Take up the weapons of translates the same verb rendered take up in verse 12; the verb actually means “to dress one’s self in” (see Revised Standard Version “but put on the Lord Jesus Christ”). Translating this verb with the meaning of “to take up the weapons of” is arrived at by taking the verb in its extended sense “to put on (armor).” Both the New English Bible (“let Christ Jesus himself be the armour that you wear”) and the Jerusalem Bible (“let your armour be the Lord Jesus Christ”) follow the same exegesis. Note that in the interpretations of New English Bible and Jerusalem Bible the armor is the Lord Jesus Christ. These are not the weapons which the Lord Jesus Christ gives or which come from him. If weapons is to be understood as armor, it may be possible in some languages to render this word as “defense”—for example, “let the Lord Jesus Christ defend you” or “… be your defense.”
Stop giving attention to translates a present imperative, which often has the force of “to stop doing” the action indicated by the verb. The New English Bible (“give no more thought to”) understands the present imperative to have this same force.
Sinful nature is literally “the flesh.” Many translations render this term literally, while others limit the word “flesh” to “the bodily appetites” (New English Bible; see also Jerusalem Bible and An American Translation*). It seems better not to understand “flesh” in this limited sense but in the broader meaning of one’s nature which rebels against God, that is, one’s sinful nature, or, as in some languages, “one’s sinful heart,” “one’s heart which prompts one to sin,” or “… which leads one to sin.” On the use of the word “flesh” in this sense see 7.5.
To satisfy its desires may be rendered as “to do what your heart wants you to do” or even “to do what you yourselves want to do.”
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .