4:4a

There is one body: The phrase one body refers to the group of believers called the church. This group of Christians is the body of Christ (1:23). All of us believers are like ⌊parts of⌋ the same body. So, another way to translate this phrase is a simile. For example:

We are like one body

one Spirit: The phrase one Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. All believers have the same Holy Spirit living/dwelling in them.

4:4b

just as you were called to one hope: The clause just as you were called to one hope is a comparison. There is one body and one Spirit just as there is one hope. (See General Comment below for ways to translate this.)

you were called: The phrase you were called is passive. If it would be more natural in your language to use an active clause here, you can say:

just as ⌊God⌋ called you to one hope

called: As in 4:1c, here are some other ways to translate the verb called :

invited
-or-
chosen

See how you translated “calling” in 4:1c and called in 1:18b.

one hope: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as hope means “to confidently expect and wait for something that we know will happen.” The meaning of the Greek word that is translated as hope is different from the modern English meaning. In modern English, hope is closer to a “wish.”

In many languages hope is easier to understand if translated as a verb rather than a noun. So you may need to say:

you are hoping for/expecting the same good things/blessings

See how you translated hope in 1:18b and 2:12d.

when you were called: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as when you were called is literally “of your calling” (as in the New Revised Standard Version). This phrase repeats the phrase “you were called” that is found earlier in 4:4b. So some translations combine these two phrases. For example:

just as there is one hope to which God has called you (Good News Translation)

Here are some other ways to translate 4:4b:

In the same way you were called to share one hope. (God’s Word)
-or-
…and God called you to have one hope. (New Century Version)
-or-
In the same way, when God called/chose you, he chose you to hope/expect the same good things/blessings.

© 1999, 2019 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

5:4a–b

Paul said that when Christians talk, they should not use any shameful talk. He uses three terms for shameful talk: obscenity, foolish talk and coarse joking.

5:4a

Nor: The NET Bible translates Nor as “neither.”

should there be obscenity: The word obscenity refers to talking of sexual matters or other taboo subjects in a shameful, crude way.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

obscene stories (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
dirty stories (God’s Word)

5:4b

foolish talk: The term foolish talk means saying things that are of no good use. This does not mean talking like a person who has not been to school or who is not intelligent.

Here are some other ways to translate this term:

empty talk
-or-
flippant talk
-or-
disrespectful talk

In the OT, a fool was a person who ignored God or did not believe in God. So foolish talk may mean talking disrespectfully or lightly about serious things, making fun of God and other important things.

or crude joking: The term crude joking means “vulgar jokes,” which usually refers to jokes about sex.

In most languages there are terms for using vulgar and shameful language. You may have expressions like:

saying vulgar words
-or-
laughing about things that bring shame
-or-
telling stories that are not fit for people’s ears

General Comment on 5:4a–b

In some languages, two terms or even one generic term may be sufficient to express all the ideas in the three terms “obscenity, foolish talking and coarse joking.” For example:

don’t even talk about such things; they are no fit subjects for Christians to talk about (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

5:4c

which are out of character: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as out of character means “not right,” or “not fitting.” It is the opposite of “proper” in 5:3a.

5:4d

but rather thanksgiving: The clause but rather thanksgiving means “instead, give thanks to God” or “instead ⌊of doing those things⌋, thank God ⌊for that which he has done for you⌋.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Rather you should give thanks to God. (Good News Translation)

© 1999, 2019 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

6:3a

that it may go well with you: This verse continues the Old Testament quotation that started in 6:2a.

Here are some other ways to say that it may go well with you :

that everything that happens to you will be good
-or-
that your life may be full of blessings

6:3b

and that you may have a long life: The clause that you may have a long life means “that you will live a long time.” For example:

you may live a long time (Good News Translation)

There may be an idiom in your language to express a person living till old age.

on the earth: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as on the earth is literally “in the land.” In the original quotation in Exodus 20:12, “land” refers to Canaan, but here it refers to the earth where we live. In your translation, it may be more natural to leave this implicit. For example:

and you will have a long and happy life (Contemporary English Version)

© 1999, 2019 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

1:17a

that: The word that here introduces what Paul prayed for. Many English versions start a new sentence here and add the words “I ask” or “I pray” because they are implied from 1:16. For example:

I keep asking that (New International Version)

the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father: These two phrases form a parallelism. They both refer to God the Father. This should be clear in your translation. See the second meaning line of the Display for ways you can make this explicit.

the glorious Father: A literal English translation of the Greek is “Father of glory.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the Father who has great glory
-or-
the Father who is very great
-or-
the Father who is wonderful/majestic

See how you translated “glorious grace” in 1:6a and “glory” in 1:12b and 1:14c. Also see glory, Meaning 4 in the Glossary for more information.

