Ephesians 4:10

Ephesians 4:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
• New International Version (NIV)He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
• English Standard Version (ESV)He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Context of Ephesians 4:10

8Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And He bestowed gifts on men.” 9(Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had previously descended [from the heights of heaven] into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the very same as He who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things [that is, the whole universe]). 11And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct], 12[and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church];

Ephesians 4:10 word by word

ὁ καταβὰς αὐτός ἐστιν καὶ ὁ ἀναβὰς ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• descendedκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the sameαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• ascended upἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
• far aboveὑπεράνωhuperanō · aboveG5231
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• heavensοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• he might fillπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137

Cross-references for Ephesians 4:10

• Ephesians 1:20which He produced in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places,
• Acts 1:9And after He said these things, He was caught up as they looked on, and a cloud took Him up out of their sight.
• 1 Timothy 3:16And great, we confess, is the mystery [the hidden truth] of godliness: He (Jesus Christ) who was revealed in human flesh, Was justified and vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.
• Hebrews 4:14Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior].
• Hebrews 7:26It was fitting for us to have such a High Priest [perfectly adapted to our needs], holy, blameless, unstained [by sin], separated from sinners and exalted higher than the heavens;
• Hebrews 8:1Now the main point of what we have to say is this: we have such a High Priest, [the Christ] who is seated [in the place of honor] at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty (God) in heaven,
• Hebrews 9:23Therefore it was necessary for the [earthly] copies of the heavenly things to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves required far better sacrifices than these.
• Ephesians 3:19and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].
• John 1:16For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].
• Acts 2:33Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this [blessing] which you both see and hear.
• Colossians 1:19For it pleased the Father for all the fullness [of deity—the sum total of His essence, all His perfection, powers, and attributes] to dwell [permanently] in Him (the Son),
• Colossians 2:9For in Him all the fullness of Deity (the Godhead) dwells in bodily form [completely expressing the divine essence of God].
• Matthew 24:34I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this generation [the people living when these signs and events begin] will not pass away until all these things take place.
• Luke 24:44Then He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you, everything which has been written about Me in the Law of Moses and the [writings of the] Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
• John 19:24So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it will be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture, “They divided My outer clothing among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”
• Acts 3:18And so God has fulfilled what He foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ (Messiah, Anointed) would suffer.

Commentaries on Ephesians 4:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10He that descended - And he who descended so low is the same who has ascended so high. He came to the lower parts of the earth - the very deepest abasement; having emptied himself; taken upon him; the form of a servant, and humbled himself unto death, even the death of the cross; now he is ascended far above all heavens - higher than all height; he has a name above every name. Here his descending into the lower parts of the earth is put in opposition to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10He that descended is the same also that ascended - The same Redeemer came down from God, and returned to him. It was not a different being, but the same. Far above all heavens - see the notes on Ephesians 1:20-23; compare Hebrews 7:26. He is gone above the visible heavens, and has ascended into the highest abodes of bliss; see the notes on 2 Corinthians 12:2. That he might fill all things - Margin, “fulfil.” The meaning is, “that he might fill all things…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-16Verses 7-16 Unto every believer is given some gift of grace, for their mutual help. All is given as seems best to Christ to bestow upon every one. He received for them, that he might give to them, a large measure of gifts and graces; particularly the gift of the Holy Ghost. Not a mere head knowledge, or bare acknowledging Christ to be the Son of God, but such as brings trust and obedience. There is a fulness in Christ, and a measure of that fulness given…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10to the lower parts of the earth: This phrase has been understood in several different ways by Bible scholars. Some people have thought this phrase refers to Jesus' tomb after his crucifixion. Others have suggested it means the world of the dead, the place where spirits go after death (compare Matthew 12:40; 1 Peter 3:18–20). Still others have connected it to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. However, the phrase most likely refers to the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. all heavens--Greek, "all the heavens" (He 7:26; 4:14), Greek, "passed through the heavens" to the throne of God itself. might fill--In Greek, the action is continued to the present time, both "might" and "may fill," namely, with His divine presence and Spirit, not with His glorified body. "Christ, as God, is present everywhere; as glorified man, He can be present anywhere" [Ellicott].Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 4:10

• Jesus, the Christ
• Prophecy

In the dictionaries

• Bitterness
• Compact
• Dark
• Forbear
• Grieve
• Lasciviousness
• Lowliness
• Renew
• Steal
• Ascension

Commentaries on Ephesians 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings