Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.
- KJV Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
- BSB Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.
- NKJV Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
- NASB Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Because of this unseen warfare, believers must take up God's full armor so they can resist in times of trial and remain standing when the battle is over. It matters because preparation must come before the day of testing.
Overview
Paul repeats the command to 'take up the whole armor of God,' stressing that nothing is to be left behind. The 'evil day' refers to seasons of intense temptation, trial, or assault that come to every believer. The aim is endurance-'having done all, to stand'-so that when the conflict subsides the Christian is still firmly on his feet, kept by the grace of God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 2 Cor 10:4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,
- Luke 21:36Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
- Eph 6:11–17Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
- Eph 5:16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
- Rev 3:10Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
- Col 4:12Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
- Mal 3:2“But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderer’s soap;
- Luke 8:13Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation.
- Eccl 12:1Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;
- Eph 5:6Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.
- Rev 6:17for the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand?”
- Amos 6:3Those who put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Every spiritual blessing is 'in Christ,' the head over all things for the church, in whom Jew and Gentile are made one new man by his blood.
How Ephesians 6:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.