I’m a big fan of NOT reinventing the wheel. So, of course I looked everywhere for a written out list of hand motions for Ephesians 6 since we’re memorizing it this year. Maybe I just didn’t look in the right places, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. So, I set out creating my own. However, I hate the thought of other people having to do what I’m doing here. Isn’t there a better use of your time? So I want to share it with you.
**** I also created flashcards to go with Ephesians 6! ****
The text of Ephesians you see here is taken from the King James Version, just like the Classical Conversations Foundations Guide. I like to use American Sign Language (ASL) when I can, but sometimes there’s an obvious hand motion that’s just so much easier than ASL, so I use that instead. If I’m using ASL, I include a link to Signing Savvy (one of the best free resources on ASL I’m found!). Remember, you can always drop a hand motion if it’s more than you need to remember the next words. You can also substitute in your own hand motion if they are easier to remember. The goal here is to have some hand motions to help us memorize the scripture. We are NOT actually trying to sign the whole verse.
Here’s my challenge… I’m not that great at working a whole semester in advance, so I’m going to try something new here. Each week as I create my hand motions, I’m going to update this post. Think of this as a work in progress. Update: I’m finally done!! Here are our hand motions for all 24 verses of Ephesians 6. If you bookmark it, you can look at it as often as needed. You can even give your community members the link so they can review it at home.
As a CC Director, I know that looking at my website on your phone during the opening meeting isn’t going to fly. You need a printable version of these hand motions to keep with you and reference as you’re showing the hand motions to your community. So, I’ve included a PDF and an editable, printable Word document with all these hand motions
Ephesians 6:1-3 (Hand Motions for Week 1)
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
- Children: Flat open palm-down hands start and waist level then bounce up, out and back down. https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/children
- Obey: Closed fists start near head and move down while opening https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/obey
- Right: ‘H’ hands pointing forward bounce on top of each other https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/RIGHT/4380/1
2 Honor thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise😉
- Father: right ‘5’ hand faces in with thumb touching forehead https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/FATHER/3440/1
- Mother: right ‘5’ hand faces in with thumb touching chin https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/mother
- First: hold up one finger
- Promise: raise right hand as if taking an oath
3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
- Well: Open palm up hands, Left in front, chest high. Right starts at chin and moves to left. https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/WELL/4867/1
- Long: spread hands out wide
- Earth: Right fingers touch left wrist https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/earth
Ephesians 6:4 (Hand Motions for Week 2)
4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
- Father: (see above)
- Children: Flat open palm-down hands start and waist level then bounce up, out and back down. https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/children
- Wrath: both hands at belly facing in move up and out to shoulders making a inward facing claw. https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/wrath
- Nurture: both ‘v’ hands facing inside pointing out tap on top of each other https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/nurture
- Admonition: one hand makes a fist, the other hand taps the top of it https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/admonition
- Lord: ‘b’ hand, facing side, moves from forehead to chin https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/LORD/5951/1
Ephesians 6:5-6 (Hand Motions for Week 3)
5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
- Servants: Flat up-facing hands at waist height move from right to left. Then flat inward facing hands move from chest to waist (sign for ‘person’) https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/servant
- Obey: Closed fists start near head and move down while opening https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/obey
- Master: Right “m” hand makes a circle over flat downward facing left hand https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/master
- Flesh: pinch cheek https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/flesh
- Fear: ‘5’ hands pointing in at chest height move in and out https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/fear
- Heart: make the shape of a heart over your heart
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
- Eye: point to your eye
- Servants: (see above)
- God: (see ‘Lord” above)
- Heart: (see above)
Ephesians 6:7-8 (Hand Motions for Week 4)
7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
- Service: Flat up-facing hands at chest height move from forward and backward separately. https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/serve
- Lord: (see ‘Lord” above)
- Men: ‘5’ hand starts with palm down and thumb touching forehead and then moves to chest level https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/men
8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
- Know: all four fingers point to forehead https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/know
- Good: see ‘well’: Open palm up hands, Left in front, chest high. Right starts at chin and moves to left. https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/WELL/4867/1
- Bond: see ‘slave’: make fists and cross at wrists https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/slave
- Free: move hands away (away from the slave sign) https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/free
Ephesians 6:9-10 (Hand Motions for Week 5)
9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
- Master: Right “m” hand makes a circle over flat downward facing left hand https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/master
- Same: “Y” hand, palm down, chest height, moves side to side https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/same
- Threat: left hand in a fist at chest height, Right thumb-up hand in front of left hand moves from chest to shoulder height.
