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Ephesians 4 · a question people ask

"He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers" (4:11). What does the chapter say they were given for?

In the text

The verse names them, and the next verse says what for: "for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ" (4:12). The chapter doesn't describe what each of them did. These notes don't say what each one is, add nothing to the two verses' words, and apply them to no church, title or office today.

The verses

“He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,”
Ephesians 4:11-12 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4: The unity of the Spirit

In Ephesians 4:2 the lowliness is the noun Philippians 2:3 gives as humility, and the humility is the noun Galatians 5:23 gives as gentleness; speaking truth in 4:15 is one Greek verb; and the put away of 4:22 and 4:25 is one verb, while 4:31's is another.

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Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions