EPH 6:20 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). 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 to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) that’s led me as a missionary to now be in prison. Ask that I would speak boldly as I should.

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT (for which I am an ambassador in chains), so that in it I may speak boldly, as it is necessary for me to speak.

UST It is because I have been telling people about the Messiah that I am now representing him here in prison. Pray that as I continue to tell others about the Messiah, I may speak boldly because that is how I ought to speak.

BLB for which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may be bold, as it behooves me to speak.

AICNT for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

OEB on behalf of which I am an ambassador – in chains! Pray that, in telling it, I may speak fearlessly as I ought.

WEBBE for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak.

LSV for which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may speak freely—as it is necessary for me to speak.

FBV I'm an imprisoned ambassador for the sake of the good news, so please pray that I will speak fearlessly, as I should.

TCNT for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I should.

T4T I am ◄a representative of Christ/one who speaks on behalf of Christ► as I tell this message to others, and I am in prison [MTY] because of that. Pray that when I tell others about Christ, I may speak without being afraid, because that is how I ought to speak.

LEB for the sake of which I am an ambassador in chains, that _⌊in them_⌋[fn] I may speak freely, as it is necessary for me to speak.

6:20 Literally “in it” since “chain” is singular in the Greek text

BBE For which I am a representative in chains, and that I may say without fear the things which it is right for me to say.

Moff for the sake of which I am in custody as its envoy. Pray that I may have freedom to declare it as I should.

Wymth to spread which I am an ambassador in chains—so that when telling them I may speak out boldly as I ought.

ASV for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

DRA For which I am an ambassador in a chain, so that therein I may be bold to speak according as I ought.

YLT for which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may speak freely — as it behoveth me to speak.

Drby for which I am an ambassador [bound] with a chain, that I may be bold in it as I ought to speak.

RV for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

SLT For which I am an ambassador in perplexity: that in it I might speak freely, as I ought to speak.

Wbstr For which I am an embassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

KJB-1769 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

KJB-1611 For which I am an ambassador [fn]in bonds, that [fn]therein I may speake boldly, as I ought to speake.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

6:20 Or, in a chaine.

6:20 Or, thereof.

Bshps Whereof I am messenger in bondes, that therein I may speake freely, as I ought to speake.
(Whereof I am messenger in bonds, that therein I may speak freely, as I ought to speak.)

Gnva Whereof I am the ambassadour in bonds, that therein I may speake boldely, as I ought to speake.
(Whereof I am the ambassador in bonds, that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. )

Cvdl wherof I am a messaunger in bondes, that I maye speake therin frely, as it becommeth me to speake.
(whereof I am a messaunger in bonds, that I may speak therein freely, as it becometh/becomes me to speak.)

TNT whereof I am a messenger in bondes that therin I maye speake frely as it becommeth me to speake.
(whereof I am a messenger in bonds that therein I may speak freely as it becometh/becomes me to speak. )

Wycl for which Y am set in message in a chayne; so that in it Y be hardi to speke, as it bihoueth me.
(for which I am set in message in a chayne; so that in it I be hardi to speak, as it behoves me.)

Luth welches Bote ich bin in der Kette, auf daß ich darinnen freudig handeln möge und reden, wie sich‘s gebührt.
(which Bote I am in the/of_the Kette, on/in/to that I therein freudig act/trade(v) may and talk, as/like itself deserves.)

ClVg pro quo legatione fungor in catena, ita ut in ipso audeam, prout oportet me loqui.
(for where legatione fungor in/into/on catena, so/thus as in/into/on himself audeam, as it_is_necessary me to_speak. )

UGNT ὑπὲρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι, ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι.
(huper hou presbeuō en halusei, hina en autōi parraʸsiasōmai, hōs dei me lalaʸsai.)

SBL-GNT ὑπὲρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι.
(huper hou presbeuō en halusei, hina en autōi parraʸsiasōmai hōs dei me lalaʸsai.)

RP-GNT ὑπὲρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι, ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι.
(huper hou presbeuō en halusei, hina en autōi parraʸsiasōmai, hōs dei me lalaʸsai.)

