Ephesians 6:12 (WEB)
For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Fathers and councils · 55
Origen
- Origen, Against Celsus VIII.34Book VIII
“…flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment - Origen, De Principiis III.3Book III
“…flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
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Gregory of Nyssa
“And so Paul wrestles “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” while the Spirit of power does not strengthen the combatants nor distribute to them His gifts, “dividing to every man severally as He will,” but His…” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
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Irenaeus of Lyons
“…the earth, and that every tongue should confess” to Him, and that He should execute just judgment towards all; that He may send “spiritual wickednesses,” and the angels who transgressed and became apostates, together with the ungodly, and unrighteous, and wicked, and profane among men, into everlasting fire; but…” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
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Jerome
“And to the Ephesians:“Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“…said that the emotions can be subdued and governed, not extirpated, and Cicero’s five books of “Tusculan Disputations” are full of these discussions.According to the Apostle, the weakness of the body and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places fight against us.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment““For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12, R.V.
Read the whole comment“…passion of our Lord and Saviour, it may indeed be overbold to suppose that He will suffer in heaven; yet if there is spiritual wickedness in heavenly places and if we confess without a blush that the Lord has once been crucified to destroy those things which He has destroyed by His passion; why need we fear to…” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“They had conquered physical force, she had mastered spiritual iniquities.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
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Tertullian
“Yet they affirm that the devil is the work of the Demiurge, and they call him Munditenens (Ruler of the World), and maintain that, as he is of a spiritual nature, he has a better knowledge of the things above than the Demiurge, an animal being.” — editor's note: Irenæus’ word is Κοσμοκράτωρ; see also Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“But ours are other thews and other sinews, just as our contests withal are other; we whose “wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the world’s power, against the spiritualities of malice.”” — editor's note: Mundi: cf. κοσμοκράτορας, Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“But as our struggle lies against “the rulers of this world,” what a host of Creator Gods there must be!” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“These were the ingenious arts of “spiritual wickednesses,” wherewith we also, my brethren, may fairly expect to have “to wrestle,” as necessary for faith, that the elect may be made manifest, (and) that the reprobate may be discovered.” — editor's note: See Eph. vi. 12, and 1 Cor. xi. 18.
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Catena Aurea on John
- Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
“(Eph. 6:12) Or, as He immediately adds by way of explanation, this darkness, meaning, the ungodly.” — the author cites it
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John Cassian
- John Cassian, Conferences I–X VII.21Conference VII
“…against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places;” and this too: “So fight I, not as one that beateth the air;” and again: “I have fought a good fight”?” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12; 1 Cor. ix. 26; 2 Tim. iv. 7.
Read the whole comment - John Cassian, Conferences I–X VII.32Conference VII
“…are called lions, dragons, scorpions in the gospel, and are named by the Apostle the prince of this world, rulers of this darkness, and spirits of wickedness.” — editor's note: Cf. Is. xiii. 21, 22; xxxiv. 13, 15; Ps. xc. (xci.) 13; S. Luke x. 19; S. John xiv. 30; Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment - John Cassian, Conferences I–X VII.33Conference VII
“…flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against spirits of wickedness in heavenly places:” but we want to know whence comes such a difference between them, or how such grades of wickedness exist?” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment - John Cassian, Conferences I–X VIII.2Conference VIII
“…flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places:” and again: “Neither angels nor principalities nor powers nor any other creature, can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment - John Cassian, Conferences I–X VIII.14Conference VIII
“…the Pharisees in their blasphemy: “He casteth out devils by Beelzebub the prince of the devils,” for we find that they are also called “rulers of darkness,” and that one of them is styled “the prince of this world.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment - John Cassian, Conferences XI–XVII XIII.14Conference XIII
“…flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment “…against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against world-rulers of this darkness, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“…against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against world-rulers of this darkness, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
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Catena Aurea on Luke
- Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
“For we fight against spiritual wickedness in high places; (Eph. 6:12.) but there presses upon us a multitude also of other enemies, fleshly lust, the law of sin raging in our members, and various passions, that is, a dreadful multitude of enemies.” — the author cites it
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Cyprian of Carthage
“…ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one; and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12–17.
Read the whole comment“…which ye may extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12–17.
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Augustine of Hippo
“…other enemies we are taught to know, those against whom we fight invisibly, of whom the Apostle warneth us, saying, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood,” that is, against men; not against those whom ye see, but against those whom ye see not; “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the…” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“…words of this Psalm: “Know ye that for us the wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against princes and powers, and spiritual things of wickedness,” that is, against the devil and his angels; because even when we suffer men that annoy us, he is instigating, he is inflaming, as it were his vessels he is…” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“For who are these enemies, but they of whom the Apostle saith, “Ye have not wrestling against flesh and blood.”…Against the devil and his angels we are waging hostilities.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“These are they of whom the Apostle speaks: “Ye wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“But the Apostle saith, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against,”…he saith, “spiritual wickedness in high places;” that is, the devil and his angels; that devil whom elsewhere he calleth “the prince of the power of the air.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“Hear the Apostle saying, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood:” as though he would say, Turn not your hatred against men; think not them your enemies; think not that it is by their hostility you are being bruised; these men whom ye fear are flesh and blood.…“For they are strengthened over me.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“Observe, I beseech you, for among them ye are in peril, among their tongues ye fight against the desires of your flesh, among their tongues, set in the hand of the devil wherewith he fighteth.…What vanity hath their mouth spoken, and how is their right hand a right hand of iniquity?” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“But sins are darkness, as the Apostle saith of the devil and his angels, that they are “rulers of this darkness.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“By the members upon earth he means spiritual wickedness: for he goes on to expound it, “Covetousness, uncleanness,” and the rest which he there follows out.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“…to be pitied, rather than to be feared, but against those against whom the Apostle exhorts us to arm ourselves: “We wrestle not against flesh and blood;” that is, against men whom ye see raging against you.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“The apostle knew of certain spiritual things [powers], of wickedness in heavenly places, against which he testifies that we have to maintain a struggle; and there would not be spiritual wickednesses, were there not also wicked spirits.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“And in what sense the devil is to be understood as the prince of the world, is still more clearly unfolded by the Apostle Paul, who, after saying, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood,” that is, against men, went on to say, “but against principalities and powers, and the world-rulers of this darkness.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12: Augustin, rectores mundi tenebrarum harum; original, τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου.
