Ephesians 4:12

Ephesians 4:12

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

a. NLT: Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

b. NIV: To equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

c. YLT: Unto the perfecting of the saints, for a work of ministration, for a building up of the body of the Christ,

d. Amplified Bible Classic: His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church),

e. Worrell Translation: With a view to the perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.

f. Wuest Translation: For the equipping of the saints for ministering work with a view to the building up of the Body of Christ,

g. Peshitta Eastern Text: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

1. “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry…”

a. For [Strong: 4314 pros pros a strengthened form of 4253; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated):--about, according to , against, among, at, because of, before, between, (where-)by, for, X at thy house, in, for intent, nigh unto, of, which pertain to, that, to (the end that), X together, to (you) -ward, unto, with(-in). In the comparative case, it denotes essentially the same applications, namely, motion towards, accession to, or nearness at.]

b. the [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.]

c. perfecting [Strong: 2677 katartismos kat-ar-tis-mos' from 2675; complete furnishing (objectively):--perfecting.]

d. of the [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.]

e. saints [Strong: 40 hagios hag'-ee-os from hagos (an awful thing) (compare 53, 2282); sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):--(most) holy (one, thing), saint.]

f. for [Strong: 1519 eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

g. the work [Strong: 2041 ergon er'-gon from a primary (but obsolete) ergo (to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act:--deed, doing, labour, work.]

h. of the ministry [Strong: 1248 diakonia dee-ak-on-ee'-ah from 1249; attendance (as a servant, etc.); figuratively (eleemosynary) aid, (official) service (especially of the Christian teacher, or technically of the diaconate):--(ad-)minister(-ing, -tration, -try), office, relief, service(-ing).]

2. “…for the edifying of the body of Christ:”

a. for [Strong: 1519 eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

b. the edifying [Strong: 3619 oikodome oy-kod-om-ay' feminine (abstract) of a compound of 3624 and the base of 1430; architecture, i.e. (concretely) a structure; figuratively, confirmation:--building, edify(-ication, -ing).]

c. of the [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.]

d. body [Strong: 4983 soma so'-mah from 4982; the body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively:--bodily, body, slave.]

e. of Christ [Strong: 5547 Christos khris-tos' from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.]

1). The responsibility of the five ministry gifts that Christ gave the church, were for the perfecting of the saints for their (the saints) work in the ministry, and to build up or edify the body of Christ. Now they were to continue their responsibility until a certain time, that time is pin pointed in the following verse.

a). Ephesians 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:

b). This reveals that all five ministry gifts were to continue until we reached this level of growth. This clearly shows that the offices of apostle and prophet were to continue along with the other three until that time.