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OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB BLB AICNT OEB WEBBE WMBB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE Moff JPS Wymth ASV DRA YLT Drby RV Wbstr KJB-1769 KJB-1611 Bshps Gnva Cvdl TNT Wycl SR-GNT UHB BrLXX BrTr Related Topics Parallel Interlinear Reference Dictionary Search
parallelVerse INT GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1SA 2SA PSA AMOS HOS 1KI 2KI 1CH 2CH PRO ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL YHN MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC GAL 1TH 2TH 1COR 2COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1TIM TIT 1PET 2PET 2TIM HEB YUD 1YHN 2YHN 3YHN REV
Eph 6 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV) Our struggle isn’t against people, but against rulers, authorities, the powers of this world’s darkness, and the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places.
OET-LV Because is not to_us the wrestling against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world_rulers of_ the this _darkness, against the spiritual of_ the _wickedness in the heavenly realms.
SR-GNT Ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχάς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις. ‡
(Hoti ouk estin haʸmin haʸ palaʸ pros haima kai sarka, alla pros tas arⱪas, pros tas exousias, pros tous kosmokratoras tou skotous toutou, pros ta pneumatika taʸs ponaʸrias en tois epouraniois.)
Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULT For our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-controllers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
UST Remember that we are not fighting against other human beings. Instead, we are fighting against the demons who have authority to rule over the people doing evil things in this evil time, that is, against the evil spirits who live in the air.
BSB For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
BLB because to us the wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
AICNT For our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of {this darkness},[fn] against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
6:12, this darkness: Later manuscripts read “the darkness of the age.” BYZ TR
OEB For ours is no struggle against enemies of flesh and blood, but against all the various powers of evil that hold sway in the darkness around us, against the spirits of wickedness on high.
CSB For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
NLT For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
NIV For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
CEV We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.
ESV For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
NASB For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
LSB For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
WEBBE For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
WMBB (Same as above)
MSG (10-12)And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
NET For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.
LSV because our wrestling is not with flesh and blood, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual [forces] of evil in the heavenly [places];
FBV We're not fighting against human forces, but against supernatural rulers and powers, the dark lords of this world, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.
TCNT For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of [fn]the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
6:12 the darkness of this age 96.9% ¦ this darkness CT 3%
T4T You must do this because the fighting that we believers do is not only against human beings [SYN]. Instead, we are also fighting against evil spirits who rule and have authority over all that is evil [MET] in the world. And we are fighting against evil spirits who are in heavenly places (OR, everywhere).
LEB because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
NRSV For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
NKJV For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
NAB For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.
BBE For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against authorities and powers, against the world-rulers of this dark night, against the spirits of evil in the heavens.
Moff No Moff EPH book available
Wymth For ours is not a conflict with mere flesh and blood, but with the despotisms, the empires, the forces that control and govern this dark world—the spiritual hosts of evil arrayed against us in the heavenly warfare.
ASV For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
DRA For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.
YLT because we have not the wrestling with blood and flesh, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual things of the evil in the heavenly places;
Drby because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against principalities, against authorities, against the universal lords of this darkness, against spiritual [power] of wickedness in the heavenlies.
RV For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Wbstr For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places .
KJB-1769 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
KJB-1611 [fn][fn]For wee wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darknes of this world, against spirituall wickednes in high places.
(For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darknes of this world, against spirituall wickedness in high places.)
Bshps For we wrastle not agaynst blood & flesshe: but agaynst rule, agaynst power, agaynst worldly gouernours of the darknesse of this worlde, agaynst spirituall craftynesse in heauenly places.
(For we wrastle not against blood and flesh: but against rule, against power, against worldly governors of the darkness of this world, against spirituall craftynesse in heavenly places.)
Gnva For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and against the worldly gouernours, the princes of the darkenesse of this worlde, against spirituall wickednesses, which are in ye hie places.
(For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and against the worldly governors, the princes of the darkness of this world, against spirituall wickednesss, which are in ye/you_all high places. )
Cvdl For we wrestle not agaynst flesh and bloude, but agaynst rule, agaynst power namely, agaynst the rulers of the worlde, of the darknesse of this worlde, agaynst ye spretes of wickednes vnder the heauen.
(For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against rule, against power namely, against the rulers of the world, of the darkness of this world, against ye/you_all spirits of wickedness under the heaven.)
TNT For we wrestle not agaynst flesshe and bloud: but agaynst rule agaynst power and agaynst worldy rulars of the darckenes of this worlde agaynst spretuall wickednes for hevenly thinges.
(For we wrestle not against flesh and blood: but against rule against power and against worldy rulers of the darckenes of this world against spretuall wickedness for heavenly things. )
Wycl For whi stryuyng is not to vs ayens fleisch and blood, but ayens princis and potestatis, ayens gouernours of the world of these derknessis, ayens spiritual thingis of wickidnesse, in heuenli thingis.
(For why striving is not to us against flesh and blood, but against princes and potestatis, against governors of the world of these darkness, against spiritual things of wickednesse, in heavenly things.)
Luth Denn wir haben nicht mit Fleisch und Blut zu kämpfen, sondern mit Fürsten und Gewaltigen, nämlich mit den Herren der Welt, die in der Finsternis dieser Welt herrschen, mit den bösen Geistern unter dem Himmel.
(Because we/us have not with flesh and blood to kämpfen, rather with prince(s) and Gewaltigen, namely with the Lorden the/of_the world, the in the/of_the darkness dieser world herrschen, with the evil spirits under to_him heaven.)
ClVg quoniam non est nobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem, sed adversus principes, et potestates, adversus mundi rectores tenebrarum harum, contra spiritualia nequitiæ, in cælestibus.[fn]
(quoniam not/no it_is us colluctatio adversus carnem and sanguinem, but adversus principes, and potestates, adversus mundi rectores tenebrarum harum, on_the_contrary spiritualia nequitiæ, in cælestibus. )
6.12 Mundi rectores. Non ideo sic appellantur, quia regunt mundum, qui constat ex cœlo et terra; sed mundum peccatores dicit, de quo Joannes: Et mundus eum non cognovit Joan. 1.. Talem mundum illi regunt, contra quos habemus perpetuas inimicitias: quia et quod patimur homines importunos, illi faciunt. Instigant enim et inflammant illos et tanquam vasa sua movent, et velut organa tangunt. Contra illos habemus occultam luctam, ad quam nos armat Apostolus. Tenebrarum. Ne putentur dæmones hunc visibilem mundum regere, subdit quid nomine mundi intellexerit: Tenebrarum harum, id est peccatorum; quasi: Non dominantur dæmones mundo qui constat cœlo et terra, sed peccatoribus. Contra spiritalia. Quasi: Timendi hostes quia spiritales et invisibiles, et quia nequam: et non pro parva re, sed pro cœlesti hæreditate tollenda pugnant. Ut cœlestia dicit virtutes, in quibus pugnam dæmonum patimur, vel spiritus nequam sunt in cœlestibus, id est in hoc inferiori ære. Ipsi enim quasi equites pugnant in equis hominibus. Equites ergo occidamus, equos possideamus.
6.12 Mundi rectores. Non ideo so appellantur, because regunt the_world, who constat from cœlo and terra; but the_world peccatores dicit, about quo Yoannes: And mundus him not/no he_knew Yoan. 1.. Talem the_world illi regunt, on_the_contrary which habemus perpetuas inimicitias: because and that patimur homines importunos, illi faciunt. Instigant because and inflammant those and tanquam vasa his_own movent, and velut organa tangunt. Contra those habemus occultam luctam, to how we armat Apostolus. Tenebrarum. Ne putentur dæmones this_one visibilem the_world regere, subdit quid nomine mundi intellexerit: Tenebrarum harum, id it_is sinners; quasi: Non dominantur dæmones mundo who constat cœlo and terra, but peccatoribus. Contra spiritalia. Quasi: Timendi hostes because spiritales and invisibiles, and because nequam: and not/no for parva re, but for cœlesti hæreditate tollenda pugnant. Ut cœlestia dicit virtutes, in to_whom pugnam dæmonum patimur, or spiritus nequam are in cœlestibus, id it_is in this inferiori ære. Ipsi because as_if equites pugnant in ewho/any hominibus. Equites therefore occidamus, ewhich possideamus.