1:17b

a spirit of wisdom: There are several ways to interpret the word spirit here. It may refer to:

(1) the spirit of man. According to this interpretation, the phrase spirit of wisdom means “spiritual wisdom” or “thinking in a wise way.” For example:

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ…may give you spiritual wisdom…. (NET Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, King James Version, God’s Word, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version, Revised English Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, English Standard Version)

(2) the Holy Spirit. For example:

I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand… (Contemporary English Version)

(New International Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and the majority of English translations. In some languages, it will be more natural to translate spirit of wisdom as “spiritually wise.”

and revelation: The word revelation generally refers to something that has been made known. In this context it refers to God making himself known to people. In some languages, it will be more natural to translate the noun revelation as the verb “reveal.” Paul prayed that God would reveal himself to the Ephesian Christians. For example:

reveal God to you (Good News Translation)

1:17c

in your knowledge of Him: In this context, the pronoun Him refers to God the Father. If this is not clear in your translation, you may want to make it explicit. You can say for example:

in your knowledge of ⌊God⌋
-or-
as it regards the way that you know ⌊God⌋

General Comment on 1:17

You may need to translate this verse as several sentences, as in the second meaning line of the Display.

© 1999, 2019 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

3:4a

In reading this, then: The word this refers to the writing Paul referred to in 3:3b.

then: The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the word then because it is good English style. It should only be translated if it would be natural to do so in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

When/if you read this…
-or-
As you read this ⌊earlier passage⌋…

3:4b

you will be able to understand my insight: In the Greek text, the phrase you will be able to understand my insight is in the present tense.

So here is another way to translate this phrase:

you can understand my insight

my insight: The phrase my insight refers to Paul’s ability to see and understand God’s formerly unknown plan concerning Christ.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

you can perceive my insight (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
you can see that I truly understand (New Century Version)

mystery of Christ: The word mystery means “something that has not been explained.” In this context, mystery of Christ can mean “the secret (plan) put into effect by Christ.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the secret purpose of Christ (Revised English Bible)
-or-
God’s secret plan carried out by Christ,
-or-
the hidden plan concerning Christ
-or-
the secret plan that tells about Christ

Also, see how you translated “the mystery of his will” in 1:9a and “the mystery” in 3:3a.

© 1999, 2019 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

4:15a

Instead: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Instead indicates a contrast with 4:14. Instead of being like children who are deceived by lies, we need to speak the truth so that we will grow up and become mature.

speaking the truth in love: The clause speaking the truth means that we should tell others the true teaching about Christ. It implies more than speaking true words instead of lies. It implies speaking about Christ.

in love: This means we should speak the truth in a loving manner, or that we should speak the truth and show love to others. See how you translated in love in 4:2b. See love, meaning 2 in the Glossary for more information.

4:15b

we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself: The phrase in all things here means “in every way.” So, many English versions translate it that way (Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, English Standard Version).

grow up into Christ Himself: To grow up into Christ Himself refers to our becoming mature and becoming like Christ in our behavior.

Here is another way to translate these words:

we will grow in every way and be more like Christ (Contemporary English Version)

“Speaking the truth in love” (4:15a) is the means or way in which we grow up into Christ. Some English versions make this explicit. For example:

Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ (Good News Translation)
-or-
Instead, as we lovingly speak the truth, we will grow up completely in our relationship to Christ (God’s Word)

grow: The form of this verb in Greek shows that Paul wants his readers to grow. For example:

we should grow up into Christ
-or-

let us grow up into Christ
-or-
we must grow up… (Good News Translation)

Here are some other ways to translate this:

let us become more and more like Christ
-or-
We must develop into very mature ⌊people⌋ like he/Christ is

who is the head: Paul used the word head in a metaphorical sense to mean that Christ is our chief or leader.

You may want to translate this as a separate sentence. For example:

Christ is the head ⌊of his followers⌋.
-or-
Christ is the chief ⌊of all his people/believers⌋.

See how you translated head in 1:22b.

© 1999, 2019 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Paragraph 5:15–17

In 5:15, 5:17 and 5:18, Paul gives three pairs of commands:

5:15 “walk…not as unwise but as wise”

5:17 “do not be foolish, but understand…”

5:18 “do not get drunk…. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Revised Standard Version).

In each case Paul gives a negative command (something to not do) followed by “but” or “Instead,” then a positive command (something to do). Think how to translate these commands naturally in your language. Here are some possibilities:

• In some languages, it will be better to use a conjunction other than “but” to link the negative and positive commands, for example:

Do not behave like unwise people; instead, behave like wise people.

• In some languages, it is best to use no conjunction at all, for example:

Do not behave like unwise people. Behave like wise people!

• In some languages, it is more natural to put the positive first. For example:

Behave like wise people; do not behave as unwise people.

