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 upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”
• Exodus 12:26And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’
• Exodus 13:14And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.
• Deuteronomy 4:9“Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.
• Deuteronomy 6:7You shall teach them diligently to your sons 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 up.
• Deuteronomy 11:19You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.
• Joshua 4:6Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
• Joshua 4:21He said to the sons of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’
• Joshua 24:15If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
• 1 Chronicles 22:10He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
• 1 Chronicles 28:9“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
• 1 Chronicles 29:19and give to my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies and Your statutes, and to do them all, and to build the temple, for which I have made provision.”
• Psalms 71:17O God, You have taught me from my youth, And I still declare 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