UGNT ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχάς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις.
(hoti ouk estin haʸmin haʸ palaʸ pros haima kai sarka, alla pros tas arⱪas, pros tas exousias, pros tous kosmokratoras tou skotous toutou, pros ta pneumatika taʸs ponaʸrias en tois epouraniois.)
SBL-GNT ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχάς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ ⸀σκότους τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις.
(hoti ouk estin haʸmin haʸ palaʸ pros haima kai sarka, alla pros tas arⱪas, pros tas exousias, pros tous kosmokratoras tou ⸀skotous toutou, pros ta pneumatika taʸs ponaʸrias en tois epouraniois.)
TC-GNT Ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχάς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους [fn]τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις.
(Hoti ouk estin haʸmin haʸ palaʸ pros haima kai sarka, alla pros tas arⱪas, pros tas exousias, pros tous kosmokratoras tou skotous tou aiōnos toutou, pros ta pneumatika taʸs ponaʸrias en tois epouraniois. )
6:12 του αιωνος 96.9% ¦ — CT 3%
Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).
6:12 Believers should not consider human beings to be their enemies. Instead, the opposition they face comes from the unseen world of spiritual evil, and Christ has authority over that realm (see 1:21-22).
Overcoming the Devil
The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8).
The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil can blind the minds of unbelievers (see 2 Cor 4:4; cp. Matt 13:19). While Satan opposes God and seeks to destroy his people (Rev 12:12, 17), Jesus came to destroy Satan’s work (1 Jn 3:8). God turns what the devil intends for evil into good. Following this principle, Paul instructs the church at Corinth to expel someone from Christian fellowship in order that, by being exposed to the devil’s destructive power, that person might repent and be saved (see 1 Cor 5:5).
Christians are to stand firm and resist the devil (Jas 4:7), praying for God’s deliverance (Matt 6:13) and availing themselves of the armor that God provides for their defense (Eph 6:10-20). Those who yield to Satan’s influence suffer the consequences (see Acts 5:1-5). But believers who walk with Christ are secure because they know that the cross has broken the devil’s power (see Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Pet 3:22) and that the Lord protects them (see 1 Jn 5:18). They also know that the Holy Spirit within them is greater than the devil (see 1 Jn 4:4). By the word of God, they can overcome the evil one (see 1 Jn 2:14; cp. Rev 12:11).
Although believers need to be wary of the devil and protect themselves from his power, they need not live in fear. The power of the devil is no match for the power of God. And in the end, the devil will be ultimately and totally defeated (see Rev 20:7-10).
Passages for Further Study
Matt 6:13; 13:19; Acts 5:3-5; Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 5:5; 15:24; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 4:27; 6:10-20; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Thes 2:18; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 3:22; 5:8; 1 Jn 2:14; 3:8; 4:4; 5:18-19; Rev 2:10; 12:7-9, 11-12, 17
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
ὅτι
because
The connecting word For introduces the reason of a reason-result relationship. The reason is that we are in a struggle against spiritual forces of darkness. The result is that we should put on the whole armor of God. Use a phrase in your language that connects a reason to a result.
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche
αἷμα καὶ σάρκα
blood and flesh
This expression refers to people, not to spirits who do not have human bodies. Alternate translation: [human beings]
Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast
ἀλλὰ
but
The connecting word but introduces a contrast relationship. People made of flesh and blood are in contrast to spiritual forces.
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας
against against against against the world_rulers
Here it is implied that the world-controllers refers to powerful spiritual beings. Alternate translation: [against the powerful spiritual beings that rule over people]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τοῦ σκότους τούτου
¬the ˱of˲_darkness this
Here, darkness is a metaphor for things that are evil. Alternate translation: [during this present evil time]