πανοπλία

From the study of Ephesians 6:13

Range of meaning

The complete set of arms and armor of a heavy infantryman (pan- 'all' + hopla 'arms'). It covers protective gear such as shield, helmet and breastplate, and also offensive weapons such as sword and spear. Figuratively it means full equipment for any contest.

Against the English

'Whole armor' (KJV, WEB) and 'full armor' (BSB) are both accurate. But English 'armor' suggests only protective plating, often a medieval knight's metal suit. The Greek term covered the soldier's whole outfit, the sword (v. 17) included.

How it drifted

Modern English 'armor' has narrowed to protective covering, and popular art pictures plate armor from the Middle Ages, which is about 1,400 years too late.

Used elsewhere in the period

Polybius (6.23) uses panoplia for the Roman legionary's full kit: shield, sword, javelins, helmet, greaves and breastplate. In the Greek Old Testament, 2 Samuel 2:21 uses it for a fallen warrior's equipment, and Wisdom of Solomon 5:17 says the Lord 'will take his zeal as his panoplia' and goes on to list breastplate of righteousness, helmet of judgment and shield of holiness. That passage builds on Isaiah 59:17, where God puts on righteousness as a breastplate and salvation as a helmet. Luke 11:22 uses the word for the strong man's armor that a stronger man strips away.

From the study of Ephesians 6:11

Range of meaning

From pan ("all") + hopla ("arms, equipment"). It means the complete equipment of a heavy-armed foot soldier (a hoplite): shield, sword, spear, helmet, breastplate, greaves. It covers both offensive and defensive gear. Figuratively, it can mean a complete set of resources for a struggle.

Against the English

"Whole armour" (KJV, ESV, WEB) and "full armor" (BSB, NIV, NASB) catch the idea that nothing is missing. But in English "armor" usually means protective covering only, and the popular picture is a medieval knight in plate. Panoplia included weapons. Paul's list (6:14–17) ends with a sword, the short sword (machaira) of the close-combat soldier.

How it drifted

Medieval and later art pictured the "armor of God" as a knight's plate harness, and English "armor" narrowed toward protective metal covering.

Used elsewhere in the period

Used widely in classical and Hellenistic Greek for a soldier's full kit. Polybius (Histories 6.23) uses it for the equipment of the Roman legionary, which he lists: large shield, sword, javelins, helmet, greaves, breastplate. In the Greek Old Testament (LXX) see Wisdom of Solomon 5:17: the Lord "will take his zeal as his panoply" and arm creation against his enemies. In the NT, Luke 11:22 uses it for the strong man's armor that the stronger one strips away.