Ephesians 2:2
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Context2:2 in which 1 you formerly lived 2 according to this world’s present path, 3 according to the ruler of the kingdom 4 of the air, the ruler of 5 the spirit 6 that is now energizing 7 the sons of disobedience, 8
Ephesians 4:17
Context4:17 So I say this, and insist 9 in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility 10 of their thinking. 11
Ephesians 5:8
Context5:8 for you were at one time darkness, but now you are 12 light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light –
1 sn The relative pronoun which is feminine as is sins, indicating that sins is the antecedent.
2 tn Grk “walked.”
sn The Greek verb translated lived (περιπατέω, peripatew) in the NT letters refers to the conduct of one’s life, not to physical walking.
3 tn Or possibly “Aeon.”
sn The word translated present path is the same as that which has been translated [this] age in 1:21 (αἰών, aiwn).
4 tn Grk “domain, [place of] authority.”
5 tn Grk “of” (but see the note on the word “spirit” later in this verse).
6 sn The ruler of the kingdom of the air is also the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience. Although several translations regard the ruler to be the same as the spirit, this is unlikely since the cases in Greek are different (ruler is accusative and spirit is genitive). To get around this, some have suggested that the genitive for spirit is a genitive of apposition. However, the semantics of the genitive of apposition are against such an interpretation (cf. ExSyn 100).
7 tn Grk “working in.”
8 sn Sons of disobedience is a Semitic idiom that means “people characterized by disobedience.” However, it also contains a subtle allusion to vv. 4-10: Some of those sons of disobedience have become sons of God.
9 tn On the translation of μαρτύρομαι (marturomai) as “insist” see BDAG 619 s.v. 2.
10 tn On the translation of ματαιότης (mataioth") as “futility” see BDAG 621 s.v.
11 tn Or “thoughts,” “mind.”
12 tn The verb “you are” is implied in the Greek text, but is supplied in the English translation to make it clear.