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

2“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, 3“that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 5Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ, 6not like those who do their work only when someone is watching – as people-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

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 replied to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house?
• 1 Samuel 20:30Saul became angry with Jonathan and said to him, “You stupid traitor! Don’t I realize that to your own disgrace and to the disgrace of your mother’s nakedness you have chosen this son of Jesse?
• Colossians 3:21Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become disheartened.
• Genesis 18:19I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then the Lord will give to Abraham what he promised him.”
• Exodus 12:26When your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ –
• Exodus 13:14In the future, when your son asks you ‘What is this?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the land of slavery.
• Deuteronomy 4:9Again, however, pay very careful attention, lest you forget the things you have seen and disregard them for the rest of your life; instead teach them to your children and grandchildren.
• Deuteronomy 6:7and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up.
• Deuteronomy 11:19Teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up.
• Joshua 4:6The stones will be a reminder to you. When your children ask someday, ‘Why are these stones important to you?’
• Joshua 4:21He told the Israelites, “When your children someday ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones represent?’
• Joshua 24:15If you have no desire to worship the Lord, choose today whom you will worship, whether it be the gods whom your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family will worship the Lord!”
• 1 Chronicles 22:10He will build a temple to honor me; he will become my son, and I will become his father. I will grant to his dynasty permanent rule over Israel.’
• 1 Chronicles 28:9“And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.
• 1 Chronicles 29:19Make my son Solomon willing to obey your commands, rules, and regulations, and to complete building the palace for which I have made preparations.”
• Psalms 71:17O God, you have taught me since I was young, and I am still declaring your amazing 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