- Know: all four fingers point to forehead https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/know
- Master: see above
- Heaven: both hands, slightly bent, palms down, fingers pointing in, make a few circles (hands alternating which is on top) and then level and separate just above the forehead https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/heaven
- Respect: right “R” hand, pointing up, starts at forehead and move up and out https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/respect
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
- Strong: flex your biceps
- Lord: ‘b’ hand, facing side, moves from forehead to chin https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/LORD/5951/1
- Power: flex your biceps again
Ephesians 6:11-12 (Hand Motions for Week 6)
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
- Armor: move flat palm in hands from head to toe, covering your body like armor
- Stand: right ‘2’ hand pointing down to flat open palm up hand https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/stand
- Devil: both ‘3’ hands curl fingers near forehead https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/devil
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
- Wrestle: interlocked hands move back and forth https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/wrestle
- Flesh: pinch cheek https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/flesh
- Principalities, right “p” hand
- Powers: left “p” hand
- Darkness: flat palm in hands cross in front of chest with elbows out https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/darkness
- Spiritual: right pinched finger wavers as it moves up from left fist https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/spiritual
Ephesians 6:13-14 (Hand Motions for Week 7)
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
- Take: Right open palm down hand starts at chest height, extended away from the body. It closes as it moves back towards chest. https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/TAKE/2709/1
- Armor: move flat palm in hands from head to toe, covering your body like armor
- Withstand: (ASL for ‘Resist”) Right palm down fist in front of chest moves out and in https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/resist
- Evil: both ‘1’ hands move in a circle around waist height https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/evil
- Stand: right ‘2’ hand pointing down to flat open palm up hand https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/stand
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
- Stand: right ‘2’ hand pointing down to flat open palm up hand https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/stand
- Loins girt: pretend to put a belt on
- Truth: right “T” hand
- Breastplate: Slide palm in flat hand in front of chest
- Righteousness: right “R” hand
Ephesians 6:15-16 (Hand Motions for Week 8)
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
- Feet: touch your feet
- Peace: hands cup together like you caught a bug and then they separate, move outward and flatten, palm down https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/peace
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
- Shield: Pretend to hold a shield
- Faith: right hand points to temple and then flattens and moves down to stack, palm in, on left flat palm in hand https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/faith
- Fiery: open, palms in hands alternate, moving up and down at waist height, while wiggling fingers https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/FIRE/3459/1
- Darts: pretend to shoot a bow
Ephesians 6:17-18 (Hand Motions for Week 9)
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Pray Continually.
- Helmet: Pretend to put on a helmet
- Salvation: both “s” hands, stacked on each other, move outward https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/salvation
- Sword: pretend to draw a sword
- Word of God: Pretend to hold open your Bible
- Pray: hold hands in any typical prayer position
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
- Praying … prayer: hold hands in any typical prayer position (Repeat!)
- Spirit: right pinched finger wavers as it moves up from left fist https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/spirit
- Watching: ¨two fingers point at eyes and then outward
- Perseverance: “p” hand
- Supplication: “s” hand
Ephesians 6:19-20 (Hand Motions for Week 10)
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
- Utterance: all fingers point at mouth then move out while opening up
- Open my Mouth: make ‘puppet’ hands and then open the ‘mouth.’
- Gospel: Right ‘g’ hand flips pages on a book in left hand
20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
- Ambassador: “a” hand moves from shoulder to opposite hip https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/ambassador
- Bonds: cross wrists of hands in fists https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/slave
- Speak… speak: Index finger moves from mouth then out. Repeat with other hand.
Ephesians 6:21-22 (Hand Motions for Week 11)
21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:
- Know: all four fingers point to forehead https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/know
- Tychicus: “T” hand
- Brother: Right fist at forehead, left fist at waist. Right hand moves down to left as both hands become “L” hand https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/brother
- Lord: ‘b’ hand, facing side, moves from forehead to chin https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/LORD/5951/1
- Known: Know: all four fingers point to forehead https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/know
22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.
- Sent: Left fist at waist with right fist on top of it. Right fist opens as it moves out away from the body https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/send
- Same: “Y” hand, palm down, chest height, moves side to side https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/same
- Know: all four fingers point to forehead
- https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/know
- Comfort: flat palm in hands brush by each other as they take turns moving down, around, and in front of the other https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/comfort
- Hearts: hold hands over your heart
Ephesians 6:23-24 (Hand Motions for Week 12)
23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Peace: hands cup together like you caught a bug and then they separate, move outward and flatten, palm down https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/peace
- Love: fist hands cross as forearms and squeeze like a little hug https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/LOVE/255/1
- Father: right ‘5’ hand faces in with thumb touching forehead https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/FATHER/3440/1
- Christ: Index finger points to palm of other hand then repeat with opposite hands
24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
- Love: fist hands cross as forearms and squeeze like a little hug https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/LOVE/255/1
- Lord: ‘b’ hand, facing side, moves from forehead to chin https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/LORD/5951/1
- Christ: Index finger points to palm of other hand then repeat with opposite hands
- Amen: hold hands in a prayer-like position