Focused Passage

Ephesians 4:7-16

Walking Worthy: Unity, Maturity, and the New Life in Christ

Paul moves from the call to walk worthy in Spirit-given unity, to Christ's gift of leaders for body maturity, to the command to reject the old Gentile life and put on the new self in truthful, holy, grace-filled community.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

7 Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8 This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”

9 What does “He ascended” mean, except that He also descended to the lower parts of the earth?

10 He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.

11 And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

12 to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.

16 From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Original words

Now δὲ G1161 Conjunction to each ἑκάστῳ G1538 Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular one Ἑνὶ G1520 Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular of us ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular grace χάρις G5485 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular has been given ἐδόθη G1325 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular according to κατὰ G2596 Preposition the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular measure μέτρον G3358 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular gift δωρεᾶς G1431 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of Christ Χριστοῦ G5547 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 8

Original words

This is why διὸ G1352 Conjunction it says λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular When He ascended Ἀναβὰς G305 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular on εἰς G1519 Preposition high ὕψος G5311 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular He led ᾐχμαλώτευσεν G162 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular captives away αἰχμαλωσίαν G161 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular and (καὶ) G2532 Conjunction gave ἔδωκεν G1325 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular gifts δόματα G1390 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural - τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural to men ἀνθρώποις G444 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural

BSB notes

  • Or He says
  • Psalm 68:18
Verse 9

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction What τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular [does] ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - Τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular He ascended” [mean] Ἀνέβη G305 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular except εἰ G1487 Conjunction . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction vvv καὶ G2532 Conjunction He also descended κατέβη G2597 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural lower κατώτερα G2737 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural - Comparative parts μέρη G3313 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular earth γῆς G1093 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • BYZ and TR except that He also descended first
Verse 10

Original words

He who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular descended καταβὰς G2597 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular vvv καὶ G2532 Conjunction the very αὐτός G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular [One] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular who ascended ἀναβὰς G305 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular above ὑπεράνω G5231 Preposition all πάντων G3956 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural heavens οὐρανῶν G3772 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural in order ἵνα G2443 Conjunction to fill πληρώσῃ G4137 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural all things πάντα G3956 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Verse 11

Original words

And Καὶ G2532 Conjunction [it was] He who αὐτὸς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular gave ἔδωκεν G1325 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular some τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural - μὲν G3303 Conjunction [to be] apostles ἀποστόλους G652 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural - δὲ G1161 Conjunction some τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural [to be] prophets προφήτας G4396 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural - δὲ G1161 Conjunction some τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural [to be] evangelists εὐαγγελιστάς G2099 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and δὲ G1161 Conjunction some τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural [to be] pastors ποιμένας G4166 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction teachers διδασκάλους G1320 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Verse 12

Original words

vvv πρὸς G4314 Preposition vvv τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular to equip καταρτισμὸν G2677 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural saints ἁγίων G40 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural for εἰς G1519 Preposition works ἔργον G2041 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular of ministry διακονίας G1248 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular [and] εἰς G1519 Preposition to build up οἰκοδομὴν G3619 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular body σώματος G4983 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of Christ Χριστοῦ G5547 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 13

Original words

until μέχρι G3360 Adverb - οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural vvv πάντες G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural we all reach καταντήσωμεν G2658 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural . . . εἰς G1519 Preposition - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular unity ἑνότητα G1775 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular in the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular faith πίστεως G4102 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction in the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular knowledge ἐπιγνώσεως G1922 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Son Υἱοῦ G5207 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular vvv εἰς G1519 Preposition vvv ἄνδρα G435 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular [as we] mature τέλειον G5046 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular full πληρώματος G4138 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular measure μέτρον G3358 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular of [the] stature ἡλικίας G2244 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of Christ Χριστοῦ G5547 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 14

Original words

Then ἵνα G2443 Conjunction {we will} no longer μηκέτι G3371 Adverb be ὦμεν G1510 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural infants νήπιοι G3516 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural tossed about by the waves κλυδωνιζόμενοι G2831 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction carried around περιφερόμενοι G4064 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural by every παντὶ G3956 Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular wind ἀνέμῳ G417 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular of teaching διδασκαλίας G1319 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular [and] by ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular vvv ἐν G1722 Preposition clever πανουργίᾳ G3834 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular cunning κυβείᾳ* G2940 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural of men ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural in πρὸς G4314 Preposition [their] τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular vvv τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular deceitful πλάνης G4106 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular scheming μεθοδείαν G3180 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 15

Original words

Instead δὲ G1161 Conjunction speaking the truth ἀληθεύοντες G226 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition love ἀγάπῃ G26 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular {we will} in τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural all things πάντα G3956 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural grow up αὐξήσωμεν G837 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural into εἰς G1519 Preposition Christ Χριστός G5547 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Himself αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular who ὅς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular head κεφαλή G2776 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Verse 16

Original words

From ἐξ G1537 Preposition [Him] οὗ G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular whole πᾶν G3956 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular body σῶμα G4983 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular fitted συναρμολογούμενον G4883 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction held together συμβιβαζόμενον G4822 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Singular by διὰ G1223 Preposition every πάσης G3956 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular vvv τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular supporting ἐπιχορηγίας G2024 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular ligament ἁφῆς G860 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular - σώματος G4983 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular grows αὔξησιν G838 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - ποιεῖται G4160 Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular - εἰς G1519 Preposition [and] builds itself up οἰκοδομὴν G3619 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular . . . ἑαυτοῦ G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Genitive Neuter 3rd Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition love ἀγάπῃ G26 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular through κατ’ G2596 Preposition [the] work ἐνέργειαν G1753 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular vvv ἐν G1722 Preposition vvv μέτρῳ G3358 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular of each ἑκάστου G1538 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular individual ἑνὸς G1520 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular part μέρους G3313 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.