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

8That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.” 9Notice 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. 11Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

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 1:20that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
• Acts 1:9After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.
• 1 Timothy 3:16Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory.
• Hebrews 4:14So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.
• Hebrews 7:26He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.
• Hebrews 8:1Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven.
• Hebrews 9:23That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals.
• Ephesians 3:19May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
• John 1:16From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.
• Acts 2:33Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.
• Colossians 1:19For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ,
• Colossians 2:9For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.
• Matthew 24:34I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.
• Luke 24:44Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
• John 19:24So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.” So that is what they did.
• Acts 3:18But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things.

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