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Tuesday, November 26th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Ephesians 4:11

And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct],

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Instruction;   Minister, Christian;   Perfection;   Wisdom;   Scofield Reference Index - Christ;   Gifts;   Satan;   Service;   Thompson Chain Reference - Apostles;   Blessings-Afflictions;   Christ;   Christian Teachers;   Disciples;   Diversity of Gifts;   Endowments;   Evangelists;   Gifts;   God;   Leaders;   Prophets;   Religious;   Teacher, Divine;   The Topic Concordance - Body;   Disciples/apostles;   Edification;   Evangelism;   Giving and Gifts;   Prophecy and Prophets;   Shepherds/pastors;   Teaching;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ascension of Christ, the;   Christ Is God;   Church, the;   Edification;   Prophecy;   Titles and Names of Ministers;   Trinity, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Evangelist;   Gifts;   Pastor;   Philip;   Shepherd;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Apostle;   Church;   Evangelist;   Gifts of the spirit;   Interpretation;   Minister;   Mission;   Pastor;   Paul;   Prophecy, prophet;   Servant;   Teacher;   Work;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Age, Old (the Aged);   Ascension of Jesus Christ;   Body;   Church, the;   Education in Bible Times;   Evangelize, Evangelism;   Grace;   Holy Spirit;   Holy Spirit, Gifts of;   Leadership;   Mission;   Nahum, Theology of;   Romans, Theology of;   Teach, Teacher;   Woman;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Christianity;   Church;   Episcopacy;   Ministry, Gospel;   Primacy;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Elder;   Evangelist;   Gospels;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bishop;   Church;   Elijah;   Nail;   Pentecost;   Scribes;   Synagogue;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Apostles;   Ascension;   Baptism of the Holy Spirit;   Body of Christ;   Church;   Edification;   Ephesians, Book of;   Gift, Giving;   Humanity;   Offices in the New Testament;   Pastor;   Preaching in the Bible;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Spirit;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bishop;   Church;   Church Government;   Ephesians, Epistle to;   Evangelist;   Ministry;   Peter, First Epistle of;   Presbytery;   Prophet;   Spiritual Gifts;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Bishop, Elder, Presbyter;   Church Government;   Edification;   Education;   Ephesians Epistle to the;   Evangelist;   Fellowship (2);   Gifts;   Governments;   Growth Increase ;   Inspiration and Revelation;   Organization (2);   Pastor;   Preaching;   Prophecy Prophet Prophetess;   Quotations (2);   Restoration of Offenders;   Rufus;   Seventy (2);   Sheep, Shepherd;   Teacher;   Teaching ;   Unity;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Apostle;   Ascension;   Evangelist,;   Gifts in the Church;   Pastor;   Teacher, Teaching;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Evangelist;   Pastors;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Evangelist;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Church;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom or Church of Christ, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Apostle;   Ascension;   Bishop;   Church;   Church Government;   Education;   Ephesians, Epistle to the;   Evangelist;   Grace;   Junias;   Pastor;   Shepherd;   Spiritual Gifts;   Teach;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Bishop;  

Devotionals:

- Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life - Devotion for April 24;   Every Day Light - Devotion for October 11;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
And that same Christ gave these gifts to people: He made some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to go and tell the Good News, and some to care for and teach God's people.
Revised Standard Version
And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And the very same made some Apostles some prophetes some Evangelistes some Sheperdes some Teachers:
Hebrew Names Version
He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;
New American Standard Bible
And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers,
New Century Version
And Christ gave gifts to people—he made some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to go and tell the Good News, and some to have the work of caring for and teaching God's people.
Update Bible Version
And he gave some [to be] apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Webster's Bible Translation
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
English Standard Version
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
World English Bible
He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers;
Weymouth's New Testament
And He Himself appointed some to be Apostles, some to be Prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he yaf summe apostlis, summe prophetis, othere euangelistis, othere scheepherdis and techeris,
English Revised Version
And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Berean Standard Bible
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,
Contemporary English Version
Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers,
American Standard Version
And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Bible in Basic English
And he gave some as Apostles, and some, prophets; and some, preachers of the good news; and some to give care and teaching;
Complete Jewish Bible
Furthermore, he gave some people as emissaries, some as prophets, some as proclaimers of the Good News, and some as shepherds and teachers.
Darby Translation
and *he* has given some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers,
International Standard Version
And it is he who gifted some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, and still others to be pastors and teachers,Acts 20:28; 21:8; Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 2:20; 2 Timothy 4:5;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And he gave some who (are) apostles, and some who (are) prophets, and some who (are) evangelists, and some who (are) pastors, and some who (are) doctors;
Murdock Translation
And he gave some, legates; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers:
King James Version (1611)
And he gaue some, Apostles: and some, Prophets: and some, Euangelists: and some, Pastors, and teachers:
New Living Translation
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
New Life Bible
Christ gave gifts to men. He gave to some the gift to be missionaries, some to be preachers, others to be preachers who go from town to town. He gave others the gift to be church leaders and teachers.
New Revised Standard
The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
Geneva Bible (1587)
Hee therefore gaue some to be Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Euangelists, and some Pastours, and Teachers,
George Lamsa Translation
And he has assigned some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists, and some, pastors, and some, teachers;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, he, gave - some, indeed, to be apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists, and some, shepherds and teachers, -
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he gaue some apostles, and some prophetes, and some euangelistes, and some shepheardes and teachers,
Good News Translation
It was he who "gave gifts to people"; he appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers.
Christian Standard Bible®
And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
King James Version
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Lexham English Bible
And he himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers
Literal Translation
And indeed He gave some to be apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers;
Young's Literal Translation
and He gave some [as] apostles, and some [as] prophets, and some [as] proclaimers of good news, and some [as] shepherds and teachers,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And ye same hath set some to be Apostles, some to be prophetes, some to be Euangelistes, some to be shepherdes & teachers,
Mace New Testament (1729)
It is he then that made some, apostles: some, prophets: some, evangelists: and others, pastors, and teachers:
New English Translation
It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
New King James Version
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
Simplified Cowboy Version
Here are the gifts he gave to his outfits: the twelve cowboys, the old wise cow bosses, the gatherers, the grow yard bosses, and the clinicians.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
Legacy Standard Bible
And He Himself gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,

Contextual Overview

2with all humility [forsaking self-righteousness], and gentleness [maintaining self-control], with patience, bearing with one another in [unselfish] love. 3Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful]. 4There is one body [of believers] and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when called [to salvation]— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of us all who is [sovereign] over all and [working] through all and [living] in all. 7Yet grace [God's undeserved favor] was given to each one of us [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ's [rich and abundant] gift. 8Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE, AND HE BESTOWED GIFTS ON MEN." 9(Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had previously descended [from the heights of heaven] into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is the very same as He who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things [that is, the whole universe]). 11And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct],

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he: Ephesians 4:8, Ephesians 2:20, Ephesians 3:5, Romans 10:14, Romans 10:15, 1 Corinthians 12:28, Jude 1:17, Revelation 18:20, Revelation 21:14

evangelists: Acts 21:8, 2 Timothy 4:5

pastors: 2 Chronicles 15:3, Jeremiah 3:15, Matthew 28:20, Acts 13:1, Romans 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:29, Hebrews 5:12, 1 Peter 5:1-3

