Logos Bible Study

Ephesians 4:8–11

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8Therefore it says,

f“When he ascended on high ghe led a host of captives,

and he gave gifts to men.”1

9(hIn saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into ithe lower regions, the earth?2 10He who descended is the one who also jascended kfar above all the heavens, that he might lfill all things.) 11And mhe gave the napostles, the prophets, the oevangelists, the pshepherds3 and teachers,4

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Footnotes

  1. 1The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
  2. 2Or the lower parts of the earth?
  3. 3Or pastors
  4. 4Or the shepherd-teachers

Cross references

  1. fCited from Ps. 68:18
  2. gJudg. 5:12; [Col. 2:15]
  3. hSee John 3:13
  4. iPs. 63:9; Isa. 44:23
  5. jSee Mark 16:19
  6. kHeb. 4:14; 7:26; 9:24
  7. lch. 1:23
  8. m[1 Cor. 12:5, 6]
  9. nSee 1 Cor. 12:28
  10. oActs 21:8; 2 Tim. 4:5
  11. pJer. 3:15; [Acts 20:28]

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

In other versions

NIVNew International Version (2011)

This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high,

he took many captives

and gave gifts to his people.”

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For it says:

When he ascended on high,

he took the captives captive;

he gave gifts to people.

But what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth? The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things. And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

That is why the Scriptures say,

“When he ascended to the heights,

he led a crowd of captives

and gave gifts to his people.”

Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Therefore it says,

“Ascending on high he led captivity captive;

he gave gifts to men.”

Now “he ascended,” what is it, except that he also descended to the lower regions of the earth? The one who descended himself is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order that he might fill all things.

And he himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

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