The Meaning of Ephesians 6:20 Explained

Ephesians 6:20

KJV: For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

YLT: for which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may speak freely -- as it behoveth me to speak.

Darby: for which I am an ambassador bound with a chain, that I may be bold in it as I ought to speak.

ASV: for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  which  I am an ambassador  in  bonds:  that  therein  I may speak boldly,  as  I  ought  to speak. 

What does Ephesians 6:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Ephesians 6:13-24 - "finally, Be Strong In The Lord"
Many would be strong, but fail because they forget that they can be effectively so only "in the Lord, and in the strength of His might." Paul had a very vivid conception of the powerful forces that are arrayed against the Church. He is not dealing here especially with our personal temptations, but with those hosts of wicked spirits that lie behind the evil of the world. It is probable that the vast systems which oppose the gospel-the philosophies, temples, and priests of false religions; the trade in strong drink, impurity, and like evils; and such iniquitous institutions as the system of indentured slavery-are directly promoted and furthered by the agency of evil spirits in arms against God.
We must be pure and holy, if we are to prevail against evil; and especially must we give ourselves to prayer. To prevail in this warfare we must diligently employ the weapon of all prayer. Tychicus carried this letter. He was faithful to the end, Acts 20:4; 2 Timothy 4:12. The Epistle closes, as it began, with uncorrupted, that is, pure and eternal, love. Alford says, "This is the only truth worthy to be the crown and climax of this glorious Epistle." [source]

Chapter Summary: Ephesians 6

1  The duty of children toward their parents;
5  of servants toward their masters
10  Our life is a warfare, not only against flesh and blood, but also spiritual enemies
13  The complete armor of a Christian;
18  and how it ought to be used
21  Tychicus is commended

Greek Commentary for Ephesians 6:20

For which I am an ambassador in chains [υπερ ου πρεσβευω εν αλυσει]
“For which mystery” of the gospel (Ephesians 6:19). Πρεσβευω — Presbeuō is an old word for ambassador (from πρεσβυς — presbus an old man) in N.T. only here and 2 Corinthians 5:20. Paul is now an old man Paul will wear a chain at the close of his life in Rome (2 Timothy 1:16). [source]
In it [εν αυτωι]
In the mystery of the gospel. This is probably a second purpose See note on 1 Thessalonians 2:2. See note on Colossians 4:4 for “as I ought.” [source]
I am an ambassador in bonds [πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει]
The verb to be an ambassador occurs only here and 2 Corinthians 5:20. See on Philemon 1:9. In bonds, lit., in a chain: the particular word for the coupling-chain by which he was bound to the hand of his guard. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Ephesians 6:20

2 Corinthians 5:20 We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ [υπερ Χριστου ουν πρεσβευομεν]
Old word from πρεσβυς — presbus an old man, first to be an old man, then to be an ambassador (here and Ephesians 6:20 with εν αλυσηι — en halusēi in a chain added), common in both senses in the Greek. “The proper term in the Greek East for the Emperor‘s Legate” (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 374), in inscriptions and papyri. So Paul has a natural pride in using this dignified term for himself and all ministers. The ambassador has to be persona grata with both countries (the one that he represents and the one to which he goes). Paul was Christ‘s Legate to act in his behalf and in his stead. [source]
Philippians 1:13 In all the palace [ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ πραιτωρίῳ]
Rev., throughout the whole praetorian guard. So Lightfoot, Dwight, Farrar. This appears to be the correct rendering. The other explanations are, the imperial residence on the Palatine, so A.V.; the praetorian barracks attached to the palace, so Eadie, Ellicott, Lumby, and Alford; the praetortan camp on the east of the city, so Meyer. The first explanation leaves the place of Paul's confinement uncertain. It may have been in the camp of the Praetorians, which was large enough to contain within its precincts lodgings for prisoners under military custody, so that Paul could dwell “in his own hired house,” Acts 28:30. This would be difficult to explain on the assumption that Paul was confined in the barracks or within the palace precincts. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
The Praetorians, forming the imperial guard, were picked men, ten thousand in number, and all of Italian birth. The body was instituted by Augustus and was called by him praetoriae cohortes, praetorian cohorts, in imitation of the select troop which attended the person of the praetor or Roman general. Augustus originally stationed only three thousand of them, three cohorts, at Rome, and dispersed the remainder in the adjacent Italian towns. Under Tiberius they were all assembled at Rome in a fortified camp. They were distinguished by double pay and special privileges. Their term of service was originally twelve years, afterward increased to sixteen. On completing his term, each soldier received a little over eight hundred dollars. They all seem to have had the same rank as centurions in the regular legions. They became the most powerful body in the state; the emperors were obliged to court their favor, and each emperor on his accession was expected to bestow on them a liberal donative. After the death of Pertinax (a.d. 193) they put up the empire at public sale, and knocked it down to Didius Julianus. They were disbanded the same year on the accession of Severus, and were banished; but were restored by that emperor on a new plan, and increased to four times their original number. They were finally suppressed by Constantine. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
The apostle was under the charge of these troops, the soldiers relieving each other in mounting guard over the prisoner, who was attached to his guard's hand by a chain. In the allusion to his bonds, Ephesians 6:20, he uses the specific word for the coupling-chain. His contact with the different members of the corps in succession, explains the statement that his bonds had become manifest throughout the praetorian guard. [source]

