If you would like a printed version of this commentary, check out The Grace Bible series.
以弗所书 6:1
孩子们，要在主里听从父母，因为这是理所当然的。
（一种） Obey. Listen to your parents.
In the New Testament several words are translated as obey or obedience. There is the obedience (peitharcheo) we give to God and those in authority (Acts 5:29, Tit. 3:1). There is the obedience (peitho) that means to be persuaded by the truth (Rom. 2:8, Gal. 5:7). And then there is the word used here (hupakouo) which means to listen and attend.
Children who are taught to blindly obey their parents are essentially forced to live under law and are denied the opportunity to grow in grace. Little children need the law to protect them (e.g., don’t run onto the road), but as they grow, they need to be taught how to walk in grace (see Eph. 6:4). Older children should not be told to obey their parents because God said so or because it’s in the Ten Commandments. They will listen to their parents because they will have learned that their parents love them and have their best interests at heart.
(二) In the Lord. Obeying your parents honors the Father from whom every family derives its name (Eph. 3:15).
（C） This is right. Listening to parents who love you and want the best for you is the smart thing to do.
以弗所书 6:2-3
“孝敬父母”（这是第一条带应许的诫命），“使你得福，在世上长寿。”
（一种） Commandment. Why is the apostle of grace quoting the Fifth Commandment? (He quoted another of the Ten Commandments in an earlier chapter (Eph. 4:28).) He is not doing it to put law on people, but to show that honoring our parents is always a good thing to do, regardless of which covenant you are under. Respect your parents, and life will go well.
If Paul were preaching law, he would have to include the penalties for breaking the law. Under the law, the penalty for dishonouring or cursing your parents was death (Ex. 21:17). Paul never mentions this penalty, but Jesus did when he quoted this law to law-teachers living under the law (Matt. 15:4). Jesus and Paul preached different parts of the same law to different audiences for different reasons. There’s a nice symmetry here. One used the penalty of the law to silence the self-righteous; the other used the promise of the law to promote happy families.
(二) Promise. The promise attached to this commandment is found in Exodus 20:12 and is repeated in Deuteronomy 5:16.
（C） Live long. Strong family bonds and support systems promote good health in many ways (e.g., by providing coping mechanisms that aid resilience). Conversely, rebellion, anger, and resentment can lead to a host of detrimental outcomes. Children need the wisdom of loving parents to help them navigate the rocks and shoals of life.
进一步阅读：“New Testament commands.”
以弗所书 6:4
父亲们，不要激怒你们的孩子，而要按照主的管教和教导养育他们。
（一种） Fathers. In the first century, fathers took responsibility for the education of their sons. By encouraging fathers to train their sons and daughters, Paul departs from societal norms.
What about mothers? Greek-speaking mothers, and Jewish mothers too, were often poorly educated, illiterate, and unable to educate their children. Times have changed. Today we would say that fathers and mothers share the responsibility of training their children.
(二) Do not provoke your children. Don’t be so harsh or unrealistic with your children that they get frustrated and are tempted to rebel. Don’t bind them with heavy loads. Don’t expect them to live out your unfulfilled dreams.
In New Testament times, women, children, and slaves had few rights. But Paul had no interest in that unjust world. He was a citizen of a heavenly kingdom where all are equal in grace. Just as he spoke up for wives, he spoke up for children. He defended marriage, and he defended the family because both are meant to portray the unconditional love and acceptance we have in the family of God.
（C） 把他们带上来. Nurture your children to maturity. Pray for them, as Paul prayed for the Ephesians. Pray that they might know the Father’s great love and good purposes for them (Eph. 1:17–23, 3:14–19). Create a safe space where they can discover and exercise their God-given gifts and talents.
(四) Discipline. The original noun (paideia) means training. It does not mean punishment, nor does it imply military-grade discipline. It is the same word Paul uses when he writes, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).