Reciprocal: Exodus 40:8 - the court Exodus 40:33 - up the court Numbers 3:9 - General Numbers 7:5 - Take it Numbers 12:6 - a prophet Deuteronomy 1:15 - made Psalms 68:11 - Lord Isaiah 30:20 - yet shall Isaiah 61:6 - named Isaiah 62:6 - set watchmen Jeremiah 1:5 - and I ordained Ezekiel 33:7 - I have Daniel 12:3 - wise Matthew 9:38 - the Lord Matthew 10:2 - apostles Matthew 13:27 - the servants Matthew 24:45 - to give Matthew 25:14 - and delivered Luke 1:2 - and Luke 6:13 - apostles Luke 11:49 - I will John 10:5 - General John 17:8 - I have John 17:20 - pray Acts 1:17 - this Acts 6:8 - full Acts 11:27 - prophets Acts 15:32 - being Romans 1:1 - called Romans 12:6 - whether 1 Corinthians 1:1 - an 1 Corinthians 2:6 - them 1 Corinthians 3:22 - Paul 1 Corinthians 12:1 - spiritual 1 Corinthians 12:5 - administrations 1 Corinthians 14:31 - all may learn 2 Corinthians 3:6 - hath Philippians 1:25 - for Colossians 1:28 - teaching Colossians 4:17 - the ministry 1 Thessalonians 5:20 - General 2 Timothy 3:16 - and is James 3:1 - be 1 Peter 4:10 - the manifold 2 Peter 1:1 - an apostle Revelation 11:3 - I will give power

Cross-References

Genesis 3:14
The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all the cattle, And more than any animal of the field; On your belly you shall go, And dust you shall eat All the days of your life.
Genesis 4:14
"Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the land; and from Your face (presence) I will be hidden, and I will be a fugitive and an [aimless] vagabond on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
Genesis 4:15
And the LORD said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, a sevenfold vengeance [that is, punishment seven times worse] shall be taken on him [by Me]." And the LORD set a [protective] mark (sign) on Cain, so that no one who found (met) him would kill him.
Genesis 4:16
So Cain went away from the [manifested] presence of the LORD, and lived in the land of Nod [wandering in exile], east of Eden.
Genesis 4:19
And Lamech took for himself two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah.
Genesis 4:20
Adah gave birth to Jabal; he became the father of those [nomadic herdsmen] who live in tents and have cattle and raise livestock.
Genesis 4:21
His brother's name was Jubal; he became the father of all those [musicians] who play the lyre and flute.
Genesis 4:26
To Seth, also, a son was born, whom he named Enosh (mortal man, mankind). At that [same] time men began to call on the name of the LORD [in worship through prayer, praise, and thanksgiving].
Job 16:18
"O earth, do not cover my blood, And let there be no [resting] place for my cry [where it will cease being heard].
Isaiah 26:21
Listen carefully, the LORD is about to come out of His [heavenly] place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their wickedness [their sin, their injustice, their wrongdoing]; The earth will reveal the [innocent] blood shed upon her And will no longer cover her slain.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he gave some apostles,.... That is, he gave them gifts by which they were qualified to be apostles; who were such as were immediately called by Christ, and had their doctrine from him, and their commission to preach it; and were peculiarly and infallibly guided by the Spirit of God, and had a power to work miracles for the confirmation of their doctrine; and had authority to go everywhere and preach the Gospel, and plant churches, and were not confined to anyone particular place or church; this was the first and chief office in the church, and of an extraordinary kind, and is now ceased; and though the apostles were before Christ's ascension, yet they had not received till then the fulness of the Spirit, and his extraordinary gifts to fit them for their office; nor did they enter upon the discharge of it in its large extent till that time; for they were not only to bear witness of Christ in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria, but in the uttermost parts of the earth:

and some prophets; by whom are meant, not private members of churches, who may all prophesy or teach in a private way; nor ordinary ministers of the word; but extraordinary ones, who had a peculiar gift of interpreting the Scriptures, the prophecies of the Old Testament, and of foretelling things to come; such were Agabus and others in the church of Antioch, Acts 11:27

and some evangelists; by whom are designed, not so much the writers of the Gospels, as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, some of which were also apostles; as preachers of the Gospel, and who yet were distinct from the ordinary ministers of it; they were below the apostles, and yet above pastors and teachers; they were the companions of the apostles, and assistants to them, and subserved them in their work; such were Philip, Luke, Titus, Timothy, and others; these were not fixed and stated ministers in anyone place, as the following officers be, but were sent here and there as the apostles thought fit:

