Ephesians 6:13
“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
King James Version (KJV)
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This verse caps the introduction to the armor passage (6:10-20), repeating the command of verse 11 before Paul names each piece of armor in detail in the verses that follow.
What Does Ephesians 6:13 Mean?
Having described the spiritual nature of the conflict, Paul repeats his central command with added urgency: "take unto you the whole armour of God." Because the struggle is real and the enemy formidable, the believer must take up everything God provides -- the complete armor, not a selective few pieces. The repetition drives the point home. This is not optional equipment for the spiritually ambitious; it is the necessary provision for everyone who would stand. And again the armor is God's, supplied by Him, which is exactly why it is sufficient for a battle beyond human strength.
The purpose appears in two phrases. First, "that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day" -- there are days of particular testing, when pressure and temptation intensify, and the believer must be ready to resist rather than collapse. Second, and beautifully, "having done all, to stand." The repeated word is "stand." The goal of the whole armor is not conquest in the sense of advancing to seize new ground, but to hold the ground already won -- to remain standing when the assault is over. After everything has been faced and done, the one who has put on God's armor is still standing. For the reader, this is a picture of faithful endurance. The aim is to stay on your feet, to remain firm in faith through the hardest days, and by God's provision still to be standing when the trial has passed.
In the Original Language
The Greek "anthistemi" (withstand) means to stand against or resist. "Histemi" (stand) is repeated for emphasis, stressing the goal of holding firm.
Cross References
“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”
- 1 Corinthians 16:13
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
- James 4:7
“Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”
- 1 Peter 5:9
Application
Prepare now for the harder days that will come. Take up all that God provides so that, when testing intensifies, you can resist and remain standing rather than fall.