Train your children to walk in love as children of the light (Eph. 5:2, 8). Train them to be kind to one another, tender-hearted, and quick to forgive (Eph. 4:32). Train them to trust and pray and lean on the Lord (Eph. 6:18). Train them by setting a godly example (1 Cor. 11:1).
看 入口 for Discipline.
（五） Instruction. Teach them the ways of God and how to live in fellowship with the Lord.
The original noun (nouthesia) literally means “a putting in mind” (Vines Expository Dictionary). In other contexts, the word can imply an admonition or warning (e.g., Tit. 3:10), but instruction is a better translation here. If discipline is training by doing, instruction is training by word. Both are necessary. Parents set a godly example for their children to follow (training by doing), and they teach their children how to lean on the Lord (training by word).
以弗所书 6:5
奴隶们，你们要怀着恐惧战兢的心，诚心地服从你们肉身的主人，就像服从基督一样。
（一种） Slaves。 原词（doulos) describes someone bound in servitude and implies a slave such as might be owned by a wealthy Ephesian. Different types of slavery are mentioned in the Bible including household slaves, temple slaves, and palace slaves. The treatment of slaves varied greatly depending on the culture and context. In a modern context, we might substitute the word employee or worker.
Paul is not endorsing slavery. Like everyone else in the Roman world, he accepted it as normal. We should not be shocked that Paul mentions slavery. We should be amazed that he alone spoke up for the rights of slaves (in Eph. 6:9).
(二) Be obedient. Heed your boss.
Paul is not preaching a law to be obeyed in all circumstances. Nor is he saying you must tolerate a toxic work environment, or that you are forbidden from striking or joining a picket line. As in Ephesians 6:1, the original verb (hupakouo) means to listen or attend to. As believers, we respect and serve our employers.
（C） Masters according to the flesh. Your earthly masters (see Col. 3:22). Your boss, supervisor, manager, department head, team leader, commanding officer, employer, et cetera.
(四) With fear and trembling. With respect.
Paul is not saying “be fearful lest you receive a beating (slaves) or lose your job (workers).” The children of God are meant to be free, not fearful. In context, “fear and trembling” means “treat your employer with respect”. When Titus went to Corinth, the Corinthians received him “with fear and trembling” (2 Cor. 7:15). They weren’t afraid of him; they respected him and took him seriously. A similar meaning is implied here.
（五） The sincerity of your heart. Serve wholeheartedly.
（F） As to Christ. Serve your employer as though you were serving your real Master, the Lord of all. Just as Paul saw himself as Christ’s prisoner (Eph. 3:1), we can see ourselves as the Lord’s tax accountant, truck driver, or taxidermist. See 入口 for Eph. 6:7.
Ephesians 6:6
not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
（一种） Eyeservice. Only working hard when someone is watching.
(二) Men-pleasers. Don’t be a suck-up, and don’t play games. Just do an excellent job as though you were working for the Lord.
（C） Slaves of Christ. See yourself as working for the Lord.
We have a choice. We can see ourselves as slaves or employees of whoever pays our wages, or we can live from a higher reality. We can worry about the boss who hires and fires, or we can see ourselves as servants of the One who pays us nothing but freely gives us everything. God does not actually need servants, but we choose to serve in the name of Christ so that the orphans and slaves of this world might come to know the love of their Father. Like Christ, who took the form of a bondservant (literally a slave; Php. 2:7), we are the sons who serve. See 入口 for Rom. 1:1.
(四) The will of God is for you to redeem the time (Eph. 5:16). Don’t follow the ways of the world, but see the bigger picture. See your boss, co-workers, employees, suppliers, and clients as God sees them. Let your light shine so that they might see your good works and praise their Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16).
Ephesians 6:7–8
With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
（一种） Good will. Kindness. Serve with love in your heart and a smile on your face.
(二) As to the Lord. Some bosses are hard-to-please tyrantss. Seeing yourself as serving the Lord will help you have a positive attitude no matter your circumstances.
