independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
Children and fathers 6:1–4
1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord,independent — the second pair of the household code — obedience 'in the Lord'
for this is right.cause — γάρ — the plain moral ground
2
"Honor your father and mother" —content — Exod 20:12 / Deut 5:16 — the Decalogue cited as warrant for the command
which is the first commandment with a promise —relative — qualitative ἥτις — the first commandment carrying a promise
3
"that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth."purpose — the promise quoted (Deut 5:16) — the land widened to 'the earth'
4
And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger,independent — the reciprocal address — μή + present: no pattern of embittering
but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.independent — the positive counterpart — nurture whose standard is the Lord's
Slaves and masters 6:5–9
vv. 5–8 — slaves: the obedience re-keyed to Christ
5
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart,independent — the third pair, the longest — the imperative of v. 1 re-keyed to κατὰ σάρκα masters
as to Christ —comparative — the transposition — the true recipient of the service
6
not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers,phrase modifier — the manner denied — ὀφθαλμοδουλία, work done only under the eye
but as slaves of Christ,comparative — the true identity — the social slaves are Christ's slaves
doing the will of God from the soul,participial — the identity unfolded — servile labor as God's will, wholehearted
7
serving with goodwill,participial — parallel to ποιοῦντες — eager, not grudging, service
as to the Lord and not to people,comparative — the referent behind the master — the Lord, not men
8
knowing that each one —participial — causal — the ground of the service; ἕκαστος fronted, suspended over the condition
if he does any good,conditional — protasis — indefinite, leaning on the apodosis below
this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.content — the apodosis — the Lord repays, without regard to status
v. 9 — masters: the same things, under the same Master
9
And masters, do the same toward them,independent — the reciprocal command — τὰ αὐτά: the same goodwill in reverse
giving up threatening,participial — manner — the master's characteristic weapon dropped
knowingparticipial — causal — the same grounding participle as v. 8
that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven,content — the leveler — one κύριος over slave and slaveholder alike
and there is no partiality with him.content — the impartiality — no 'face-receiving' with him (cf. Rom 2:11)
Be strong — the whole armor of God 6:10–20
vv. 10–13 — the summons: be empowered, arm, stand
10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the might of his strength.independent — Τοῦ λοιποῦ — the peroration; passive: strength received, not self-made
11
Put on the full armor of God,independent — the aorist arming — God's own panoply (Isa 59:17)
so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil;purpose — πρὸς τό + infinitive — the aim: to stand against the μεθοδεῖαι
12
for our struggle is not against blood and flesh,cause — why armor — the wrestling (ἡ πάλη) is not with humans
but against the rulers,phrase modifier — the enemy named — rulers
against the authorities,phrase modifier — — authorities (the powers of 1:21; 3:10)
against the cosmic powers of this darkness,phrase modifier — — the world-rulers (κοσμοκράτορες) of this darkness
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.phrase modifier — — spiritual forces of evil, in the heavenlies themselves
13
Therefore take up the full armor of God,independent — διὰ τοῦτο — the command re-issued in view of v. 12
so that you may be able to withstand in the evil day,purpose — the aim — resistance when the evil day comes
and, having accomplished everything, to stand.purpose — the goal crowned — having worked all through, to stand
vv. 14–17 — the panoply: the pieces hang from a two-word στῆτε
14
Stand therefore,independent — the keynote imperative — the fourth 'stand' of the passage
having girded your waist with truth,participial — piece 1 — the belt of truth (Isa 11:5)
and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,participial — piece 2 — the breastplate (Isa 59:17)
15
and having shod your feet with the readiness of the gospel of peace,participial — piece 3 — feet shod with gospel readiness (Isa 52:7)
16
in all circumstances taking up the shield of faith,participial — piece 4 — the great door-shield (θυρεός) of faith
with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;relative — on τὸν θυρεόν — the fire-darts quenched
17
and receive the helmet of salvation,independent — coordinate finite — the participle chain issues in a fresh imperative: piece 5, the helmet (Isa 59:17)
and the sword of the Spirit,phrase modifier — second object of δέξασθε — piece 6, the short sword the Spirit supplies
which is the word of God;relative — neuter ὅ, attracted to ῥῆμα — read on τὴν μάχαιραν: the sword is God's spoken word (some: on πνεύματος)
vv. 18–20 — the armor worn praying: all prayer, and for the ambassador in chains
18
praying at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication,participial — on στῆτε — the stand is maintained by prayer (πᾶς four times in v. 18)
and to this end keeping alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,participial — on στῆτε — wakefulness in petition for all the saints
19
and for me,phrase modifier — the supplication extended — prayer asked for the author himself
that utterance may be given to me when I open my mouth,purpose — the petition — λόγος given at the opening of the mouth
to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,purpose — epexegetic infinitive — the utterance's aim: the mystery, boldly
20
for which I am an ambassador in chains,relative — on τὸ μυστήριον — its ambassador, in a chain: πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει
that in it I may speak boldly,purpose — the second petition — boldness in the very proclamation
as I ought to speak.comparative — the measure — as the commission requires
The commission of Tychicus 6:21–22
21
But that you also may know how I am —purpose — fronted purpose — leans on the main clause below
what I am doing,content — indirect question — expanding τὰ κατ' ἐμέ
Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you,independent — the main clause — the letter-carrier commended (cf. Col 4:7)
22
whom I have sent to you for this very purpose,relative — epistolary aorist ἔπεμψα — sent with the letter itself
that you may know how we are,purpose — purpose 1 — your knowledge of our affairs
and that he may encourage your hearts.purpose — purpose 2 — your hearts encouraged (subject shifts to Tychicus)
The double benediction 6:23–24
23
Peace to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.independent — verbless — peace, and love joined to faith, invoked from Father and Lord
24
Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.independent — verbless — ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ read with the loving: love incorruptible (some: 'in immortality')
Analysis. The chapter falls into three textures. Verses 1–9 are the household code: short flush-left purple imperatives in address-pairs — children/fathers, slaves/masters — each command trailed by its motive (a red γάρ line, the blue Decalogue citation with its promise, the teal 'knowing' participles of recompense and impartiality). In vv. 5–7 the two ὡς-lines (rose) keep re-aiming the slave's obedience past the human master to Christ, and the manner participles are hung from δοῦλοι Χριστοῦ — the service unfolds the new identity. Verses 10–20 invert the shape: three aorist imperatives sit at the margin (ἐνδύσασθε, ἀναλάβετε, then the two-word στῆτε οὖν), and everything else hangs. Under ἐνδύσασθε the ὅτι-line names the real enemy, and the four verbless πρός-phrases stack in one grey column beneath ἡ πάλη — the roll-call of powers. From bare στῆτε οὖν the whole panoply descends as one teal column of aorist participles (belt, breastplate, shoes, shield), the helmet-and-sword line riding along as a coordinate finite (δέξασθε), and then the praying participles of v. 18 — read on στῆτε, not on δέξασθε and not as free imperatives: the stand is maintained by prayer. From the second of these the request for Paul steps down seven levels to ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι, passing through the letter's sharpest irony, πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει — an ambassador in a chain. Verses 21–24 close the letter: the Tychicus commission (with a fronted ἵνα leaning forward on its main clause, and an epistolary aorist ἔπεμψα) and the two verbless benedictions, dashed and flush-left. Cruxes the layout takes a side on: v. 12's ὅτι grounds the arming command itself; the neuter ὅ of v. 17 is read on τὴν μάχαιραν (attracted to ῥῆμα) rather than on πνεύματος; and ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ (v. 24) is read with the loving — love incorruptible — rather than as a separate 'in immortality.'