Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Study Note
Study Note
The declaration 'for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms' redefines the fundamental arena of Christian conflict. The fourfold list of opponents uses Greco-Roman administrative terminology for levels of imperial authority, applied here to spiritual rather than human structures of power. The verse is the theological basis for the 'armor of God' passage (verses 13-17), which provides not military weapons but the attributes of God's own character. Pauline scholarship debates how literally Paul intended this spiritual cosmology and how it relates to structural social evil; the verse remains generative for Christian social ethics, spiritual warfare theology, and political theology.
Other Translations
For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
because we have not the wrestling with blood and flesh, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual things of the evil in the heavenly places;
For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against authorities and powers, against the world-rulers of this dark night, against the spirits of evil in the heavens.
Cross References
And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to …
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar–jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it …
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and …
When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your …
Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, …
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things …
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a …