Eph 6:12 | NETfull | STEP | For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

Ephesians 6:12

12 For our struggle ^{▼▼ BDAG 752 s.v. πάλη says, “struggle against…the opponent is introduced by πρός w. the acc.”} is not against flesh and blood, ^{▼▼ Grk “blood and flesh.”} but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, ^{▼▼ BDAG 561 s.v. κοσμοκράτωρ suggests “the rulers of this sinful world” as a gloss.} ^{▼▼ The phrase world-rulers of this darkness does not refer to human rulers but the evil spirits that rule over the world. The phrase thus stands in apposition to what follows (the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens); see note on heavens at the end of this verse.} against the spiritual forces ^{▼▼ BDAG 837 s.v. πνευματικός 3 suggests “the spirit-forces of evil” in Ephesians 6:12.} of evil in the heavens. ^{▼▼ The phrase spiritual forces of evil in the heavens serves to emphasize the nature of the forces which oppose believers as well as to indicate the locality from which they originate.}