Colossians 4:4 That I may make it manifest [ἵνα φανερώσω]
Compare speak boldly, Ephesians 6:20. That connects with the clause that God-Christ. [source]
Colossians 4:18 My bonds [μου των δεσμων]
Genitive case with μνεμονευετε — mnemoneuete (remember). The chain (εν αλυσει — en halusei Ephesians 6:20) clanked afresh as Paul took the pen to sign the salutation. He was not likely to forget it himselfsa120 [source]
1 Thessalonians 2:2 We waxed bold [ἐπαρρησιασάμεθα]
Only once elsewhere in Paul, Ephesians 6:20. Frequent in Acts. Always in N.T. in connection with speaking. Derived from πᾶν everyand ῥῆσις speakingHence παρρησία boldnessbold speaking out of every word. The noun is very often used adverbially, as παρρησίᾳ boldlyor openly, Mark 8:32; see also John 18:20. In Acts always μετὰ παρρησίας withboldness, comp. Hebrews 4:16. Ἑν παρρησίᾳ inboldness, John 7:4; John 16:29; Ephesians 6:19; Philemon 1:20. Both the verb and the noun are found in lxx. See Leviticus 26:13; Proverbs 10:10; Wisd. 5:1; Sirach 6:11. [source]
2 Timothy 1:16 Chain [ἅλυσιν]
Once in Paul, Ephesians 6:20. Several times in Mark, Luke, and Acts. It may mean handcuffs or manacles (see Lightfoot, Philippians, ed. of 1896, page 8), but is not limited to that sense either in classical or later Greek. See Hdt. ix. 74; Eurip. Orest. 984. Mark 5:4is not decisive. [source]
2 Timothy 1:16 Unto the house of Onesiphorus [τωι Ονησιπορου οικωι]
The same phrase in 2 Timothy 4:19. Apparently Onesiphorus is now dead as is implied by the wish in 2 Timothy 1:18. For he oft refreshed me (οτι πολλακις με ανεπσυχεν — hoti pollakis me anepsuxen). First aorist active indicative of αναπσυχω — anapsuchō old verb, to cool again, in lxx and Koiné{[28928]}š often, here only in N.T., but αναπσυχις — anapsuxis in Acts 3:20. In the first imprisonment or the second. If he lost his life for coming to see Paul, it was probably recently during this imprisonment. Was not ashamed of my chain Passive deponent again (first aorist indicative) with accusative as in 2 Timothy 1:8. For αλυσιν — halusin (chain) see note on Ephesians 6:20. Note absence of augment in επαισχυντη — epaischunthē f0). [source]
2 Timothy 1:16 Was not ashamed of my chain [αλυσιν μου ουκ επαισχυντη]
Passive deponent again (first aorist indicative) with accusative as in 2 Timothy 1:8. For αλυσιν — halusin (chain) see note on Ephesians 6:20. Note absence of augment in επαισχυντη — epaischunthē f0). [source]
Philemon 1:9 Paul the aged [Παυλος πρεσβυτης]
Paul is called νεανιας — neanias (a young man) at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58). He was perhaps a bit under sixty now. Hippocrates calls a man πρεσβυτης — presbutēs from 49 to 56 and γερων — gerōn after that. The papyri use πρεσβυτης — presbutēs for old man as in Luke 1:18 of Zacharias and in Titus 2:2. But in Ephesians 6:20 Paul says πρεσβευω εν αλυσει — presbeuō en halusei (I am an ambassador in a chain). Hence Lightfoot holds that here πρεσβυτης — presbutēs = πρεσβευτης — presbeutēs because of common confusion by the scribes between υ — u and ευ — eu In the lxx four times the two words are used interchangeably. There is some confusion also in the papyri and the inscriptions. Undoubtedly ambassador (πρεσβευτης — presbeutēs) is possible here as in Ephesians 6:20 (πρεσβευω — presbeuō) though there is no real reason why Paul should not term himself properly “Paul the aged.” [source]

What do the individual words in Ephesians 6:20 mean?

for which I am an ambassador in a chain that it I may be bold as it behooves me to speak
ὑπὲρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει ἵνα αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι

πρεσβεύω  I  am  an  ambassador 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: πρεσβεύω  
Sense: to be older, prior by birth or in age.
ἁλύσει  a  chain 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἅλυσις  
Sense: a chain, bond by which the body or any part of it (hands, feet) is bound.
ἵνα  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
παρρησιάσωμαι  I  may  be  bold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Middle, 1st Person Singular
Root: παρρησιάζομαι  
Sense: to use freedom in speaking, be free spoken.
δεῖ  it  behooves 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δεῖ  
Sense: it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper.
με  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
λαλῆσαι  to  speak 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.