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

9(Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

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

• gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• someὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• apostlesἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652
• prophetsπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
• evangelistsεὐαγγελιστήςeuaggelistēs · evangelistG2099
• pastorsποιμήνpoimēn · shepherdG4166
• teachersδιδάσκαλοςdidaskalos · teacherG1320

Cross-references for Ephesians 4:11

• Ephesians 4:8Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive the captives, And He gave gifts to people.”
• Ephesians 2:20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone,
• Ephesians 3:5which in other generations was not made known to mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
• Romans 10:14How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?
• 1 Corinthians 12:28And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various kinds of tongues.
• Jude 1:17But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
• Revelation 18:20Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.”
• Revelation 21:14And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
• Acts 21:8On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
• 2 Timothy 4:5But as for you, use self-restraint in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
• 2 Chronicles 15:3For many days Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without the Law.
• Jeremiah 3:15“Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you knowledge and understanding.
• Matthew 28:20teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
• Acts 13:1Now there were prophets and teachers at Antioch, in the church that was there: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
• Romans 12:7if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching;
• 1 Corinthians 12:29All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?

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