5:15a

Pay careful attention: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Pay careful attention is literally “Therefore look/see carefully,” which is a Greek way of telling them “to pay or give attention to” something. Paul is giving a warning to his audience about how they should live their lives.

then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as then is a logical connector that introduces an appeal based on what he has said in the earlier part of chapter 5. This word is not a time word. It can be translated as:

therefore (NET Bible)
-or-
so (New Century Version)
-or-
so then (God’s Word)

walk: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as walk means “to behave or live.” See the notes on “walk” in 2:2a, 2:10c, 4:1b and 5:8c.

5:15b

unwise…wise: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wise refers to the ability to understand what happens and decide on the right action. So unwise has the opposite meaning. Here is another way to translate the word unwise :

foolish people (God’s Word)

© 1999, 2019 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

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:

(a) belt (6:14b)

(b) breastplate (6:14c)

(c) shoes (6:15)

(d) shield (6:16b–c)

(e) helmet (6:17a)

(f) 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.

6:14a

Stand firm then: The clause Stand firm then introduces a list of instructions on how to stand firm. These are his concluding appeals on the basis of what he had said before. So you can translate it as:

So then, take your stand! (God’s Word)
-or-
So stand ready (Good News Translation)
-or-
Therefore prepare yourselves

In some languages, it may be more natural to translate this command as a statement. For example:

Therefore, here is how you are to prepare yourselves ⌊to resist Satan⌋.

6:14b

with the belt of truth buckled around your waist: A belt was made of pieces of leather. It was probably a wide belt, not just some thin strings of leather. See the belt of a soldier in the picture at Section 6:10–20.

In Paul’s time, a soldier used a belt to tie his loose clothing round his waist. He did this so that he could move faster and more freely in battle. A belt also helped to protect the soldier’s waist.

The phrase belt of truth is also a metaphor. Paul compared truth to a belt.

One way to fully explain this metaphor is like this: The truth that God gives you is like a Roman soldier’s belt. The belt holds up his long clothes so that he is able to run and fight. God’s truth supports you in your fight with Satan.

belt of truth buckled: The Greek text is literally “having tied your waist with truth.” Notice that the word belt does not occur in Greek.

Some languages may be like Greek and have a verb like “tie” to indicate this action. Other languages will have to translate this as the Berean Standard Bible and supply the word belt. Another simple way to say this is:

the rope to tie your waist

truth: Paul did not specifically say what aspect of truth he was talking about. Scholars interpret this in two ways:

(1) “God’s truth” or “the truth about God”

(2) “tell the truth” or “be truthful”

If you can translate without specifying the type of truth, it is better to do so. If you must make a choice, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

In some languages, the word “true” may be more natural than the word truth. If this is the case in your language, you could say something like:

do what you know to be true

Here are some ways to translate 6:14b:

• Keep the metaphor. Some ways to express the metaphor are:

Take truth and tie your waist with it.
-or-
Tie the belt round your waist. The belt is ⌊God’s⌋ truth.

• Make the metaphor a simile. For example:

Fasten truth around your waist like a belt. (God’s Word)
-or-
Live according to what is true. This will be like tying a ⌊soldier’s⌋ belt round your waist.

• Give the full meaning of the metaphor. For example:

⌊As a soldier⌋ ties a belt round his waist ⌊to prepare himself to fight⌋, ⌊follow God’s⌋ truth ⌊to prepare yourself⌋ ⌊to fight against the devil⌋.

6:14c

with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed: A breastplate was a piece of armor that a Roman soldier wore on his chest, and sometimes it also extended to cover his back. It protected him from the enemy’s swords, arrows and spears. It was made of tough leather or metal. See the breastplate of a soldier in the picture at Section 6:10–20.

This is a metaphor. Paul compared righteousness to a breastplate. One way to fully explain this metaphor is like this: “Just as a breastplate protects a soldier in a battle, so your confidence in the truth of Christ making you righteous will protect you when Satan attacks you.”

righteousness: Paul did not specifically say what aspect of righteousness he was talking about. Scholars interpret this in two ways:

(1) God’s righteousness or God considers a believer as righteous because of Christ. For example:

let God’s justice protect you like armor

(Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word)

(2) The believer does what is right or the believer has behavior that is righteous/upright. For example:

the protection of right living on your chest

(New Century Version, Revised English Bible)

If you can translate without specifying the type of righteousness, it is better to do so. Many English versions do this (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation and others). If you must make a choice, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). See righteous in the Glossary.

Here are some ways to translate 6:14c:

• Keep the metaphor. For example:

Put on Christ’s right behavior as your breastplate.
-or-
Put on the breastplate. The breastplate is Christ’s right behavior.

• Make the metaphor a simile. For example:

Christ behaved righteously ⌊for you⌋. Realizing this will be like putting on a breastplate.

• Give the full meaning of the metaphor. For example:

⌊As a soldier⌋ puts on a breastplate ⌊to protect himself in battle⌋, depend on Christ’s righteousness ⌊to protect you when the devil attacks⌋.

© 1999, 2019 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.