Ephesians 6:12–13

6:12 For our struggle22 is not against flesh and blood,23 but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness,24 against the spiritual forces25 of evil in the heavens.26 6:13 For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground27 on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand.

22	tn BDAG 752 s.v. πάλη says, “struggle against … the opponent is introduced by πρός w. the acc.”
23	tn Grk “blood and flesh.”
24	tn BDAG 561 s.v. κοσμοκράτωρ suggests “the rulers of this sinful world” as a gloss. sn 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.
25	tn BDAG 837 s.v. πνευματικός 3 suggests “the spirit-forces of evil” in Ephesians 6:12.
26	sn 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.
27	tn The term ἀνθίστημι (anthistēmi) carries the idea of resisting or opposing something or someone (BDAG 80 s.v.). In Eph 6:13, when used in combination with στῆναι (stēnai; cf. also στῆτε [stēte] in v. 14) and in a context of battle imagery, it seems to have the idea of resisting, standing firm, and being able to stand your ground.