TC-GNT ὑπὲρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι, ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι.
(huper hou presbeuō en halusei, hina en autōi parraʸsiasōmai, hōs dei me lalaʸsai. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:10–20: Paul told believers how to fight against Satan

In this section, Paul compared the Christian to a soldier fighting in a war. The Christian’s enemies are not human, but supernatural. Christians are fighting against the devil and all the powers of evil, and they must use all the weapons that God gives them. Paul described six pieces of equipment that the Roman soldier of that time used (see the picture below), and he compared each one to something spiritual that will help Christians to overcome Satan. Then Paul also reminded Christians to pray at all times. He told them to pray for their fellow believers and to pray for him so that he would be able to proclaim the gospel without fear.

Here are some other examples for a heading for this section:

Wear the full armour of God (NCV)

Put on all the armour that God supplies (GW)

Christians should prepare and fight against evil spiritual forces

Paragraph 6:14–20

In this paragraph, Paul used six metaphors to describe the way a Christian should prepare himself to fight against Satan. Paul based these metaphors on the armor a Roman soldier wore. The specific pieces of armor are:

belt (6:14b)
breastplate (6:14c)
shoes (6:15)
shield (6:16b–c)
helmet (6:17a)
sword (6:17b)

In many places in the world, people do not know what breastplates, helmets, shields and other armor of the Roman soldiers looked like. So you may want to put a picture of a Roman soldier in your Bible translation at this place when it is printed.

6:20a

for which I am an ambassador in chains.

I am a representative of Christ to explain/tell this good news, and that is the reason that people have put me in prison.
Is is for this gospel that I am Christ’s representative even while I am in prison.

for which I am an ambassador: An ambassador is a representative, a spokesman, an important person sent to another country to represent his king or president. In your translation you should make it clear that it is Jesus Christ whom Paul represents. Paul is saying that he is an ambassador of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

I am a spokesman/representative of Jesus Christ, whom he commissioned to proclaim the good news about him

in chains: The phrase in chains is a figure of speech. When Paul was in prison, his hands and feet were sometimes bound with chains. So in chains means “in prison.”

You can translate in chains as:

even though I am in prison

and that is why I am in prison

Here is the connection between Paul being Christ’s ambassador and Paul’s being in prison: Jesus chose Paul to be his ambassador to preach the gospel. But people who hated Jesus wanted to stop Paul from preaching the gospel, so they had Paul arrested. That is why Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter to the Ephesians.

Here are some other ways to translate 6:20a:

I was sent to do this work, and that’s the reason I am in jail (CEV)

I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. (NLT)

6:20b

Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.

So pray to God for me that he will give me courage to preach the good news as I should.
So pray that I will continue to boldly preach God’s message as I ought to do.

Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly: This clause is a summary of Paul’s appeal in 6:19. It is repeated to emphasize what he said in 6:19. Translate it in a way that keeps this emphasis.

it: The word it refers to “the mystery of the gospel” in 6:19b.

fearlessly: The word that the BSB translates as fearlessly is similar to the word that the BSB translated as “boldly” in 6:19b. See how you translated that word there.

as I should: In referring to himself as Christ’s ambassador, Paul felt it was his duty to boldly represent Christ. That is, boldly tell others the “good news.”

Here are some other ways to translate the phrase as I should:

as I have to (GW)

as I ought to speak (RSV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ὑπὲρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὑπέρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι ὡς δεῖ μέ λαλῆσαι)

The phrase in chains is a metonym for being in prison. Alternate translation: [because of which I am now in prison]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι, ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι

in_order_that in it ˱I˲_˓may˒_speak_boldly as ˱it˲_˓is˒_fitting (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὑπέρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι ὡς δεῖ μέ λαλῆσαι)

The word “pray” is understood from verse 18. Alternate translation: [pray that whenever I teach the gospel, I will speak it as boldly as I should] or [pray that I may speak the gospel as boldly as I should]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

ἵνα

in_order_that

The connecting phrase so that introduces a goal relationship. The goal or purpose of the believers praying for Paul is to enable him to preach the gospel boldly even though he is in chains.

Note 4 topic: writing-pronouns

ἐν αὐτῷ

in in it

Here, it refers back to the “message” in verse 19 that Paul wants to speak. If it would be helpful in your language, you could repeat the word “message” here. Alternate translation: [in my message]

Parallel EPH 6:20

Section 6:10–20: Paul told believers how to fight against Satan

Paragraph 6:14–20

6:20a

6:20b