4:13a-d

In the Greek text, 4:13 contains three phrases each of which start with the same preposition eis, “to”:

• to become unified…

• to become mature…

• to become perfect like Christ…

Commentators connect these phrases in many ways. The two main interpretations are:

(1) all three phrases are separate goals. For example:

13a This is to continue

13b
until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son,

13c
until we become mature,

13d
until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard. (God’s Word)

(Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word)

(2) the first two phrases are separate goals, and the third phrase further describes the second. For example:

13a This work must continue

13b until we are all joined together in the same faith and in the same knowledge of the Son of God.

13c We must become like a mature person, 13d growing until we become like Christ and have his perfection. (New Century Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The three goals for the church are that they shall:

(a) be united in their faith and knowledge of Christ (4:13b),

(b) become mature believers (4:13c) and

(c) become completely like Christ (4:13d).

4:13a

until: The word until here means that this is the goal of what Paul said in 4:11–12. Christ gave special abilities to some believers (4:11) in order to prepare all believers to work for him (4:12a) and to make us all united (4:12b). This will continue until we all become united (4:13b), mature (4:13c) and like Christ (4:13d).

we all: The words we all refer to all of us who are believers.

4:13b

reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God: Here, faith and knowledge are the means of our coming to unity. We become united because we believe in the Son of God and know him. In some languages, it will be clearer to translate these three abstract nouns (unity, faith, knowledge) as verbs. These are discussed below.

reach unity in the faith: Here, reach unity means “to come together like one,” “to become joined together as one” or “to become united.”

the faith: Here the faith refers to a general belief or trust in something or someone. There are two main interpretations.

(1) This refers to belief in the true Christian teachings. If you follow this interpretation, you could say:

by believing in the truth/teaching ⌊about Christ⌋ and knowing the Son of God

(2) This refers to belief in the Son of God. Some commentators say that “Son of God” is the object of both “knowledge” and faith. If you follow this interpretation, you could say:

by believing in the Son of God and knowing him

In 4:5a, Paul listed “one faith” and its meaning was “belief in the true Christian teachings.” The context suggested that the faith has the same meaning here. So, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

See faith, Meaning 1 in the Glossary for more information.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
are all joined together in the same faith and in the same knowledge of the Son of God. (New Century Version)

the Son of God: The phrase the Son of God is a title for Jesus. This title was often used to refer to a savior who would be a descendant of King David. God would send this savior to rescue his people. This person was often referred to as the “Messiah” or “Christ.”

The title the Son of God also indicates that Jesus has the same nature and character as God. The relationship between God the Father and Jesus, his Son, is similar in some way to the relationship between human fathers and sons. God the Father does not have a physical body. He did not have a sexual relationship with Mary that resulted in her becoming pregnant and giving birth to Jesus. The Son of God existed eternally as the Son with his Father.

In areas where people do not understand the title the Son of God in this way, you may want to include a footnote that explains the correct meaning. Here is a suggested footnote:

This title refers to Jesus. It indicates that Jesus has the same nature and character as God. It does not mean that God the Father had a sexual relationship with Mary that resulted in her becoming pregnant and giving birth to Jesus. Mary became pregnant with Jesus in a miraculous way by the Holy Spirit of God.

In some languages, it is natural to speak of a son as a “child,” without specifying male or female. If that is true in your language, you may use a more general term, such as:

the Child of God

Other verses will usually make clear that Jesus was a male child. If you use a phrase such as “the male child of God,” be sure that it does not imply that God had another child who was female.

4:13c

as we mature: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as as we mature is literally “to a mature man.” The second goal of the church is to mature. Here, this refers to becoming fully grown, fully developed, like adults in our faith (in contrast to children in 4:14). The meaning is “mature as Christians.” For example:

mature in the Lord (New Living Translation (2004))

4:13d

to the full measure of the stature of Christ: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to the full measure of the stature of Christ is literally “at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” It means “to become exactly like Christ, who is perfect.”

Paul is using a metaphor here, comparing the physical maturity of children to the spiritual maturity of Christians. Just as a child grows up until he becomes an adult like his parents, so we Christians are to grow up in our faith until we are like Christ.

In some languages people may not understand the meaning of the metaphor. If that is true in your language, consider translating the meaning directly. For example:

and become completely mature, just as Christ is

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard (God’s Word)
-or-
grow up and be strong the way Christ is strong

© 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.

5:13a

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible: This sentence continues to explain the metaphor of light. Paul is also further explaining what he meant by “expose them” in 5:11b.

The meaning of the figure of speech can be explained like this: “When we shine light on something, people can clearly see what it looks like. In the same way, when people do evil deeds in secret and we tell them what God’s Word says, it is as if we are bringing their deeds out into the light. We make them see how evil their deeds are in God’s eyes.”

You should retain this figure of light because Paul used it throughout this section.

everything: The word everything refers to the things done in secret in 5:12.

