Ephesians 6

Translator Notes

1. The verb hypakouete ('obey, listen to, respond to') is stronger than hypotassō ('submit'): children are to obey, not merely defer. The phrase en kyriō ('in the Lord') qualifies the obedience — it is rendered within the context of the Lord's authority, not unconditionally. The word dikaion ('right, just') appeals to a universal moral principle recognized across cultures.

Translator Notes

1. Paul quotes the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). The designation 'first commandment with a promise' (entolē prōtē en epangelia) is debated — the second commandment also contains a promise of sorts. Paul may mean 'first' in sequence among the commandments that regulate human relationships, or 'first in importance.' The verb tima ('honor') encompasses more than obedience — it includes respect, care, and financial support in old age.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Exodus 20:12. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Deuteronomy 5:16. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. The promise is twofold: eu soi genētai ('it may go well with you') and esē makrochronios epi tēs gēs ('you may be long-lived on the earth'). The original Deuteronomy text refers to 'the land' (the promised land of Israel). Paul universalizes it to 'the earth' (tēs gēs), applying the promise to all believers regardless of geography.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Exodus 20:12 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. The counter-instruction to fathers (pateres, which could include both parents) limits parental authority: mē parorgizete ('do not provoke to anger, do not exasperate'). Harsh, arbitrary, or demeaning treatment drives children to frustration and resentment. The positive instruction: ektrephete ('bring up, nourish, raise to maturity') en paideia kai nouthesia kyriou ('in the discipline and instruction of the Lord'). Paideia ('discipline, training, education') and nouthesia ('instruction, admonition, correction') together cover the full range of child-rearing — the Lord's standards, not the parents' whims, set the curriculum.

Translator Notes

1. The word douloi ('slaves') refers to actual enslaved persons, not employees. The qualifying phrase kata sarka ('according to the flesh') relativizes the master's authority — they are masters only in the physical realm, not spiritually. The phrase meta phobou kai tromou ('with fear and trembling') is the same phrase Paul uses for approaching God's work (Philippians 2:12) — it suggests conscientious seriousness, not cringing terror. The phrase en haplotēti tēs kardias ('in sincerity of heart') means without duplicity.

Translator Notes

1. The compound ophthalmodouleian ('eye-service, working only when watched') may be a Pauline coinage. The contrast: anthrōpareskoi ('people-pleasers') versus douloi Christou ('slaves of Christ'). The true master is Christ, and his 'eye' is always present. The phrase ek psychēs ('from the soul, from the heart') demands interior motivation, not merely external compliance.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase met' eunoias ('with good will, with genuine enthusiasm') transforms compulsory labor into willing service. The phrase hōs tō kyriō kai ouk anthrōpois ('as to the Lord and not to people') reframes the entire master-slave relationship: every act of service, however menial, is rendered to Christ. This does not endorse slavery but radically transforms the slave's experience of it.

Translator Notes

1. The verb komisetai ('will receive back, will be repaid') promises divine recompense for all good work. The equalizer eite doulos eite eleutheros ('whether slave or free') demolishes the social distinction before the Lord's judgment seat: at the final accounting, social status is irrelevant. The Lord evaluates and rewards the substance of the work, not the status of the worker.

Translator Notes

1. The command to masters is revolutionary for its context: ta auta poieite pros autous ('do the same things toward them') — treat slaves with the same good will and sincerity required of slaves. The imperative anientes tēn apeilēn ('stop the threatening') uses the present participle suggesting an ongoing practice that must cease. The theological grounding is devastating to the institution: kai autōn kai hymōn ho kyrios estin en ouranois ('both their Lord and yours is in heaven'). Master and slave share the same Master. The word prosōpolēmpsia ('favoritism, partiality, respect of persons') literally means 'face-taking' — the heavenly Master does not judge by social face.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase tou loipou ('finally, henceforth') signals the letter's closing section. The passive imperative endynamousthe ('be empowered, be made strong') indicates that the strength is not the believer's own but is received from outside — en kyriō ('in the Lord'). The phrase en tō kratei tēs ischyos autou ('in the strength of his might') reuses two of the four power-words from 1:19, connecting the armor passage to the resurrection-power prayer. The same divine power that raised Christ is now the believer's equipment for spiritual battle.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The word panoplian ('full armor, complete equipment') is a military term for the complete outfit of a heavily armed soldier — not piecemeal protection but comprehensive equipment. It is tou theou ('of God') — God's own armor, not human manufacture. The purpose is stēnai ('to stand, to hold your ground'). The enemy's strategy is methodeias ('schemes, stratagems, cunning tactics') — the devil attacks through deception, not merely through force. The word methodeias (from methodos, 'a following after, a pursuit') suggests systematic, calculated attack plans.

Translator Notes

1. The word palē ('wrestling, struggle') denotes hand-to-hand combat. The fourfold repetition of pros ('against') identifies the real enemies: (1) archas ('rulers, principalities'), (2) exousias ('authorities'), (3) kosmokratoras tou skotous toutou ('world-rulers of this darkness' — kosmokratōr is a title used for powerful gods and emperors), (4) pneumatika tēs ponērias en tois epouraniois ('spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places'). The phrase 'flesh and blood' (haima kai sarka — note the reversed order) means other human beings. The real enemy is never the person in front of you but the spiritual forces behind them.

