Ephesians 6:20

Ephesians 6:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
• New International Version (NIV)for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
• English Standard Version (ESV)for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
• New King James Version (NKJV)for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Context of Ephesians 6:20

18Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. 19And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should. 21To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.

Ephesians 6:20 word by word

ὑπὲρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• I am an ambassadorπρεσβεύωpresbeuō · be ambassadorG4243
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• bondsἅλυσιςhalusis · chainG254
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• ·αὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• I may speak boldlyπαρρησιάζομαιparrhēsiazomai · to preach boldlyG3955
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• oughtδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• to speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980

Cross-references for Ephesians 6:20

• Proverbs 13:17An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing.
• Isaiah 33:7But now your brave warriors weep in public. Your ambassadors of peace cry in bitter disappointment.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
• Ephesians 3:1When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . .
• Ephesians 4:1Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
• 2 Samuel 10:2David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death. But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon,
• Acts 26:29Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”
• Acts 28:20I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could explain to you that I am bound with this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel—the Messiah—has already come.”
• Philippians 1:7So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.
• 2 Timothy 1:16May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in chains.
• 2 Timothy 2:9And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained.
• Philemon 1:10I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison.
• Ephesians 6:19And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.
• Isaiah 58:1“Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins!
• Jeremiah 1:7The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.
• Ezekiel 2:4They are a stubborn and hard-hearted people. But I am sending you to say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’

Commentaries on Ephesians 6:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20An ambassador in bonds - An ambassador being the representative of his king, his person was in all civilized countries held sacred. Contrary to the rights of nations, this ambassador of the King of heaven was put in chains! He had however the opportunity of defending himself, and of vindicating the honor of his Master. See above. As I ought to speak - As becomes the dignity and the importance of the subject.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20For which I am an ambassador in bonds - In chains (see the margin); or in confinement. There is something especially touching in this. He was “an ambassador” - sent to proclaim peace to a lost world. But he was now in chains. An ambassador is a sacred character. No greater affront can be given to a nation than to put its ambassadors to death, or even to throw them into prison. But Paul says here that the unusual spectacle was witnessed of an ambassador…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-24Verses 19-24 The gospel was a mystery till made known by Divine revelation; and it is the work of Christ's ministers to declare it. The best and most eminent ministers need the prayers of believers. Those particularly should be prayed for, who are exposed to great hardships and perils in their work. Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith. By peace, understand all manner of peace; peace with God, peace of conscience, peace among themselves. And the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-20Paul's mission was to help non-Jews (Gentiles) understand they are now accepted by God and welcomed into God's church. the mystery of the gospel: See study notes on 1:8–10; 3:3. I am an ambassador in chains: Although writing as a prisoner (see 3:1; 4:1), Paul knew his role as God's ambassador was to continue speaking boldly for God (compare 2 Corinthians 5:20) .Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. For--Greek, as in Ep 6:19, "On behalf of which." an ambassador in bonds--a paradox. Ambassadors were held inviolable by the law of nations, and could not, without outrage to every sacred right, be put in chains. Yet Christ's "ambassador is in a chain!" The Greek is singular. The Romans used to bind a prisoner to a soldier by a single chain, in a kind of free custody. So Ac 28:16, 20, "I am bound with this chain." The term, "bonds" (plural), on the…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 6:20

• Ambassadors
• Gospel
• Intercession
• Minister, Christian
• Wisdom
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Ambassador
• Chain
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Nurture
• Obey
• Provoke
• Wrestle
• Chain; Chains
• Ephesians, Epistle to the
• Justification

Commentaries on Ephesians 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings