13:14a

Instead: This word indicates contrast to orgies, drunkenness, sexual immorality, sensuality, quarreling, and jealousy. But 13:13 says we are not to do those things. Some languages would not see contrast here to not doing those things. For example:

Let your armour… (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Rather ⌊than doing those things⌋,

clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ: This is a figure of speech that indicates that a believer should have the same thinking and behavior as Jesus.

In some languages a literal translation would have the wrong meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Translate literally and explain the meaning in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

This indicates that a believer should have the same thinking and behavior as Jesus.

• Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:

clothe yourselves with ⌊the characteristics of⌋ the Lord Jesus Christ

• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:

think and behave like the Lord Jesus Christ

You may then want to give the literal words in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

Literally: clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ

13:14b

make no provision: This phrase refers to thinking about something ahead of time and plan what you will do about it. Here it indicates planning ways to fulfill the desires of the body. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

make no plans
-or-
do not think about how to make happy

for the desires: The Greek is literally “for desires/lusts.” It indicates that the goal of the plans is to satisfy the desires of the body. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

in regard to its lusts (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
may be fulfilled (New Jerusalem Bible)

the flesh: Here this word refers to the natural way people live. Here are other ways to translate this word:

human nature
-or-
our natural inclinations
-or-
our old nature
-or-
our own desires

See how you translated this word in 8:3.

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