Verse 7 in Greek follows without a break from verse 6: “of which (that is, the gospel) I became a servant.” Good News Translation (also Revised Standard Version, Translator’s New Testament, New International Version) has begun not only a new sentence but also a new paragraph, since in the following verses the writer expounds on his own role in proclaiming God’s secret plan.

The language of this verse resembles Colossians 1.23 It is of this gospel that I, Paul, became a servant and Colossians 1.25 I have been made a servant of the church by God.

The word servant usually describes a relationship with a person or with God, or with an organization such as the church; rarely is it used, as here, with an impersonal object, servant of the gospel (compare 2 Cor 3.6 “servants of the new covenant”; Gal 2.17 “servant of sin”; 1 Peter 1.21 the prophets “were serving” the news about the Messiah’s suffering and glory). Here the writer characterizes his work as that of serving the gospel, meaning that his work was that of proclaiming, spreading, announcing the Good News. The noun “minister” (Phillips, New English Bible) in American English may be misunderstood as a person ordained to an ecclesiastical position. In view of the unusual relationship between servant and gospel, it may be necessary to make it specific by saying “my work has been to announce this gospel” or perhaps “my task as a servant of Christ has been to proclaim this Good News.”

“According to the gift of the grace of God”: Good News Translation God’s special gift takes the Greek word for “giving, gift” and the following genitive “of the grace” to mean “gracious gift,” “generous gift”; compare New English Bible “God’s gift, bestowed unmerited on me” (but see Revised Standard Version “according to the gift of God’s grace”); Translator’s New Testament has “By the free gift of his grace”; Caragounis translates “God gave me his grace freely.” But the genitive phrase “of the grace of God” could be in apposition to “the gift,” as follows: “by the free gift, that is, the grace of God which was given me.”

It may be difficult in some languages to use a passive expression I was made a servant and to indicate the means as by God’s special gift. Basically, it is God who makes Paul a servant of the gospel, and it is through a gift given by God. This double relationship therefore must be expressed in some instances as “God has made me a servant of the gospel by giving me a special gift.”

Again (as in Eph. 3.2) “which was given me” is in the genitive case, agreeing formally with the genitive “the grace of God,” but in meaning it agrees with the whole phrase “the gift of God’s grace.”

“According to the working of his power” is another clause which incorporates a genitive phrase, “the working of his power”; for both “working” and “power” see 1.19; for a closely similar statement see Colossians 1.29.

It may be, as Caragounis says, that here “working in me” is implicit (as it is explicit in Col 1.29); so Translator’s New Testament.

The second clause of verse 7, namely, which he gave me through the working of his power, has a number of complex relationships. First, it is God who does something for Paul, but this is by means of God’s power which is at work in Paul. It may be possible to approximate the meaning of this statement by translating “he gave me this special gift by giving me his power” or “… by causing his power to be in me.”

This whole clause, “according to the working of his power,” is taken by most to modify the preceding “the grace of God which was given me”; Beare, however, takes it to modify “of which (gospel) I became a servant,” parallel with the immediately preceding clause, “according to the gift of the grace of God.” This is possible and may be preferred to Good News Translation.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The writer here takes up the matter of conversation; he forbids harmful words, literally “every rotten word.” The adjective is used literally of spoiled fish (Matt 13.48) and of rotten fruit (Matt 12.33; Luke 6.43). This means not simply idle talk that is normally neutral, but evil, filthy “foul talk” (Jerusalem Bible), “bad language” (New English Bible). It may be difficult to speak of harmful words, since words themselves do not appear to be harmful in the sense of causing direct physical harm to people. Sometimes, however, one can speak of “words that cause trouble” or even “words that are only bad.”

What follows in Greek is literally “but if (there is) any good (word) for building up of need.” This good language is the kind that builds up; it is helpful, constructive, beneficial. Helpful words may be “words that do good for people.” In some cases, however, one cannot use a term which specifies merely isolated words. What is meant are statements. The first part of verse 29 may be translated as “Do not say what causes harm but only say what is good for people” or “What you say must not be something which causes something bad but what you say must be that which causes something good.” Then the phrase the kind that build up may be rendered as “that which does good to people” or “that which helps people.”

Provide what is needed is an attempt to give the force of the genitive “of the need” but is not very clear. New International Version “for building others up according to their needs” is better. It means that the language should be appropriate to the occasion (Revised Standard Version “as fits the occasion”). It should meet the needs of those with whom one is speaking, or the need of the occasion, whatever the occasion requires; compare Field’s proposal: “that which is good for the improvement of the occasion.”

Do good translates the Greek “give a grace,” “confer a benefit.” The Greek word for “grace” usually has, as Abbott notes, “a specially spiritual meaning” in the New Testament, and this aspect can be represented here by “bring a blessing” (New English Bible), “will be a blessing” (Goodspeed).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

This verse is parallel to Colossians 3.22. When they are watching you translates the Greek phrase “in eyeservice” (the noun is found only here and in Col 3.22), meaning service performed while being watched by the master, contrasted with genuine service well performed, whether or not the master is watching.

You want to gain their approval translates the Greek compound word “men-pleasers” (Revised Standard Version). It may mean human approval in general, but here it probably has the masters in view, again in contrast with service that is performed in order to please the divine Master. Because you want to gain their approval may be expressed as “because you want them to think that you have done well” or “to say that you have done well.”

With all your heart translates “from the soul” (as in Col 3.23). In some languages an expression such as “doing what God wants with all your heart” may seem very strange, since the “heart” is not related to work or activity. The emphasis is really upon one’s whole being and may be equivalent to “put all you have into doing what God wants” or “with all your strength do what God wants” or “set your mind on doing what God wants.”

The text that follows is literally “but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God.” The writer is saying that it is God’s will that Christian slaves obey their masters; therefore since they, the slaves, are Christ’s slaves, they are bound to obey God’s will. It must be repeated that in the context of this letter the masters, the slave owners, are Christians; nothing is said in this letter about the duties of Christian slaves toward non-Christian masters (for which see 1 Peter 2.18-21).

The phrase as slaves of Christ may often be translated as “since you are slaves of Christ” or “because you are slaves of Christ your owner.” In many languages this clause will have to come earlier in the sentence, “Because you are slaves of Christ, you should do….”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The section begins with an exhortation to the readers to conduct themselves as Christians should. Then serves to connect what follows with what precedes; exhortation follows upon exposition; the imperatives of Christian conduct are based on the indicative of God’s saving presence in Christ. Some languages will say “Because of all this” or “Because of what God has done for you by means of Christ.”

Using language already employed in 3.1, the writer calls himself I who am a prisoner because I serve the Lord, which translates the Greek “I the prisoner in the Lord.” Revised Standard Version, New International Version have “a prisoner for the Lord”; Goodspeed, New English Bible, Translator’s New Testament “a prisoner for the Lord’s sake.” It may be useful to invert the order of the first part of verse 1 as “I, who am now a prisoner because I serve the Lord, urge you….”

I urge (also New International Version, Barclay); Revised Standard Version, Translator’s New Testament “beg”; New English Bible “entreat”; New American Bible “plead”; Jerusalem Bible “implore.” A problem with the discourse often arises because the writer identifies himself as a prisoner in the same sentence in which he urges his readers to lead a life worthy of their calling. This awkwardness comes because it is not possible in many languages to say I urge you without immediately saying what one is urged to do. One possibility would be to insert a dummy, or neutral, object: “Therefore, I urge you to do this thing, I who am a prisoner because I serve the Lord. I urge you to live the life….” Another possibility would be, “For this reason, I who am a prisoner because I serve the Lord, I urge you to live the life….”

Live a life translates the Greek, literally, “to walk” (Revised Standard Version). See 2.2, 10. The Greek text continues: “to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called”; the adverb “worthily” implies a standard, a measure, to which the readers are expected to conform; this measure is “the calling,” the event of salvation seen as an invitation from God and human response to it. See the similar language in Colossians 1.10 “to walk worthily of the Lord”; 1 Thessalonians 2.12 Good News Translation to live the kind of life that pleases God. For the noun “calling” see 1.18; Good News Translation has made explicit that it is God who “calls.”

It is often impossible to speak of “living a life,” but it is frequently possible to say “to live in such a way that….”

That measures up to the standard may be somewhat difficult to render, at least in a more or less literal form. Sometimes the latter part of verse 1 may be rendered as “live in a way that is equal to the way God said you should live when he called you.” But as in other contexts when he called you may be better rendered as “when he invited you to become one of his own” or “when he invited you to put your trust in him” or “… your trust in Christ.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

This verse, which follows without a break from verse 17, is composed of two participial clauses. The Greek is as follows: “through every prayer and petition praying on every occasion in (the) spirit, and for this keeping alert with all persistence and petition for all the saints.” Though the syntax is jumbled, the meaning is clear enough: the readers are told to pray constantly. The writer uses the verb “to pray,” the noun “prayer,” and the synonymous noun “petition” twice. To emphasize constancy and continuity, he uses the prepositional phrase “through every” at the very beginning of the verse; “on every occasion”; “keeping alert” (a Greek verb which means “unable to sleep”; it is used elsewhere in the New Testament in Matt 12.33; Luke 21.36; Heb 13.17), and “with all persistence.”

The same kind of vocabulary (though not as extensive) is used in narrative in Acts 1.14; 6.4; the two nouns “prayer and petition” are used together by Paul in Philippians 4.6 (see also 1 Tim 2.1; 5.5). The noun, translated “persistence” occurs only here in the New Testament; but the related verb “be persistent” is used in this same kind of context by Paul in Romans 12.12 and also in Colossians 4.2.

Do all this in prayer may be restructured as “pray as you do all this.” The focus is primarily upon prayer, not upon the doing.

Asking for God’s help may be restructured as “ask God to help you” or “as you pray, ask God to help you.”

A literal translation of Pray on every occasion might imply “Pray whenever you are asked to.” But it is usually better to translate “Whatever you are doing, pray” or “For whatever you are engaged in, pray.”

The prayer is to be made “in the Spirit” (Revised Standard Version), which Good News Translation represents by as the Spirit leads; Translator’s New Testament, New English Bible “in the power of the Spirit.” It may be difficult to translate literally as the Spirit leads, for there is no direct “leading,” at least not in the physical sense. Therefore it may be better to translate “as the Spirit prompts you to pray” or “as the Spirit suggests to you that you should pray.” On the other hand, if one follows the interpretation “in the power of the Spirit,” it may be more satisfactory to translate “with the Spirit helping you” or “with the Spirit giving you the strength to pray as you should.”

It is not easy to know precisely what is meant by keep alert; it does not seem probable that it is meant literally (as Jerusalem Bible “staying awake” translates). The writer seems to have left behind the metaphor of the warrior and is now speaking directly of the need for believers to pray constantly. So they are never to lose interest or get tired.

It seems quite certain that one would not want to translate keep alert as “keep awake.” In this context it might be appropriate to translate “remain sensitive to the prompting of God’s Spirit” or “keep on listening to God’s Spirit.” But it is probably more satisfactory to translate “do not give up,” so that in reality keep alert is simply the positive way of rendering the negative expression never give up. Therefore sometimes the two can be combined in an emphatic expression “under no circumstance at all should you ever give up.”

Good News Translation asking for God’s help translates the noun “petition”; never give up translates the phrase “with all persistence.” For this reason represents the Greek expression “For this,” which could perhaps be better translated by “For this purpose” (New English Bible, Barth “To this end”; New International Version “With this in mind”).

Pray always should not be interpreted to mean being continually and constantly in prayer. The final admonition in verse 18 may be rendered as “whenever you pray, pray for all of God’s people.”

Beare’s comment on this verse is worth quoting: “the unsleeping alertness is to be shown especially in persevering intercession on behalf of all his comrades in the fight. We are not engaged in single combat with the powers of evil, but are members of an army; and we must be concerned with the welfare of all who fight alongside us.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

It is through Christ may be expressed as “because of what Christ has done.”

The emphasis in the verse is that oneness which the writer has been stressing: all of us, Jews and Gentiles translates the Greek “the two of us” (as in verses 14, 16); this oneness is the demonstration of the fact that Christ came and preached the Good News of peace, that is, the news of the complete reconciliation between the two groups, Gentiles and Jews (verse 17).

Are able to come … into the presence translates the Greek “have access, entrance”; the Greek noun “entrance” occurs also in 3.12 (and see its use in Rom 5.2). The language portrays God as a king into whose presence can come only those who are properly qualified (see Beare). The meaning here is our right to enter God’s presence in prayer and worship, confident that he will receive us and answer us (see 3.12); it does not mean to enter his presence in heaven after death.

Since a literal translation of are able to come … into the presence of the Father may be taken only in a literal sense, it may be important to specify what is involved in “coming into the Father’s presence,” for example, “are able to come to the Father by means of prayer.”

The one Spirit corresponds here to one body in verse 16 and further stresses the oneness of Jews and Gentiles in the church. Christ provides the means for the access of humanity to God, and the Holy Spirit is the manner, or the circumstances, in which the right of access is exercised.

The phrase in the one Spirit may be best translated in some languages as “by the one Spirit” or “by the one Holy Spirit” or even “by the Spirit of God.” In some instances the function of the Spirit in relationship to the presence of the Father must be expressed as one of helping, for example, “we are able by the one Spirit’s help to come into the presence of the Father.”

As already noted in connection with the phrase the glorious Father (1.17), there may be certain problems involved in rendering Father, since in a number of languages a term for “father” must be possessed. In this context it may be best to speak of “our Father” or even “our Father in heaven.”

Commentators call attention to the reference in this verse to be three persons of the Trinity: “through him … in one Spirit to the Father” (Revised Standard Version).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .