Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
What does Ephesians 6:16 mean?
Spiritual strength and courage are needed for our spiritual warfare and suffering.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Ephesians 6:14-18 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Ephesians 6:16
Above all - Εν πασιν En pasin. Not "above all" in point of importance or value, but "over" all, as a soldier holds his shield to defend himself. It constitutes a protection over every part of his body, as it can be turned in every direction. The idea is, that as the shield covered or protected the other parts of the armor, so faith had a similar importance in the Christian virtues. The shield - note, Isaiah 21:9 . The shield was usually made of light wood. or a rim of brass, and covered with several folds or thicknesses of stout hide, which was preserved by frequent anointing.
Key words
- shielded men
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shielded men.
- fiery darts
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fiery darts.
- But the word
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But the word .
Context in Ephesians 6
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Ephesians 6 belongs to the closing movement of the book, especially the section often described as household life and spiritual warfare. Ephesians presents the church as Christ’s body and temple, chosen in grace, united across dividing walls, and called to mature holy life. Read this chapter with the wider themes of union with Christ, church, and grace in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Passages on trusting God, receiving Christ, persevering without sight, and the relation between faith and lived obedience.
Bible verses about suffering and trials
Key passages on grief, endurance, lament, divine mystery, and the Christian claim that suffering is neither final nor meaningless.
Key passages on God's unmerited favour, the grace of Christ, salvation by grace through faith, and how grace transforms the way believers live.
Passages on the nature of truth, honesty, deception, the word of God as truth, and Jesus' claim to be the truth.