“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.”
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 — the cosmic disclosure: palē ('wrestling,' 'struggle') not against sarx kai haima ('flesh and blood,' human opponents), but archē, exousia, kosmokrator, pneumatika ponēria ('rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, spiritual wickedness'), establishing the true enemy as demonic powers.
Church Fathers on Ephesians 6:12
“For our wrestling is not,” says he, “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.” Having stimulated them by the character of the conflict, he next goes on to arouse them also by the prizes set before them. For what is his argument? Having said that the enemies are fierce, he adds further, that they despoil us of vast blessings. What…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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