Paul makes the same point three times in three verses: “as to Christ” (verse 5), “as slaves of Christ” (verse 6), “as to the Lord” (verse 7). And he says the same thing in his letter to the Colossians. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17), and “Do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men” (Col. 3:23). Clearly this is a point worth emphasizing. We live for God, not men. We frame our lives around our Father’s love rather than the expectations of others.
（C） Receive back. We are all recompensed by the Lord, one way or another (2 Cor. 5:10). Put your faith in God and you will receive eternal life and a glorious inheritance (Eph. 1:11, Col. 3:24), regardless of whether you are slave or free.
Ephesians 6:9
And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.
（一种） Masters, bosses, supervisors, employers, heads of departments, team leaders, et cetera.
(二) Do the same things. Treat your workers as you would like to be treated. Treat them justly and fairly (Col. 4:1). If you want your employees to respect you, respect them. Be courteous and straightforward with them. Note that Paul does not say “make your employees come to church with you,” or “preach at them during their lunch breaks,” since that would be a misuse of power. But you can pray for them and talk to them and be involved in their lives.
First-century slave owners treated people like property. Slaves could be bought and beaten. Enslaved families could be separated and sold. Paul spoke out against this ancient evil. He took the Lord’s golden rule (Matt. 7:12) and applied it to the master-slave relationship: “Masters, do the same things to them.” In defending the rights of slaves, Paul was centuries ahead of his time.
（C） Give up threatening. Don’t intimidate or bully your workers. Insecure bosses rule through intimidation, but servant-hearted leaders bring out the best in their staff.
If you are an under-pressure leader, the worst thing you can do is direct that pressure onto your subordinates. A more productive course of action is to send your cares and anxieties up the chain of command to the One who is Master of all (see Ps. 55:22).
(四) No partiality. God does not distinguish between masters and slaves, employers and employees (Col. 3:11). “There is neither slave nor free man, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).
God does not care if you are the senior partner or pastor. Titles mean nothing to him. You may be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, but in God’s eyes, your most junior employee is as precious to God as you. Treat them as such.
以弗所书 6:10
最后，要靠着主和他的大能而刚强。
（一种） Be strong in the Lord. Our strength comes from the Lord and not ourselves.
(二) Strong. The original verb (endunamoō) literally means empowered. It does not mean “work out to make yourself stronger,” but “be empowered with the Lord’s great power.” It’s learning to say, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Php. 4:13). Paul is not calling us to exercise spiritual discipline as though we were spiritual athletes with spiritual muscles. He’s calling us to rely on the Lord and his power, his strength, and his might. You don’t need spiritual muscles when you are relying on God’s great muscles. In the new covenant, God does the heavy lifting.
How do we get empowered? We get strength from knowing the Lord in our circumstances. “Let not the mighty man boast of his might… but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord” (Jer. 9:23–24).
（C） His might. We do not stand in our strength but in his mighty strength.
Our flesh is weak and frail, but through faith we can draw on the surpassing greatness of God’s power (Eph. 1:19). It is the supernatural grace of God that enables us to stand, endure, and overcome.
以弗所书 6:11
穿上神所赐的全副军装，就能抵挡魔鬼的诡计。
（一种） Put on. To put on the full armor of God is to put on Christ (Rom. 13:14) or put on the new self (Eph. 4:22–24). It is choosing to walk in the new way of the spirit instead of relying on the flesh. It is trusting in the might of the Lord rather than standing in your own strength or leaning on your own understanding.
(二) Full armor of God; 看 入口 for Eph. 6:13.
（C） Stand firm; 看 入口 for Eph. 6:13.
(四) Against; see next verse.
（五） Schemes of the devil. The devil’s schemes are intended to distract you from Jesus. The devil does not care whether you are good or bad, moral or immoral, as long as you are relying on the flesh instead of the Lord. He will use whatever bait he can to tempt you to look to yourself, your work, even your ministry if it means getting your eyes off the Lord. His aim is to separate you from Christ, who is your life, and render you ineffective and barren. In view of this, we need to stand firm in the Lord and resist his diabolical schemes.
The devil is a liar (John 8:44), a tempter (1 Th. 3:5), and a deceiver (Rev. 20:10), and that’s about it. He may dangle the bait, but you don’t have to take it. You don’t have to defeat him. (Jesus already did.) You don’t have to bind him. (Ditto.) Your part is to stand on the victory Christ has won.
进一步阅读：“What happens to Christians who stray?”
（F） The devil is also known as the tempter (Matt. 4:3, 1 Th. 3:5), the evil one (Matt. 13:38, 1 John 2:13), the accuser (Rev. 12:10), and Satan (Matt. 4:10). He is a fallen angel who disguises himself as an angel of light (Luke 10:18, 2 Cor. 11:14). Since the devil is a defeated and disarmed enemy (Heb. 2:14), his modus operandi is deception (Rev. 12:9, 20:10). Like a toothless lion, his growl is worse than his bite (1 Pet. 5:8). The only way he can exercise power over you is if you give it to him (e.g., by indulging in unrighteous anger (Eph. 4:26–27)).
以弗所书 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
（一种） Struggle。 原词（pale) means wrestling. We are engaged in spiritual combat with an enemy who seeks our downfall. We resist the enemy by putting on the full armor of God and standing firm in the Lord (see next verse).
Was Paul thinking of the seven sons of Sceva when he wrote these words? These men had a deliverance ministry, but when they came to Ephesus they got badly beaten by a demonized man (Acts 19:13–16). Since they didn’t know the Lord, they didn’t stand firm. They lost their wrestling match.
Humanity is in the middle of a spiritual war, and God has not left us without resources. He has given us the armor we need to stand our ground and protect those around us. “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4).
(二) Flesh and blood. People.
Your tyrant of a boss is not the enemy. Your indifferent workers are not the enemy. Your neighbors who petitioned the authorities to close your noisy church are not the enemy. When we are mistreated and abused, the temptation is to respond in kind. Instead of loving and praying for our enemies, we may be inclined to smite them, perpetuating the cycle of violence. But people are never the enemy. Our true enemy is the devil and his demons.
（C） Against. Six times in two verses Paul says “against” leaving us in no doubt that an enemy stands against us. Four ranks or types of satanic power are listed here: rulers or principalities (拱门)、权力或当局(埃克苏西亚）、世界势力或黑暗统治者（宇宙主义者），以及邪恶的精神力量（我会放). We can say little about these various powers, but we can be confident that they are no match for the believer who is standing firm in the full armor of God (see next verse).
(四) Rulers include the spiritual powers behind earthly authorities (e.g., kings, governors, judges, etc.). Although the Bible sometimes speaks of earthly rulers (Tit. 3:1), the context here implies spiritual rulers. “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood.”
（五） Powers include the spiritual powers behind various types of human power (e.g., political power, religious power, economic power, etc.).
（F） World forces of this darkness may include spiritual powers connected with specific territories (e.g., Dan. 10:20).
(g) The spiritual forces of wickedness may refer to evil spirits generally (e.g., demons). (The word forces is in italics because it is not in the original text and has been added for clarity by translators.) Paul is describing evil spiritual beings and no further details are provided.
(h) Heavenly places. The invisible, spiritual realm.
Although their influence is sometimes observed in the physical realm, the devil and his forces operate chiefly in the spiritual realm. The devil does not physically live in Pergamum, Washington D.C., or the Kremlin. His main sphere of operations is in the unseen spiritual realm. See also the 入口 for Eph. 1:20.
以弗所书 6:13
所以，要拿起神所赐的全副军装，使你在磨难的日子能够抵挡，并且成就了一切，还能站立得稳。
（一种） Take up, or put on (see Eph. 6:11).
(二) Full armor. Wear the whole outfit, not just bits and pieces.
