Ephesians 4 to 6
One body, and the armor of God
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- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
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What does it say?
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The whole chapter, in shortThe main points of the whole chapter, in a few sentences.
Paul urged the church to keep the unity of the Spirit, because there is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all. He told them to speak the truth in love, not let the sun set on their anger, and be kind and tenderhearted, forgiving each other just as God forgave them in Christ. They were to walk as children of light and be filled with the Spirit. Finally, he told them to be strong in the Lord and put on the full armor of God: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God.
Where it is in the Bible: Ephesians 4 to 6
All the sections at a glanceA map of the chapter, with the verses for each section.
Map of the Letter
| Section | Verses | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| 1. One Body, One Spirit | 4:1-16 | Keep the unity, and grow up together in Christ |
| 2. Put On the New Self | 4:17 to 5:2 | Be kind, and forgive as God forgave you |
| 3. Children of Light | 5:3-20 | Wake up, be wise, be filled with the Spirit |
| 4. At Home and at Work | 5:21 to 6:9 | Serve one another out of reverence for Christ |
| 5. The Armor of God | 6:10-24 | Be strong in the Lord |
Before You Read
Who wrote it. Paul, writing from prison to Christians in Ephesus and the area around it (4:1, 6:20).
What came before. In chapters 1 to 3, Paul praised God for everything he has done: chosen us, saved us by grace, and made Jews and Gentiles one family in Christ.
What these chapters are. The second half of the letter. Paul shows how that family lives together: united, kind, truthful, filled with the Spirit, and standing strong in God's armor.
How to read it. Watch for the word "walk." Paul uses it for how we live every day.
Section by Section
Section 1 of 5One Body, One Spirit
"As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received" (4:1).
Be humble, gentle, and patient. Bear with each other in love. Keep the unity the Spirit gives.
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all" (4:4-6).
Christ gives each person grace and gifts.
He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers "to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ" (4:12).
Then we won't be like babies, tossed around by every new idea.
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head" (4:15).
Section 2 of 5Put On the New Self
Don't live the old way, with darkened minds and hard hearts.
Take off the old self like dirty clothes. Put on the new self, made to be like God.
So tell the truth, because we belong to each other.
Paul quotes a psalm: "Be angry, yet do not sin" (4:26).
"Do not let the sun set upon your anger, and do not give the devil a foothold" (4:26-27).
Instead of stealing, work, so you have something to share.
"Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need" (4:29).
"Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you" (4:32).
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us" (5:1-2).
Section 3 of 5Children of Light
Paul warns against sexual sin, greed, and crude talk. Give thanks instead.
"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light" (5:8).
Light shows things as they really are.
"Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (5:14).
This may be a line from an early baptism hymn.
"Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (5:15-16).
Don't get drunk on wine. "Instead, be filled with the Spirit" (5:18).
Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and always give thanks.
Section 4 of 5At Home and at Work
"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (5:21).
Paul applies this to the households of his day.
He tells wives to submit to their husbands, and husbands to love their wives "just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her" (5:25).
Christ makes his church clean and holy.
Husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
Marriage is a picture of Christ and the church.
Children should obey their parents. Fathers should not make their children angry, but raise them in the Lord.
Slaves should serve as if serving Christ, and masters must stop threatening, because both have the same Master in heaven.
Section 5 of 5The Armor of God
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power" (6:10).
"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil's schemes" (6:11).
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood" (6:12). Our real enemy is the devil and the powers of evil.
Paul pictures a Roman soldier getting dressed for battle.
Put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. For shoes, wear the readiness that comes from the good news of peace.
Take up the shield of faith, which puts out all the devil's flaming arrows.
"And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (6:17).
And pray at all times.
Paul asks them to pray for him, an "ambassador in chains" (6:20), so he can tell the good news boldly.
He ends with peace, love, and grace.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (4:5) | All Christians share the same Lord. |
| "Speaking the truth in love" (4:15) | Be honest and kind at the same time. |
| "Do not let the sun set upon your anger" (4:26) | Don't let anger sit overnight. |
| "Forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you" (4:32) | We forgive because we've been forgiven. |
| "Walk as children of light" (5:8) | Live openly and honestly. |
| "Be filled with the Spirit" (5:18) | Let God's Spirit, not anything else, shape you. |
| "Submit to one another" (5:21) | Put others first, out of love for Christ. |
| "The full armor of God" (6:11) | God gives everything we need to stand against evil. |
Back Then
Ephesus was famous for the temple of the goddess Artemis and for magic practices (Acts 19:19, 19:27).
Paul was chained to Roman soldiers while in prison (Acts 28:16, 28:20). He saw their armor every day.
Households in Paul's time included husbands, wives, children, and often slaves. Paul's instructions were addressed to each person in that setting.
Literal Reader Alert
Does Paul approve of slavery? Paul spoke to people inside a system he didn't create. He told masters that they and their slaves have the same Master and that God plays no favorites (6:9). Christians later drew on teaching like this to oppose slavery.
Does "submit" mean a wife must accept abuse? No. Paul begins with "submit to one another" (5:21) and tells husbands to love like Christ, who gave himself up. Christians have understood this passage in different ways, but no reading allows abuse.
Is the armor of God real armor? It's a picture. The "armor" is truth, righteousness, the good news, faith, salvation, God's word, and prayer.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Believers | Angry | Paul says be angry, yet don't sin (4:26) |
| Believers | Under attack | They face the devil's schemes (6:11) |
| Paul | Bold | Even in chains (6:20) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
What do you need from these chapters? Tap one.
I'm angry with someone
Don't let the sun set on your anger. Forgive as God forgave you.
My church is divided
There is one body, one Spirit, one Lord.
I'm under attack
Be strong in the Lord. Put on the full armor of God.
I said something hurtful
Speak only what builds others up. Start again today.
You Might Have Heard
"Being a Christian means following a list of rules."
What's true: God shows us how to live, and Paul gives lots of practical advice here.
What the passage is mainly about: It all flows from what God has done. "Forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you" (4:32). "Walk in love, just as Christ loved us" (5:2). God's love comes first.
Where Jesus is: The head of the body, the one who loved the church and gave himself up for her.
Good News
You don't fight alone, and you don't fight in your own strength.
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power" (6:10).
God forgives you in Christ, fills you with his Spirit, and gives you his own armor to stand.
There is one body, one Spirit, and one Lord. Be kind and forgive as God forgave you in Christ, and be strong in the Lord, wearing his full armor.
Big Idea
There is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. As God's children of light, we forgive as God forgave us in Christ, and we stand strong in the Lord, wearing the full armor of God.
If this chapter brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
Luther's hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" echoes Ephesians 6. The devil is strong, but "one little word" from God can fell him, and God's Word stands firm forever.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. In Year B, it reads through Ephesians 4 to 6 on five Sundays in August (Lectionary 18 to 22). In Year A, Ephesians 5:8-14 is read on the Fourth Sunday in Lent.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
How did that feel?
You finished Ephesians 4 to 6.
Using this at church
Read in church on
- Fourth Sunday in Lent Year ASecond reading, Ephesians 5:8-14
- Lectionary 18 Year BSecond reading, Ephesians 4:1-16
- Lectionary 19 Year BSecond reading, Ephesians 4:25—5:2
- Lectionary 20 Year BSecond reading, Ephesians 5:15-20
- Lectionary 21 Year BSecond reading, Ephesians 6:10-20
For a newsletter or sermon notes
Ephesians 4 to 6, explained in plain words. How God's family lives together: united, kind, forgiving, and standing strong in his armor. About 11 minutes. https://freescripture.org/stories/ephesians-4-to-6/
Lines for the next eight Sundays, on Digital Lutheran Church