Ephesians 6:15. And having shod your foot. The Roman soldier wore sandals, in the soles of which nails were thickly studded, to give firm footing. Doubtless Paul had this in mind.

With the preparedness, not, ‘preparation,' but promptitude of soul, readiness to act, giving firmness and constancy to the conduct. This ‘preparedness' is more than a natural readiness or courage, it comes from the gospel of peace, the gospel whose contents are peace with God. This gives alacrity and courage to fight boldly for the sake of eternal peace. Peaceableness toward men is not excluded; but there is no reference to readiness to preach the gospel. That is the aggressive, not the defensive part, of our duty; and, strictly speaking, the three parts of the soldier's equipment already mentioned are not his armor, still less his weapons, but only the preparation for these.

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Old Testament