Ephesians 4:11

Ephesians 4:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
• New International Version (NIV)So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

Context of Ephesians 4:11

9It says: ‘He went up.’ That must mean that Christ had also come down. He came down to a lower place, the earth. 10So the man who came down is also the man who went up, high above all the heavens. He did that so that he would fill everything everywhere. It was Christ who chose to give different gifts to his people. He chose some to be apostles. He chose some to speak messages from God. He chose some to tell God's good news to many people. He chose some to take care of his people, and to teach them. 12He gave all these gifts to help God's people to serve him in different ways. As a result, the church, which is like Christ's body, would become strong. 13In that way, all of us will become united, like one person. We will all believe in Jesus as the Son of God. We will all know him. We will become like a man who has grown up well. We will be completely as God wants us to be, just like Christ himself.

Ephesians 4:11 word by word

καὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν τοὺς μὲν ἀποστόλους, τοὺς δὲ προφήτας, τοὺς δὲ εὐαγγελιστάς, τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• someὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• apostlesἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652
• andδέde · thenG1161
• prophetsπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
• evangelistsεὐαγγελιστήςeuaggelistēs · evangelistG2099
• pastorsποιμήνpoimēn · shepherdG4166
• teachersδιδάσκαλοςdidaskalos · teacherG1320

Cross-references for Ephesians 4:11

• Ephesians 4:8This is what it says about him: ‘When he went up to the highest place, he led many prisoners with him. Then he gave gifts to his people.’
• Ephesians 2:20You are like a house that God is building for himself. God's apostles and his prophets are like the foundation under the house. Jesus Christ is like the most important stone in the house.
• Ephesians 3:5God did not tell this secret message to the people who lived before us. But now the Holy Spirit has shown it to God's apostles and prophets.
• Romans 10:14But people will never ask Christ to help them if they have not believed in him. And they will never believe in him if they have not heard about him. And they will not hear about him unless somebody tells God's message to them.
• 1 Corinthians 12:28Like the parts of a body, God has put people in different places in his church. First, there are apostles. Second, there are people who speak messages from God. Third, there are teachers. After that, there are people who do miracles. There are people who have gifts to make sick people well. There are people who help others in special ways. There are people who can lead others. And there are people who can speak different kinds of languages.
• Jude 1:17But as for you, my friends, remember the message that the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ have taught you. They spoke about what would happen in future times.
• Revelation 18:20Yes, you who live in heaven, be happy! Be happy because God has punished Babylon! God's people and his apostles and his prophets, be happy! God has punished the city because of what she did to you.
• Revelation 21:14The city's wall has a foundation of 12 strong stones. The names of the Lamb's 12 apostles were written on those 12 stones.
• Acts 21:8The next day, we left Ptolemais and we sailed to Caesarea. We stayed there with Philip. He was someone who taught people the good news about Jesus. He was one of the seven men that the believers had chosen in Jerusalem.
• 2 Timothy 4:5But you yourself must continue to think seriously and clearly. Be patient and brave when troubles come. Continue to tell the good news about Christ to people. Do all the work that God has given you to do as his servant.
• 2 Chronicles 15:3For a long time, the Israelites did not serve the true God. They did not have any priests to teach them what was right. They did not know God's law.
• Jeremiah 3:15I will give you leaders who will serve me faithfully. They will take care of you like shepherds. They will be wise and they will lead you well.
• Matthew 28:20Teach them to obey everything that I have taught you. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will be with you until the end of time.’
• Acts 13:1There were some prophets among the group of believers in Antioch. They taught the other believers more about Jesus. Barnabas and Simeon were two of these men. (People also called Simeon ‘Niger’.) There was Lucius who had lived in Cyrene. There was also Manaen who had lived together with the ruler Herod when they were children. And there was Saul.
• Romans 12:7God helps some people to serve others. They should do that well. God helps some people to be able to teach others. Those people should teach well.
• 1 Corinthians 12:29Not everyone in the church is an apostle. Not everyone speaks messages from God. Not everyone is a teacher. Not everyone can do miracles.

Commentaries on Ephesians 4:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11He gave some, apostles - He established several offices in his Church; furnished these with the proper officers; and, to qualify them for their work, gave them the proper gifts. For a full illustration of this verse, the reader is requested to refer to the notes on 1 Corinthians 12:6-10; (note), 1 Corinthians 12:28-30; (note); and to the concluding observations at the end of that chapter.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11And he gave some, apostles - He gave some to be apostles. The “object” here is to show that he has made ample provision for the extension and edification of his church On the meaning of the word “apostles,” and on their appointment by the Saviour, see the notes on Matthew 10:1. And some, prophets - He appointed some to be prophets; see the Romans 12:7, note; 1 Corinthians 12:28, note; 1 Corinthians 14:1, notes. And some, evangelists - see the notes on…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. 11In his letters, Paul provides four different lists of God's gifts (see also Romans 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 12:8–10, 28). None of these lists includes all possible gifts. This list focuses on the leadership gifts that help the church grow: Apostles are people God sends out as missionary evangelists. They travel around sharing the good news about Jesus. Prophets are people who speak messages from God to his people. Evangelists tell others the good news about…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. Greek, emphatical. "Himself" by His supreme power. "It is He that gave," &c. gave some, apostles--Translate, "some to be apostles, and some to be prophets," &c. The men who filled the office, no less than the office itself, were a divine gift [Eadie]. Ministers did not give themselves. Compare with the list here, 1Co 12:10, 28. As the apostles, prophets, and evangelists were special and extraordinary ministers, so "pastors and teachers" are the…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 4:11

• Church
• Instruction
• Minister, Christian
• Perfection
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Bitterness
• Compact
• Dark
• Elder
• Evangelist
• Forbear
• Gospels
• Grieve
• Lasciviousness
• Lowliness

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