# Consequences of the comma in Ephesians 4:12



## Tim (Apr 9, 2012)

What are the consequences of the comma in Ephesians 4:12?

There are those in my congregation who are fond of using the phrase, "equipping the saints for the work of the ministry." I am not sure this is proper. What difference would a comma make make in the life of the congregation, if we all agreed on a single position? Would it shift the locale of the ministry of the Word?

Here are the options:


COMMA (KJV)NO COMMA (NKJV)And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,function (1)For the perfecting of the saints,function (1)for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry,function (2)for the work of the ministry,function (2)for the edifying of the body of Christ,function (3)for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Feel free to correct how I have parsed and labeled the two options.


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## Semper Fidelis (Apr 9, 2012)

Here is the NA27:
12 πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων εἰς ἔργον διακονίας, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ

Here is the Stephanus TR:
12 προς τον καταρτισμον των αγιων εις εργον διακονιας εις οικοδομην του σωματος του χριστου 

for the equipping(perfecting) of the saints for the work of service(ministry) for the building up of the body of Christ

The original manuscripts don't have commas so it's a matter of interpretation. The addition of the comma in the NA27 is not in the original manuscripts but, then again, neither is the translation offered by the AV in which they put commas between each of the prepositional phrases.


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## TexanRose (Apr 9, 2012)

So with the comma, the work of the ministry is the job of the apostles/prophets/etc. Without the comma, the work of the ministry is the job of the saints. Do I understand the question correctly?


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## Tim (Apr 9, 2012)

One question might be whether it is a dichotomy, as you have written, Sharon. That is, does the presence/absence of the comma necessarily lead down widely divergent philosophies of ministry (a difference in kind), or is the difference only one of slight emphasis (a difference in degree)?


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