I love to do word study on "famous" verses. I so often find fresh insights that just transform what I receive from the Word. Ephesians 6:10 was one of those moments this week.
10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (NLT)
We have some options with these words, so let's make some quick translation notes and then string them together to create one a "Kingdom Paraphrase"...
- FINAL WORD: From a purely literary perspective, "finally" or "a final word" is a fine translation. However, the primary meaning is "remaining" or "from now on."
- MY BROTHERS: Next, there is a phrase missing from the NLT that should be in there: "mou adelphon." It means, "my brothers." It was used to communicate non-retractable relationships in three main contexts: being born to the same parents, being committed to worshiping the same God, and being engaged in fighting alongside in the same battles.
- BE STRONG: "Be strong" is "endunamoo" and means infused with explosive power. We get the word "dynamite" from the root word "dunamis."
- IN THE LORD: The word for "Lord" is "Kurios" and it means, literally, "the One to Whom I/we belong and Who is supreme."
- MIGHTY: In the original Greek, it isn't "mighty power," but the "power of His might". This is important because it means that the word isn't merely an enhancing descriptor, but rather its own objective reality. It is the word "ischus" and speaks of ability and forcefulness.
- POWER: The Greek word "kratos." Similar to "ischus" with regard to the sense of "force," "kratos" differs in that it leans toward the concept of the works themselves through the idea of dominion. This reveals a focused, intentional, and strategic element to the word.
So, why is all this important? Well, Paul introduces the concept of the "armor of God" with this phrase. In other words, he is saying, "The armor is God is made available to certain people who have forever availed themselves to a certain experience with God." Now, let's rewrite this in the Kingdom Paraphrase and see what we find.
Ephesians 6:10 -- "From now on - and I am speaking to my brothers and sisters here, who have forever broken forth with me from the same spiritual womb, abandoned themselves with me to worship in Spirit and truth, and actively engaged with me, shoulder to shoulder, in the same spiritual warfare - BE STRONG! Be infused with explosive power by the virtue of the One to Whom we have given ourselves, Who alone is supreme. He will infuse you with His strength, imparting to you the focused, intentional, and strategic force of His dominion that flows out of His personal cache of raw, limitless ability and vitality, so that you are fully enabled to accomplish the tasks associated with His will."
From this place and perspective, Paul goes on to write, we will find ourselves sinking into God's own wardrobe, fully prepared for any situation that arises. David wouldn't wear Saul's armor. It just wasn't working for him. You and I have been offered a solution - assimilate ourselves to the nature and power of God and wear His armor, which will be for us a "perfect fit." Come on, brothers and sisters, let's get POWERED UP and DRESSED OUT! It's time to walk into our assigned battlefields and ballrooms in the strength and glory of the King we represent.
Chris Liotta
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