“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord — the paternal duty: pateres, mē parorgizō ('fathers, do not provoke to anger') ta tekna hymōn ('your children'), instead ektrephō ('bring up,' 'nourish') en paideia ('in training,' discipline) kai nouthesia ('and instruction,' correction) kyriou ('of the Lord'), a corrective balance.
Church Fathers on Ephesians 6:4
“And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but nurture them up in the chastening and admonition of the Lord.” He does not say, “love them,” because to this nature draws them even against their own will, and it were superfluous to lay down a law on such subjects. But what does he say? “Provoke not your children to wrath,” as many do by disinheriting them, and disowning them, and treating them overbearingly, not as free, but as slaves. This is why he says, “Provoke…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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