But (A)to each one of us (B)grace was given (C)according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore [a]it says,

(D)When He ascended on high,
He (E)led captive the captives,
And He gave gifts to people.”

(Now this expression, “He (F)ascended,” what [b]does it mean except that He also [c]had descended into (G)the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended (H)far above all the heavens, so that He might (I)fill all things.) 11 And He (J)gave (K)some as apostles, some as prophets, some as (L)evangelists, some as [d]pastors and (M)teachers, 12 (N)for the equipping of the [e]saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of (O)the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to (P)the unity of the faith, and of the [f](Q)knowledge of the Son of God, to a (R)mature man, to the measure of the stature [g]which belongs to the (S)fullness of Christ.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 Or He
  2. Ephesians 4:9 Lit is it except
  3. Ephesians 4:9 One early ms had first descended
  4. Ephesians 4:11 From Gr for shepherds
  5. Ephesians 4:12 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  6. Ephesians 4:13 Or true knowledge
  7. Ephesians 4:13 Lit of the fullness

Now to each one of us grace has been given proportionate to the measure of the Messiah’s[a] gift. That is why God[b] says,

“When he went up to the highest place,
    he led captives into captivity
        and gave gifts to people.”[c]

Now what does this “he went up” mean except that he also had gone[d] down into the lower parts of the earth?[e] 10 The one who went down is the same one who went up above all the heavens so that all things would be fulfilled. 11 And it is he who gifted some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, and still others to be pastors and teachers, 12 to equip[f] the saints, to do the work of ministry, and to build up the body of the Messiah[g] 13 until all of us are united in the faith and in the full knowledge of God’s Son, and until we attain mature adulthood and the full standard of development in the Messiah.[h]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:7 Or Christ’s
  2. Ephesians 4:8 Lit. he
  3. Ephesians 4:8 Ps 68:18
  4. Ephesians 4:9 Other mss. read had first gone
  5. Ephesians 4:9 Or parts, that
  6. Ephesians 4:12 Or perfect
  7. Ephesians 4:12 Or Christ
  8. Ephesians 4:13 Or Christ