A believer who is ignorant of their righteousness in Christ is not wearing the full armor of God. They may be wearing the helmet of salvation, but they haven’t put on his righteous breastplate. In the following verses, six pieces of armor are listed: a belt of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, gospel shoes, a shield of faith, a helmet of salvation, and a sword of the spirit. We need them all.
进一步阅读：“Are you wearing the full armor of God?“
（C） Armor of God. It is God’s armor we wear, not our own. We are clothed with his righteousness, his truth, and his salvation (Is. 59:16–17, 61:10). God’s armor is effective. When we put on his armor of light (Rom. 13:12), darkness flees.
(四) Resist. To resist the enemy is to oppose and reject his lies. It’s refusing to give him ground and standing firm in the grace of God (1 Pet. 5:12). It’s resisting the temptation to say, “God is testing me” (Jas. 1:13). We resist the enemy by submitting to God (Jas. 4:7). We lift up the name of the Lord and declare his good promises over ourselves and our families.
（五） The evil day. When trouble comes. In times of crisis, the temptation is to become anxious and fearful. A better response is to remember that God is for us and has given us all we need to stand firm.
（F） Having done everything. Having put on the full armor of God.
(g) Stand firm. Stay on your feet and don’t let the enemy knock you down.
Whole books have been written about spiritual warfare, but any struggle against the enemy is won by standing firm in the full armor of God. We don’t fight for victory but from the place of victory.
Christ is the conquering King (John 16:33, Col. 2:15, Heb. 2:14). A conqueror has to fight to get the victory, but we are more than conquerors because Christ has won the war (see 入口 for Rom. 8:37).
以弗所书 6:14
因此，要站稳，用真理束腰，戴上公义的胸甲，
（一种） 站稳; 见前一节。
(二) Loins with truth. Be encircled with the truth that is in Jesus (Eph. 4:21).
To be girded with truth is to interpret all things through the reality of Jesus Christ. It is being renewed in the spirit of your mind and refusing to conform to the broken reality of this evil age.
Truth is the first piece of armor because truth is a belt on which everything else hangs. If the enemy can deceive you, your other armor won’t matter. The devil will attack your grasp on truth by assailing you with lies—“Did God really say?”—and by telling you there is no truth—“There are many truths. There is your truth and my truth.” He will try to untie your belt of truth by glorifying doubt and uncertainty. The best response to his schemes is to take his lying thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ (see 入口 for 2 Cor. 10:5).
（C） Truth is defined by the One who is truth personified; see 入口 for Eph. 4:21.
(四) The breastplate of righteousness. A breastplate protects your heart from the devil’s accusations and reminds you that you are in right standing with the Lord.
The devil will accuse you of being a failure or not doing enough. Heed his lies and you may fall from grace into dead works of self-righteousness. We resist this temptation and guard our hearts by standing secure in the righteous affirmation of our Father’s love and acceptance. When the accuser points out your shortcomings, remind yourself, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus” (2 Cor. 5:21).
（五） 义 in the new covenant is the state of being right with God. If sin is missing the mark, righteousness is hitting the bullseye. It’s being able to say, “Because God has been good to me, I am good with God.” Our righteousness is not earned through passing some test or meeting some standard. True righteousness is a gift we receive by trusting in the One who is Righteous (Rom. 5:17). We are not made righteous because of the sacrifices we make, but on account of the sacrifice Christ made (Rom. 5:18–19, 2 Cor. 5:21).
看 入口 for Righteousness
以弗所书 6:15
并把和平福音的准备穿在你的脚上；
（一种） Feet. We stand unshakeable when we stand on the gospel of peace, because the gospel of peace reveals the peace-making God of peace (Rom. 15:33). God does not author confusion or send trials to unsettle us (1 Cor. 14:33, Jas. 1:13). But in the midst of our trials, he gives us peace and the grace to stand.
(二) Preparation. In readiness. We need to be established and settled in the peace of God if we are to stand firm in the evil day.
