Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "in the Lord" isn't just a qualifier for when children should obey, but highlights that this obedience is meant to mirror their relationship with God. It suggests that true obedience to parents flows from and is empowered by their shared life in Christ, making it a spiritual practice, not just a social rule.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul transitions from marital roles to family responsibilities, now addressing children. He commands them to obey their parents, emphasizing that this obedience should be within the framework of their faith in the Lord. This instruction is presented as a fundamental principle of righteous living, directly linked to honoring God.
Children are called to obey their parents, but what if their parents' commands go against God's will? This verse offers a crucial guide.
The command for children to obey their parents isn't absolute. It's always qualified by the phrase 'in the Lord.' This means obedience is expected as long as the parents' instructions align with God's commands and principles. If a parent asks a child to do something sinful or against God's word, the child's primary loyalty must be to God. This doesn't mean disobeying parents flippantly, but rather prioritizing divine authority with respect and humility. It's about a higher allegiance that informs, rather than cancels, familial duty.
Why is obeying parents considered 'right'? It goes beyond mere tradition; there's a profound reason built into God's design.
The verse declares that children obeying parents 'is right.' This isn't just a social convention but a reflection of God's established order. Parents are given authority by God, and children are designed to grow and thrive under that guidance. This authority is rooted in the parent's role as a steward of God's creation and a teacher of His ways. By obeying parents, children learn a fundamental principle of life: submission to rightful authority, which prepares them for a life of order, responsibility, and ultimately, submission to God Himself. It's about respecting the God-ordained structure for family and society.
Understand the original words
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hypakouete · Greek Verb
To submit to the authority or command of another; in a biblical context, it implies an active, listening response that leads to compliance and action.
goneusin · Greek Noun
Those from whom one is descended; in Scripture, this encompasses the foundational human relationships ordained by God for the nurture and training of children.
This passage directly commands children to 'honor your father and your mother,' reinforcing the divine mandate found in Ephesians 6:1 and highlighting its foundational importance in God's law.
Colossians 3:20This verse echoes Ephesians 6:1 by stating, 'Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord,' underscoring that obedience to parents is intrinsically linked to pleasing God.
Proverbs 23:22This verse speaks of listening to one's father and not despising one's mother when she is old, showing a broader concept of honoring parents that includes heeding their wisdom, which aligns with the spirit of obedience in Ephesians.
1 Samuel 2:25This verse highlights the severe consequences of disobedience to parents and God, stating that 'if one person sins against another, the judges can mediate; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for them?' This underscores the gravity of disobeying parental authority, which is 'in the Lord.'
barnesEphesians 6:1: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right."
Children - τέκνα tekna This word usually signifies those who are young; but it is used here, evidently, to denote those who were under the care and government of their parents, or those who were not of age. Obey your parents - This is the first great duty which God has enjoined on children. It is, to do what their parents command them to do. The God of nature indicates that this is duty; for he has impressed it on th…
gillEphesians 6:1: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right."
Children, obey your parents in the Lord,.... The persons whose duty this is, "children", are such of every sex, male and female, and of every age, and of every state and condition; and though the true, legitimate, and immediate offspring of men may be chiefly respected, yet not exclusive of spurious children, and adopted ones, and of children-in-law; and the persons to whom obedience from them is due, are not only real…
The phrase "in the Lord" isn't just a qualifier for when children should obey, but highlights that this obedience is meant to mirror their relationship with God. It suggests that true obedience to parents flows from and is empowered by their shared life in Christ, making it a spiritual practice, not just a social rule.
Paul transitions from marital roles to family responsibilities, now addressing children. He commands them to obey their parents, emphasizing that this obedience should be within the framework of their faith in the Lord. This instruction is presented as a fundamental principle of righteous living, directly linked to honoring God.
Paul transitions from marital roles to family responsibilities, now addressing children. He commands them to obey their parents, emphasizing that this obedience should be within the framework of their faith in the Lord. This instruction is presented as a fundamental principle of righteous living, directly linked to honoring God.
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." — The phrase "in the Lord" isn't just a qualifier for when children should obey, but highlights that this obedience is meant to mirror their relationship with God. It suggests that true obedience to…
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Last reviewed October 2026