Here are some other ways to translate 5:13:

And when all things are brought out to the light, then their true nature is clearly revealed (Good News Translation)
-or-
But the light will show what these things are really like (Contemporary English Version)

5:13b

The Berean Standard Bible includes this verse part at the end of verse 13 (see also King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version). Many other English versions include this verse part at the beginning of verse 14 (see New International Version, Contemporary English Version, English Standard Version, Good News Translation, God’s Word, New American Bible, Revised Edition, NET Bible, New Revised Standard Version). It may be best to follow the numbering system that is used in the major version in your area.

for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself: Scholars have different views on the meaning of this clause. The meaning depends on whether the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as illuminated has a passive or active meaning:

(1) The verb has a passive meaning. The clause means that anything that has been revealed (by the light) is light or becomes light. Another way of saying it is: the darkness in things is replaced by the light so the things are transformed into light. The Revised English Bible has perhaps the clearest translation of this interpretation:

whatever is exposed to the light itself becomes light (Revised English Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, New Century Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

(2) The verb has an active meaning. The clause means that light reveals/shows what the dark things are really like. This is what light always does. For example:

Light shows up everything (Contemporary English Version)

(New International Version, New Living Translation (2004), NET Bible, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, English Standard Version, King James Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

Paul was thinking of the Ephesian Christians who were in darkness, but were now living in God’s light (5:8). When God’s light shines on the hearts of unbelievers, they stop doing their evil deeds. They come to the light and they become “children of light,” too. Here is one way to translate this:

For when the light shines on anything that is dark, that thing ⌊does not stay dark but⌋ becomes light/bright also.

© 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.

6:12a

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For here introduces the basis or reason for the previous statement. What Paul said in 6:12 was the basis for what he told the Ephesians in 6:11, “take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Not all English versions translate this conjunction. Translate For in a way that is natural in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate this in English:

Because
-or-
The reason ⌊I say this is that⌋

our struggle is not against flesh and blood: In this context, struggle refers to a fight or conflict. Paul was saying that we do fight, but that we are not fighting against other people.

You may want to change the noun struggle into a verb. For example:

we are not fighting against human beings (Good News Translation)

But make sure that your translation is clear: Paul was not saying “we are not fighting…” He said that we do fight, but we don’t fight against ordinary people. For example:

⌊For it is like we are in a battle.⌋ But it is not people we are fighting. No, we are fighting…

flesh and blood: The phrase flesh and blood is a figure of speech that refers to human beings or people. See flesh, Meaning 4, in the Glossary for more information.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

people on earth (New Century Version)
-or-
human beings (Good News Translation)

Here is another way to translate all of 6:12a:

The fight we are in, is not a fight with people of the earth, no it’s with…

6:12b–c

against the rulers…the authorities…the powers…the spiritual forces: This list of four terms refers to all ranks of evil spirits that are ruling our world. The list does not refer to earthly rulers. This list is very similar to the list in 1:21a. See how you translated them there.

Also see the notes below for more information on these four terms and for translation advice at the end of this note.

6:12b

against: Paul repeated the word against four times in this sentence: “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers…against the spiritual forces….” This repetition is emphatic. Look for ways to communicate this emphasis in your language. Perhaps you will want to repeat the verb “fight,” for example:

⌊We are fighting⌋ ⌊the invisible⌋ ones who have authority and power. ⌊We are fighting⌋ the chiefs of darkness that rule in this world. ⌊We are fighting⌋ all kinds of evil spirits that control the sky.

Or you could repeat the first clause:

⌊We are fighting⌋ against the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. ⌊It is against all these that we are fighting.⌋

rulers…authorities: The first two words Paul used, rulers and authorities, are the same words he used in 1:21a and 3:10b. The words rulers and authorities in this verse refer to all types of evil spirit beings.

powers of this world’s darkness: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates of this world’s darkness is literally “of this darkness.”

There is an interpretation issue here.

(1) Most versions translate this phrase so that “dark/darkness” refers to the world. For example:

against mighty powers in this dark world (New Living Translation (2004))

(Berean Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New International Version, Revised Standard Version. NET Bible, God’s Word, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) Another interpretation is the darkness refers to “this age.” For example:

this dark age (Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow (1) as it is supported by a majority of translations.

The word darkness is a metaphor for evil here, as in 5:8–11. This phrase means “the world-chiefs or powerful spiritual beings who rule this dark (evil) world.” See world, Meaning 2 in the Glossary for more information.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

mighty powers in this dark world (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
the powers who govern this world of darkness (God’s Word)

6:12c

spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms: The phrase spiritual forces of evil is another way of saying evil spirits or demons. These evil spirits are in the heavenly realms.

Here are some other ways to translate spiritual forces of evil :

spiritual powers of evil (New Century Version)
-or-
evil spirits (New Living Translation (2004))

in the heavenly realms: The phrase the heavenly realms refer to the area above the earth where the spirits were thought to live. This does not refer to heaven where God is. The term in the heavenly realms also occurs in 3:10b.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

above the earth from the very headquarters of evil (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
In the spiritual world (Contemporary English Version)

General Comment on 6:12a–c

It is not necessary to find an equivalent term in your language for each of these four terms listed above. It is possible to translate these four terms by one, two or three terms. For example:

Because our enemy is not human but the leader of demons and all his servants and they are all bad/evil; their place is there in the sky. They have supernatural power and some of them have authority and they rule over all people in darkness here in this world.
-or-
For we are not fighting against people, but we are fighting against evil supernatural powers that dwell above the earth. These spiritual forces rule over people during these dark days in which we live.

© 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.