（C） The gospel of peace. When we proclaim the gospel of peace, we reveal the way of peace (Luke 1:79) which leads to the God of peace (Rom. 15:33). The way of peace lies through the cross (Col. 1:20). Through Jesus, the Prince of Peace, we have peace with God (Acts 10:36, Rom. 5:1).
(四) Peace. Into this turbulent and uncertain world, God releases his shalom-peace by giving us a Rock to cling to—himself. When the devil tries to unsettle us, we remind ourselves that God is for us and with us and in us. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).
以弗所书 6:16
除此之外，拿起信仰的盾牌，用它你将能够扑灭邪恶者的所有火焰箭。
（一种） In addition. In front of all. In all circumstances we stand by faith.
(二) Shield。 原词（苏雷奥斯) referred to a large oval shield such as were used by the Greek-speaking hoplites and later adapted by the Romans.
（C） 信仰 is trusting the Lord and distrusting those who gainsay him; see 入口 for Eph. 2:8.
(四) Extinguish all, not some. The enemy’s weapons are no match for the believer who is standing firm in the full armor of God. Spiritual attacks and persecution are to be expected (2 Tim. 3:12). But by the grace of God, you will win every battle. Your enemies will come at you in one direction and flee in seven (Deut. 28:7).
（五） Flaming arrows. The devil will pepper you with burning arrows because he wants to burn down all that God is building in your life—your marriage, your family, your good works, your harvest. Flaming arrows are little temptations and deceptions that, if not quickly extinguished, can ignite great conflagrations.
（F） 邪恶的那个 是魔鬼； 看 入口 for 1 John 2:13.
以弗所书 6:17
并戴上救恩的头盔和圣灵的宝剑，也就是神的话语。
（一种） Helmet. Most spiritual warfare takes place in the battlefield of your mind. Since we are facing a defeated foe (Col. 2:15), the only way Satan can succeed is if he gets you to take his side. Satan wants you to doubt your salvation and your Savior. He wants to fill your mind with cares and anxieties. Swallow his lies and fall for his schemes and you re-arm a disarmed enemy. We stand firm by wearing the helmet of salvation. We remind ourselves that our eternal salvation is guaranteed by God’s grace and not ourselves (Eph. 2:8–9). Our mighty Savior saves and keeps us secure to the end (John 10:28, 1 Cor. 1:8).
(二) 救恩. The original word for salvation means deliverance or rescue. Jesus is the great Deliverer who rescues us from our enemies (Luke 1:71) and delivers us from the evil day (Eph. 6:13).
看 入口 为救恩。
（C） 灵魂之剑. Your spiritual sword is the word of God in your heart and upon your lips. It is a most effective weapon because the word of God has creative, life-giving power (Is. 55:11, Heb. 4:12).
(四) Word. The original noun (rhema) means utterance or spoken word. Jesus refuted the devil’s lies by speaking the word of God (see Luke 4:4). In the same way, we resist the enemy’s lies and accusations by speaking forth the word of God.
以弗所书 6:18
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
（一种） All prayer. All kinds of prayer.
Prayer is conversing with God. Prayer may take a variety of forms (supplication, intercession, praying in a tongue, etc.), but it is usually accompanied with thanksgiving (Eph. 1:16, Col. 4:2). Prayer is a remedy for anxiety and the means by which we access the peace of God (Php. 4:6–7). Prayer is a most productive use of your time. Prayer is not a work but a rest, yet prayer is how things get done in the economy of grace. When we humble ourselves in prayer and align ourselves with God’s will, we position ourselves to receive from the abundance of his grace.
(二) Petition. Specific requests and entreaties. To make petition is to ask God for aid or wisdom.
（C） 时刻祈祷 does not mean praying long-winded or repetitious prayers (Matt. 6:7). It means living in a posture of prayer and supplication. Prayer is a lifestyle. To “pray without ceasing” is to live with a prayerful attitude (1 Th. 5:17). It’s bringing your troubles, questions, and concerns to your Father knowing that he cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7).
