Ephesians: The Gospel of Peace
Ephesians 6:15; Isaiah 52:7 - We can stand firm through the peace that He brings us in our salvation.
“and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;”
Ephesians 6:15 NASB1995
Paul is using another allegory in his description of the full body armor of the believer. Our feet are shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. This is a strange statement (our feet are not wearing the Gospel of Peace but are wearing the preparation of the Gospel of Peace). Perhaps this commentary from Enduring Word will help:
d. Having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace: The preparation of the gospel is represented as the protective shoes (or sandals) worn by Roman soldiers. No one can fight effectively or effectively go about his business without this equipment.
i. Preparation is a word meaning “a prepared foundation.” The gospel provides the footing for everything we do. However powerful the rest of your body is, if you are wounded in your feet you are easy prey for the enemy.
ii. On the shoes: “Josephus described them as ‘shoes thickly studded with sharp nails’… so as to ensure a good grip. The military successes both of Alexander the Great and of Julius Caesar were due in large measure to their armies’ being well shod and thus able to undertake long marches at incredible speed over rough terrain.” (Wood)
iii. Paul had Isaiah 52:7 in mind when he refered to having shod your feet: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
iv. The idea of preparation is really readiness. We must be mobile, flexible, and ready with the truth. This is a place to have in the Christian life, to live in constant readiness and flexibility.
This preparation is the foundation and indicates our readiness and flexibility. The Gospel provides the footing for everything that we do. The AI image today shows the typical Roman footwear that helped the soldier cover long distances and stand firmly when preparing for battle. Some references note that the sandals were more like cleats, but this image is probably sufficiently correct to get the idea.
Precept Austin quotes the Expositor’s Bible Commentary on this passage, with a couple of interpretations:
Expositor’s Bible Commentary writes that this verse...is not altogether easy to understand. Literally it reads: “and having shod yourselves as to the feet in readiness of the gospel of peace.” But what is this readiness or preparation? It can mean preparedness, for the term is applied to a ship’s tackling. Part of the Christian soldier’s equipment is his readiness to go out at any moment to announce the Good News to others. As in Ephesians 2:17-note, the apostle may be recalling Isaiah 52:7 with its reference to the feet of the herald. Hetoimasia can also signify a prepared foundation or base, as frequently in Septuagint (LXX). In that case the sense would be that the gospel of peace with God through which the believer himself has already been reconciled (Eph 2:17-note) affords him a sure foothold in the campaign in which he is engaged. This second interpretation is more suitable to the context and had been adopted by the NIV in its first edition “with your feet fitted with the gospel of peace as a firm footing.” (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor’s Bible Commentary) (Bolding added by Precept Austin).
I like the NIV translation of this verse, which seems to make the context clearer. This is how we have a firm footing in our faith, although you can also make a case for having this sturdy footwear analogy to describe evangelism.
John MacArthur agrees with the Expositor’s Bible commentary, as quoted in Precept Austin:
many commentators also interpret Ephesians 6:15 as a reference to preaching. But in the Ephesians text Paul is not talking about preaching or teaching but about fighting spiritual battles. And he is not talking about traveling about but standing firm (Ep 6:11, 13, 14). His subject is not evangelizing the lost but fighting the devil. In this passage the gospel of peace refers to the good news that believers are at peace with God...The gospel of peace is the marvelous truth that in Christ we are now at peace with God and are one with Him. Therefore, when our feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, we stand in the confidence of God’s love for us, His union with us, and His commitment to fight for us...The believer who stands in the Lord’s power need not fear any enemy, even Satan himself When he comes to attack us, our feet are rooted firmly on the solid ground of the gospel of peace, through which God changed from our enemy to our defender. We who were once His enemies are now His children, and our heavenly Father offers us His full resources to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10). (MacArthur, J: Ephesians. Chicago: Moody Press)
The Gospel of Peace means that we are at peace with God through Christ. This should allow us to stand firm against every evil trick that the enemy throws at us.
That was a pretty short devotional, but I think the commentary helps us understand Paul’s intent. My next devotional examines Ephesians 6:16 - Taking up the shield of faith.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Today I pray the beautiful words of Isaiah 52:7:
“How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace
And brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation,
And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!””
Isaiah 52:7 NASB1995
Citations and Credits:
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.
Precept Austin was accessed on 07/01/2026 to review commentary for Ephesians 6:15.
Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. With that commentary:
Wood, A. Skevington Ephesians, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 11 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1978)