Ephesians 4:11

Ephesians 4:11

 

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

 

a. NLT: Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

 

b.  ASV: And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as proclaimers of good news, and some as shepherds and teachers, And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as proclaimers of good news, and some as shepherds and teachers,

 

d. Amplified Bible Classic: And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

 

e. Peshitta Eastern Text: And he has assigned some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists, and some, pastors, and some, teachers.[The New Testament According to the Eastern Text, Translated From the Original Aramaic Sources by George Lamsa. Copyright Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J.Holman Company.] 

 

1. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;”

 

a. And [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

 

b. he [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

 

c. gave [Strong: 1325 didomi did'-o-mee a prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternative in most of the tenses); to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection):--adventure, bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister, number, offer, have power, put, receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand), strike (+ with the palm of the hand), suffer, take, utter, yield.]

 

d. some [Strong: 3303 men men a primary particle; properly, indicative of affirmation or concession (in fact); usually followed by a contrasted clause with 1161 (this one, the former, etc.):--even, indeed, so, some, truly, verily. Often compounded with other particles in an intensive or asseverative sense.]

 

e. apostles [Strong: 652 apostolos ap-os'-tol-os from 649; a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ ("apostle") (with miraculous powers):--apostle, messenger, he that is sent.]

 

f. and [Strong: 1161 de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

 

g. some [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

 

h. prophets [Strong: 4396 prophetes prof-ay'-tace from a compound of 4253 and 5346; a foreteller ("prophet"); by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet:--prophet.]

 

i. and [Strong: 1161 de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

 

j. some [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

 

k. evangelists [Strong: 2099 euaggelistes yoo-ang-ghel-is-tace' from 2097; a preacher of the gospel:--evangelist.]

 

l. and [Strong: 1161 de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

 

m. some [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

 

n. pastors [Strong: 4166 poimen poy-mane' of uncertain affinity; a shepherd (literally or figuratively):--shepherd, pastor.]

 

o. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

 

p. teachers [Strong: 1320 didaskalos did-as'-kal-os from 1321; an instructor (genitive case or specially):--doctor, master, teacher.]

 

1). These are the five fold ministry gifts that Christ Jesus gave the church after he ascended up to sit on the right hand of God. They were to be in use in the church until the church reached a certain level of growth. That level of growth is perfection. Until the body of Christ came “in the unity of the faith,” and unity “of the knowledge of the Son of God,” ‘unto a perfect man,” and “unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, ” Until then all five of these ministry gifts were to be in operation in the church, “perfecting the saints,” “edifying the body of Christ.” The last time I looked the church was not in the unity of the faith, was not in the unity of the knowledge of the Son of God and was not the perfect man on equal footing with the stature of the fullness of Christ.

 

a). Ephesians 4:12, 13 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

 

2). This “perfect man” is also I believe the “perfect” referred to in 1 Corinthians 13:10 when discussing the cessation of the gifts of the Spirit, “divers kinds of tongues and the interpretation of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:10).