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He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Ephesians 4:10 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.
  • BSB He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.
  • NKJV He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
  • NASB He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)
  • NLT And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The Christ who descended has now ascended above all the heavens so that he might fill all things. His exaltation is total and his reign universal.

Overview

Paul completes the descent-ascent contrast: the humbled Savior is now exalted to the highest place. His purpose 'that he might fill all things' speaks of his sovereign presence and lordship over the whole creation and his church. From this position of cosmic supremacy he pours out the gifts described in the verses that follow.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 23

  • Heb 7:26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
  • Heb 4:14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
  • Eph 1:20–23Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
  • Col 2:9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
  • Heb 9:23–24It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
  • 1 Tim 3:16And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
  • Matt 24:34Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
  • Col 1:19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
  • Acts 1:9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
  • Rom 15:9–13And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
  • Eph 3:19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
  • Heb 8:1Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
  • Acts 13:32–33And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
  • John 19:24They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
  • John 1:16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
  • Acts 2:33Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
  • John 19:36For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
  • Acts 3:18But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
  • John 19:28After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
  • Acts 1:11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
  • Luke 24:44And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
  • Rom 16:25–26Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
  • Rom 9:25–30As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Ephesians videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Ephesians 4:10YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on EphesiansMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Every spiritual blessing is 'in Christ,' the head over all things for the church, in whom Jew and Gentile are made one new man by his blood.

How Ephesians 4:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.