Ephesians 4:11–13
God gave people with different roles to equip the saints
Study it word by word11And he himself gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as shepherds and teachers,
12for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, for the building up of the body of the Messiah,
13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Messiah,
In its context
9Now this “He ascended,” what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10The one who descended is himself also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.
…
14so that we may no longer be children, tossed by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of men, by craftiness in the scheming of error;
15but speaking the truth in love, let us grow in all things into him who is the head, the Messiah,
Its words in the original
- ἔδωκενedōken· give
Give.
- ἀποστόλουςapostolous· apostle, one sent
Apostle: "one sent", a messenger with a mission. This was the name given to the Twelve whom Jesus chose.
- προφήταςprophētas· prophet
Prophet: someone who speaks on God's behalf.
- εὐαγγελιστάςeuangelistas· evangelist
Evangelist: one who proclaims the good news.
- ποιμέναςpoimenas· shepherd
Shepherd.
- διδασκάλουςdidaskalous· teacher
Teacher, one who teaches.
- καταρτισμὸνkatartismon· equipping
Equipping, making people ready and fit for a task.
- ἁγίωνhagiōn· holy
Holy: set apart for God, pure, belonging to him.
- ἔργονergon· work
Work, deed, what someone does.
- διακονίαςdiakonias· service, ministry
Service, ministry: the work of a servant; also help sent to those in need.
- οἰκοδομὴνoikodomēn· building
Building, structure; also building up.
- σώματοςsōmatos· body
Body.
- ΧριστοῦChristou· Messiah
Messiah: literally "anointed", the king or envoy God consecrates with oil. It is a title, not a surname; in Hebrew, mashiach.
- μέχριmechri· until, as far as
Until; as far as.
- καταντήσωμενkatantēsōmen· arrive, reach
Arrive at a place, come to it; also reach or attain a goal.
- ἑνότηταhenotēta· unity
Unity, being united as one.
- πίστεωςpisteōs· faith
Faith: firm trust in God; also faithfulness.
- ἐπιγνώσεωςepignōseōs· knowledge
Knowledge: full knowledge of something or of someone, recognition.
- υἱοῦhuiou· son, Son
Son. Also descendant: "son of David" means one of King David's family, and is a title of the promised Messiah.
- θεοῦtheou· God, god
God. In the plural or in another sense, "gods".
- ἄνδραandra· man, husband
Man, adult male; with a possessive, "husband".
- τέλειονteleion· complete, mature
Complete, mature, whole; often rendered “perfect.”
- μέτρονmetron· measure
Measure.
- ἡλικίαςhēlikias· age, stature
Stature; also age, length of life.
- πληρώματοςplērōmatos· fullness
Fullness; what fills.