Translator Notes

1. The imperative analabete ('take up, pick up') pictures a soldier reaching for weapons laid out before him. The phrase en tē hēmera tē ponēra ('in the evil day') could mean the final eschatological battle, a particularly intense season of testing, or any day of spiritual conflict. The goal is twice stated: antistēnai ('to resist, to withstand') and stēnai ('to stand'). The phrase hapanta katergasamenoi ('having accomplished everything, having done all') means after exhausting every effort — when the battle is over, still standing.

Translator Notes

1. The first two pieces: (1) The belt (perizōsamenoi tēn osphyn, 'having girded the waist') of truth (en alētheia). The Roman soldier's belt held the tunic in place for movement and supported the scabbard — everything depended on it. Truth (both doctrinal integrity and personal honesty) is the foundation that holds all else together. (2) The breastplate (thōraka) of righteousness (tēs dikaiosynēs). The breastplate protected vital organs. Righteousness — both the imputed righteousness of Christ and the lived righteousness of the believer — protects the heart. This draws on Isaiah 59:17 where God puts on righteousness as a breastplate.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Isaiah 59:17. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. The third piece: military sandals (caligae) that gave soldiers sure footing on any terrain. The word hetoimasia ('readiness, preparation, firm footing') suggests either readiness to proclaim the gospel or the firm footing that the gospel provides. The phrase tou euangeliou tēs eirēnēs ('of the gospel of peace') is striking in a military context — the soldier's weapon is a message of peace. This echoes Isaiah 52:7 ('How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of peace').
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Isaiah 52:7 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. The fourth piece: the thyreon ('large shield, door-shaped shield') — the Roman scutum, a full-body shield that could be interlocked with others to form a wall. Faith as shield provides comprehensive protection. The phrase ta belē tou ponērou ta pepyrōmena ('the flaming arrows/missiles of the evil one') refers to arrows dipped in pitch and ignited — designed to set targets on fire. The verb sbesai ('to extinguish, to quench') suggests the shield soaks the fire-arrows, absorbing their destructive power.

Translator Notes

1. The fifth piece: the helmet (perikephalaian) of salvation (tou sōtēriou). The helmet protects the head — salvation guards the mind. This echoes Isaiah 59:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:8. The sixth piece: the sword (machairan) of the Spirit (tou pneumatos) — the only offensive weapon. It is identified as rhēma theou ('the word of God'). The word rhēma (a specific spoken word) rather than logos (the broader concept of word/message) may emphasize the specific, situational application of Scripture — the right word at the right moment, wielded by the Spirit's guidance.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Isaiah 59:17. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. Prayer is not a seventh piece of armor but the atmosphere in which the armor functions — the breath of the warrior. Four 'all' words emphasize comprehensiveness: dia pasēs proseuchēs ('with every prayer'), en panti kairō ('at every opportunity'), en pasē proskarterēsei ('with all perseverance'), peri pantōn tōn hagiōn ('for all the saints'). The phrase en pneumati ('in the Spirit') indicates Spirit-empowered prayer. The verb agrypnountes ('staying alert, keeping watch') is a military term for sentinel duty — spiritual warfare demands constant vigilance.

Translator Notes

1. Paul requests prayer for himself — not for release from prison but for effective proclamation. The passive dothē logos ('words may be given') attributes effective speech to divine gift. The phrase en parrēsia ('with boldness, with freedom of speech') echoes 3:12. The content is to mystērion tou euangeliou ('the mystery of the gospel') — the full truth about Christ's universal reconciliation, the letter's central theme.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase presbeuō en halysei ('I am an ambassador in chains') is magnificently ironic. An ambassador (presbeuō) carries the authority and dignity of the sovereign who sent him; a prisoner (en halysei, 'in a chain') has no authority or dignity. Paul is both — a royal envoy in shackles. The phrase hōs dei me lalēsai ('as it is necessary for me to speak, as I ought to speak') indicates that bold proclamation is not optional but obligatory.

Translator Notes

1. Tychicus is described as agapētos adelphos ('beloved brother') and pistos diakonos ('faithful servant/minister'). He serves as the letter carrier and Paul's personal representative. The nearly identical wording in Colossians 4:7 suggests these letters were sent together. Tychicus would supplement the letter with firsthand reports about Paul's situation.

Translator Notes

1. The dual purpose: (1) information about Paul (hina gnōte ta peri hēmōn, 'so that you may know about us'), and (2) encouragement (parakalesē tas kardias hymōn, 'that he may encourage your hearts'). The verb parakaleō here carries its comforting, encouraging sense — the Ephesians may have been anxious about Paul's imprisonment.

Translator Notes

1. The benediction is unusual in its third-person form ('peace to the brothers') rather than the typical second-person ('peace to you'). This may support the circular-letter theory — the blessing addresses a wider audience. The triad eirēnē ('peace'), agapē ('love'), and pistis ('faith') summarizes the letter's major themes. The source is double: apo theou patros kai kyriou Iēsou Christou ('from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ').

Translator Notes

1. The final word is en aphtharsia ('in incorruptibility, with an imperishable love'). The word aphtharia is typically used for immortality or imperishability (1 Corinthians 15:42, 50, 53-54). Applied to love for Christ, it describes a love that does not decay, fade, or end. The letter that began with grace (1:2) ends with grace — the alpha and omega of the Christian life.