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Athanasius of Alexandria
“…Paul saith; ‘We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities, with powers, with the rulers of this dark world, with wicked spirits in heaven.’” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“For we have terrible and crafty foes—the evil spirits—and against them we wrestle, as the Apostle said, “Not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“There then he passed his life, and endured such great wrestlings, ‘Not against flesh and blood,’ as it is written, but against opposing demons, as we learned from those who visited him.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
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John Chrysostom
“Paul, describing this war, says, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood.” ( Eph. vi. 12.)” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“Yes, for a grievous conflict is at hand, and against the powers unseen is our wrestling; against “the spiritual wickednesses”our fight, “against principalities, against powers” our warfare: and it is well for us, if when we are earnest and sober and thoroughly awakened, we can be able to sustain that savage phalanx.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“As Paul then, when he saith, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood,”doth so not to cast down, but to rouse up the spirits of the soldiers: even so He also, to shake the travellers out of their sleep, called the way rough.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12. [R.V., “our wrestling is not,” etc.—R.]
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Catena Aurea on Mark
- JeromeCatena Aurea on Mark
“It goes on: “And James the son of Alphaeus,” that is, of ‘the learned,’ or ‘the thousandth,’ beside whom a thousand will fall. [Ps 91:7] This other James is he, whose wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness. [Eph 6:12]” — the author cites it
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Basil the Great
“…and overthrowing the prince of the darkness of this world, and the spiritual powers of iniquity, with whom, as the blessed Apostle says, is “our wrestling.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
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Ambrose of Milan
“But since “our contest is not against flesh and blood, but also” (which is worse) “against spiritual wickedness in high places,” that tempter the devil makes the struggle harder by means of his servants, and thinks to make trial of me by the wounds of my flesh.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“Worthy indeed was he to be gazed upon by Angels, when he was striving to attain the prize of Christ, when he was striving to lead on earth the life of Angels, and overcome the wickedness of spirits in heaven, for he wrestled with spiritual wickedness.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“For when we read that our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual hosts of wickedness, which are in high places, we ought not to think of weapons of the flesh, but of such as are mighty before God.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
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Gregory of Nazianzus
“…can know, but as far as I, and men like myself can perceive, there are two: one, that it may inherit the glory above by means of a struggle and wrestling with things below, being tried as gold in the fire by things here, and gain the objects of our hope as a prize of virtue, and not merely as the gift of God.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
“For they knew by what Jesus had taught them that human nature is readily turned to evil, and is in continual struggle with “the rulers of the darkness of this world;” [Eph 6:12] whence they ask as in fear, for by reason of our weakness the future is an object of dread to us.” — the author cites it
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Leo the Great
“…is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this dark world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly things,” and let us not forget that these our enemies feel it is against them all is done that we strive to do for our salvation, and that by the very fact of our…” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
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Clement of Alexandria
““Quoniam nobis est colluctatio non adversus camem et sanguinere, sed adversus spiritalia.”” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“But if one should captiously say, And how is it possible for feeble flesh to resist the energies and spirits of the Powers? well, let him know this, that, confiding in the Almighty and the Lord, we war against the principalities of darkness, and against death.” — editor's note: In allusion to Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“Plato, again, in the seventh book of the Republic, has called “the day here nocturnal,” as I suppose, on account of “the world-rulers of this darkness;” and the descent of the soul into the body, sleep and death, similarly with Heraclitus.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
Read the whole comment“Angels and gods are spectators; and the contest, embracing all the varied exercises, is “not against flesh and blood,” but against the spiritual powers of inordinate passions that work through the flesh.” — editor's note: Eph. vi. 12.
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Cross-references · 38
Cited together in Against Heresies I.10.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.10.
Cited together in Tractates on the Gospel of John Tractate 79.
Cited together in Tractates on the Gospel of John Tractate 79.
Cited together in Life of Antony §17.
Cited together in Life of Antony §17.
Cited together in Life of Antony §17.
Cited together in Origen on Matthew 26:20–25 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in The Institutes V.18.
Cited together in Conferences I–X VII.32.
Cited together in Conferences I–X VII.32.
Cited together in Jerome on Mark 3:13–19 (3) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Mark 3:13–19 (3) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Conferences I–X VII.32.
Cited together in Conferences I–X VII.32.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.10.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.10.
Cited together in Jerome on Mark 3:13–19 (3) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Mark 3:13–19 (3) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Mark 3:13–19 (3) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Origen on Matthew 26:20–25 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Origen on Matthew 26:20–25 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Origen on Matthew 26:20–25 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Origen on Matthew 26:20–25 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Origen on Matthew 26:20–25 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Conferences I–X VIII.14.
Cited together in Cyril of Alexandria on Luke 14:28–33 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Cyril of Alexandria on Luke 14:28–33 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Cyril of Alexandria on Luke 14:28–33 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on John 14:27–31 (3) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on John 14:27–31 (3) (Catena Aurea) and 2 other places.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.10.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.10.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.10.
Cited together in The Prescription Against Heretics Chapter 37.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.10.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.10.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.10.