The following excerpt is taken from What Every Christian Should Know About Satan. Order your copy in print, Kindle, or Audible versions here.

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In the previous post, we introduced God’s plan for engaging the evil one: the full armor of God. Now, let’s turn our attention to the individual pieces of armor. The order in which they are described generally is the order in which soldiers put them on. 

Truth like a belt

While many modern translations refer to “truth like a belt” (CSB) or “the belt of truth” (ESV, NIV), the KJV renders it, “having your loins girt about with truth.” Similarly, the NASB 1995 says, “having girded your loins with truth.” The latter understanding may be more to the point. 

Ancient warriors and athletes, like other people of the time, wore loose-fitting clothing, which needed to be gathered and secured before any physical activity could ensue. This was done in different ways and for different purposes (see 2 Kings 4:29; Luke 12:35-36; John 13:4-5). The metaphor of girding is used in Scripture because it describes the need to prepare oneself for the spiritual work ahead.

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