and some pastors and teachers, or doctors; these may be thought to differ, but not so much on account of the place where they perform their work, the one in the church, the other in the school; nor on account of the different subject of their ministry, the one attending to practical, the other to doctrinal points; but whereas the pastors are the shepherds of the flock, the overseers of it, and the same with the bishops and elders, and the teachers may be the gifted brethren in the church, assistants to the pastors, bare ministers of the word; so the difference lies here, that the one has the oversight, and care, and charge of the church, and the other not; the one can administer all ordinances, the other not; the one is fixed and tied to some certain church, the other not: though I rather think they intend one and the same office, and that the word "teachers" is only explanative of the figurative word "pastors" or shepherds; and the rather because if the apostle had designed distinct officers, he would have used the same form of speaking as before; and have expressed himself thus, "and some pastors, and some teachers"; whereas he does not make such a distribution here as there; though the Syriac version reads this clause distributively as the others; and among the Jews there were the singular men or wise men, and the disciples of the wise men, who were their companions and assistants; and it is asked y,

"who is a singular man? and who is a disciple? a singular man is everyone that is fit to be appointed a pastor or governor of a congregation; and a disciple is one, that when he is questioned about any point in his doctrine, gives an answer:''

wherefore if these two, pastors and teachers, are different, it might be thought there is some reference to this distinction, and that pastors answer to the wise men, and teachers to their disciples or assistants; and so Kimchi in Jeremiah 3:15 interprets the pastors there of פרנסים דישרעל, "the pastors of Israel", which shall be with the King Messiah, as is said in Micah 5:5 and undoubtedly Gospel ministers are meant: from the whole it may be observed, that as there have been various officers and offices in the Gospel dispensation, various gifts have been bestowed; and these are the gifts of Christ, which he has received for men, and gives unto them; and hence it appears that the work of the ministry is not an human invention, but the appointment of Christ, for which he fits and qualifies, and therefore to be regarded; and that they only are the ministers of Christ, whom he makes ministers of the New Testament, and not whom men or themselves make and appoint.

y T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 10. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And 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 Acts 21:8; compare 2 Timothy 4:5. The word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. What was the precise office of the evangelist in the primitive church, it is now impossible to determine. The evangelist “may” have been one whose main business was “preaching,” and who was not particularly engaged in the “government” of the church. The word properly means “a messenger of good tidings;” and Robinson (Lexicon) supposes that it denotes a minister of the gospel who was not located in any place, but who traveled as a missionary to preach the gospel, and to found churches. The word is so used now by many Christians; but it cannot be proved that it is so used in the New Testament. An explanation of the words which here occur may be found in Neander on the Primitive Church, in the Biblical Repository, vol. iv. pp. 258ff The office was distinct from that of the “pastor,” the teacher, and the “prophet:” and was manifestly an office in which “preaching” was the main thing.

And some, pastors - Literally, “shepherds” - ποιμένας poimenas; compare Matthew 9:36; Matthew 25:32; Matthew 26:31; Mark 6:34; Mark 14:27; Luke 2:8, Luke 2:15, Luke 2:18, Luke 2:20; John 10:2, John 10:11-12, John 10:14, John 10:16, where it is rendered “shepherd and shepherds;” also Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; in Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25, it is applied to the Lord Jesus as the great shepherd of the flock - the church. It is rendered “pastors” only in the place before us. The word is given to ministers of the gospel with obvious propriety, and with great beauty. They are to exercise the same watchfulness and care river the people of their charge which a shepherd does over his flock; compare the notes on John 21:15-16. The meaning here is, that Christ exercised a special care for his church by appointing “pastors” who would watch over it as a shepherd does over his flock.

And teachers - see the notes on Romans 12:7.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 11. He 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; 1 Corinthians 12:28-30; and to the concluding observations at the end of that chapter.


 
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