Ephesians 4:8 meaning and explanation
This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”
Ephesians 4:8, Berean Standard Bible
Explanation preview
Paul, writing as a prisoner, quotes an early Christian hymn or psalm to support his claim in verse 7 that grace and gifts come to each believer through Christ's victory. The line echoes Psalm 68:18, where God ascends in triumph after battle, but Paul applies it to Jesus: his ascent to heaven follows his descent to the lower parts of the earth, and the captives he leads are likely the spiritual powers he has defeated.
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