(四) In the spirit. Pray as the Holy Spirit leads.
To pray in the spirit is the opposite of religious praying. It’s keeping our spiritual antenna directed to the Holy Spirit and allowing him to guide us as we pray. “We do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us” (Rom. 8:26).
（五） Be on the alert. Prayer is a two-way street. Lean into the Spirit and hear what the Lord has to say. Pray the words that the Holy Spirit gives you.
（F） Perseverance. Be diligent about this because prayer changes things.
If you have not received your breakthrough, don’t give up. Keep praying. Don’t imagine that God is like an unjust judge who can be pestered into action through importunate prayer (Luke 18:1–8). But pray with the confidence that God hears your prayers, even the short ones (1 John 5:14–15). Your heavenly Father is caring, compassionate, and keen to help. He is not irritated by your prayers; he welcomes them. “Ask, and it will be given” (Matt. 7:7).
(g) The saints. In another letter, Paul exhorts us to pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1–2), but here he encourages us to pray for our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Pray for the family of God that we might know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge and be filled with the fullness of God (Eph. 3:17–19).
以弗所书 6:19
并为我祷告，使我能开口说出福音的奥秘，
（一种） Pray; 见前一节。
(二) Pray on my behalf. Paul wanted the Ephesians to pray for him. He considered their prayers to be no less effective than his own. He understood that God hears the prayers of all his children (1 John 5:14).
（C） Utterance. The words to say.
Although he was under house arrest in Rome, Paul had many opportunities to speak to visitors and court officials (Acts 28:23, 30–31). He trusted the Lord to give him the words to speak. He knew that the right word spoken at the right time had the power to set captives free.
(四) The opening of my mouth. Paul was called to preach and proclaim the gospel (Eph. 3:8).
（五） With boldness. With confidence and clarity (Col. 4:3–4).
（F） Mystery. A secret that is made known through revelation (Eph. 3:3).
(g) 福音的奥秘 is that God is with us and for us and desires to be in spiritual union with us (Col. 1:27). Religion portrays God as distant and aloof, but Jesus Christ reveals a God who loves us like a Father and wants to share his life with us, both Jew and Gentile alike (Eph. 3:4–6).
(h) 福音; 看 入口 for Eph. 1:13.
Ephesians 6:20
for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
（一种） Ambassador. Ambassadors act on behalf of, and in the place of, another. As believers, we speak in the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. In our ambassadorial role, we bring a message from the One who sent us: “Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20).
(二) Ambassador in chains. Like a carrier pigeon with clipped wings, an ambassador in chains is an unfortunate picture. Ambassadors are meant to go, but Paul had to stay. For five years he was confined (two years in a Judean prison, two years under Roman house arrest, and the better part of a year traveling between the two). It would have been immensely frustrating for the church planter to be confined. At times, Paul had a positive spin on it. “God’s word is not chained” (2 Tim. 2:9). But here, he understandably asks for prayers.
Whether at liberty or in bonds, Paul saw himself as Christ’s ambassador or representative to all people and especially the Gentiles (Acts 9:15, Gal. 2:9).
（C） Chains. During his two years in Rome, Paul was subject to the custodia militaris, or military custody, whereby Roman citizens lived under the supervision of a Roman soldier. During this time Paul was chained to his guard (Acts 28:16, 20).
Ephesians 6:21
But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.
（一种） My circumstances. My confinement and imminent trial before Caesar.
(二) Tychicus of Asia was part of a ministry group that traveled with Paul (Acts 20:4). A trusted friend, Tychicus carried Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and another letter to the Colossians (Col. 4:7–8). He probably delivered both letters at the same time. Traveling from Rome, he may have disembarked at the port of Ephesus leaving the first letter there, before proceeding on foot up the Lycus valley to Colossae. It’s possible that the first letter, the one we know as Ephesians, followed him by a roundabout route before landing in Laodicea, just down the road from Colossae. Perhaps the second letter, the one we know as Colossians, made the same journey but in the opposite direction.
（C） Faithful minister. To be faithful means you can’t quit. You may want to quit. You might be tempted to give up and throw in the towel, and you may even fall down from time to time. In your failures it may seem as though the devil has knocked you out of the fight. But the powerful grace of God within you will not let you stay down for long. Although “the righteous fall seven times, they rise again” (Pro. 24:16).
In both this letter and the one sent to the Colossians, Paul praises Tychicus for being a faithful servant or minister (Col. 4:7). It is possible that Tychicus suffered hardships and discouragement on his travels. But by the grace of God, he was able to complete his mission and deliver his two letters. How do we know? We are still reading them today.
(四) Make everything known. “Tychicus will explain anything you don’t understand in my letter.” Tychicus was much more than a letter-carrier. He was the first interpreter of Paul’s letters to the Ephesians and Colossians.
Ephesians 6:22
I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.
（一种） Know about us. Tychicus would pass along news about Paul and also Aristarchus, another of Paul’s traveling companions and a fellow prisoner, and Mark, Barnabas’s cousin, who was with Paul in Rome (Col. 4:10).
(二) Comfort your hearts. The Ephesians would have been troubled by the news of Paul’s imprisonment. Paul’s letter, and a good report from Tychicus, would bring them comfort.
以弗所书 6:23
愿平安、仁爱从父神和主耶稣基督归与弟兄们。
（一种） Peace. Because of Jesus, we can enjoy peace with God and each other (Eph. 2:14). We can have harmonious relationships with Christian brothers and sisters who are from different cultures and backgrounds.
(二) 弟兄会. In the New Testament, the word brethren typically refers to Christian brothers and sisters (see 入口 for Heb. 2:11).
（C） 带着信心的爱，来自神. Here are three things we receive from God; peace, love, and faith. When you know how much God loves you, he is easy to trust, and when you have settled this matter in your heart—that your loving Father is completely trustworthy—you will have peace.
(四) Father; 看 入口 for Eph. 1:2.
Ephesians 6:24
Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.
（一种） 优雅. Paul ends his letter the way he starts it, with a gracious salutation (see Eph. 1:2). Everything Paul wrote was bracketed by the grace of Jesus. Grace is what makes the good news, good news. May the grace of God be upon you as you read these words.
(二) 主耶稣基督. As he has said consistently throughout this letter, Jesus is the Christ or anointed one and the Lord above all; see 入口 for Eph. 1:2.
（C） Incorruptible or undying love. Human love is brittle, but the love of God which has been poured out into our hearts is incorruptible and imperishable.
There is a sad irony in this final verse. As it happened, the Ephesians did not love the Lord with an incorruptible love. Sometime after this letter was sent, false teachers infiltrated the churches in Asia prompting Paul to write more letters. These letters were sent to Timothy who had become the pastor of the church in Ephesus. In his letters, Paul named two men who had caused “all in Asia” to turn away from him and his message (2 Tim. 1:15). Then some years after that, Jesus himself sent a message to the Ephesian church via the apostle John. The Lord told the Ephesians that they had left their first love, which is to say they were no longer abiding in the love of God (Rev. 2:4). The remedy was to remember the height from which they had fallen and do the deeds they did at first (Rev. 2:5). In other words, the Ephesians needed to remember how they responded when they first heard the good news of God’s love.
The words of Jesus and Paul to the Ephesians are for us all. To grow, we need to abide in the incorruptible love of God and walk daily in his grace. It is an exhortation that remains as relevant today as it was then.
《恩典评论》是一项正在进行中的工作，并定期添加新内容。 注册下面的不定期更新。 有建议吗？ 请使用反馈页。 要报告此页面上的拼写错误或损坏的链接，请使用下面的评论表。
“The Grace Commentary is full of God’s love notes to us.” We’re building the world’s first grace-based Bible commentary. Join the team and your support will help us complete the Grace Commentary and offer versions in multiple formats and languages.