stand. NKJV Therefore, the believers’ response to the reality of this warfare should be to take up the whole armor of God. The armor is ready for us; we merely need to take it. This changes the clothing metaphor slightly from 4:24, where Paul had instructed the believers to “put on” the new self. “Take up” is a technical military term describing preparation for battle. The armor is available, but the believer-soldier must “take it up” in order to be ready. We would be neglectful to do otherwise,
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