Efesus 6:13

6:13 For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground ¹  on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand.

Efesus 6:16

6:16 and in all of this, ²  by taking up the shield ³  of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Efesus 6:18

6:18 With every prayer and petition, pray ⁴  at all times in the Spirit, and to this end ⁵  be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints.

[6:13]  ¹ tn The term ἀνθίστημι (anqisthmi) carries the idea of resisting or opposing something or someone (BDAG 80 s.v.). In Eph 6:13, when used in combination with στῆναι (sthnai; cf. also στῆτε [sthte] in v. 14) and in a context of battle imagery, it seems to have the idea of resisting, standing firm, and being able to stand your ground.

[6:16]  ² tn Grk “in everything.”

[6:16]  ³ sn The Greek word translated shield (θυρεός, qureos) refers to the Roman soldier’s large rectangular wooden shield, called in Latin scutum, about 4 ft (1.2 m) high, covered with leather on the outside. Before a battle in which flaming arrows might be shot at them, the soldiers wet the leather covering with water to extinguish the arrows. The Roman legionaries could close ranks with these shields, the first row holding theirs edge to edge in front, and the rows behind holding the shields above their heads. In this formation they were practically invulnerable to arrows, rocks, and even spears.

[6:18]  ⁴ tn Both “pray” and “be alert” are participles in the Greek text (“praying…being alert”). Both are probably instrumental, loosely connected with all of the preceding instructions. As such, they are not additional commands to do but instead are the means through which the prior instructions are accomplished.

[6:18]  ⁵ tn Grk “and toward it.”