Children and Parents
Paul tells children to obey their parents in the Lord because this is right, and he joins this obedience to the command to honor father and mother, which carries a promise of well-being. Fathers, in turn, are not to provoke their children, but to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
C1hildren, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2“Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3“that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.” 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Verse 1Children are to obey their parents in the Lord, for this is right.
It opens the section with filial obedience.
Verse 2Honor your father and mother, Paul says, and he notes that this is the first commandment with a promise.
It grounds obedience in the commandment.
Verse 3That it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.
It states the promise attached to honoring parents.
Verse 4Fathers are not to provoke their children to anger, but to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
It balances authority with nurturing responsibility.
A quiet block diagram: each row is one authored paragraph movement, with verse numbers kept visible for scanning and deeper work.
- vv. 1-4
Paul tells children to obey their parents in the Lord because this is right, and he joins this obedience to the command to honor father and mother, which carries a promise of well-being. Fathers, in turn, are not to provoke their children, but to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
The paragraph gives both children and fathers their charge inside the Lord's order.