Ephesians 4:9
 
Ephesians 4:9
(KJV) (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
(1611 KJV) (Now that he ascended, what is it but that hee also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
(1587 Geneva Bible) (Nowe, in that hee ascended, what is it but that he had also descended first into the lowest partes of the earth?
(1526 Tyndale) That he ascended: what meaneth it but that he also descended fyrst into the lowest parties of the erth?
 
Counterfeit Versions
(1881 RV) (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
(1901 ASV) (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
(CSB) But what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth?
(NIV) (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?
(NASV) (Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?
(THE MESSAGE) Is it not true that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth?
(AMP) [But He ascended?] Now what can this, He ascended, mean but that He had previously descended from [the heights of] heaven into [the depths], the lower parts of the earth?
(NLT) Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world.
(ESV) In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?
(CEV) When it says, "he went up," it means that Christ had been deep in the earth.
(NCV) When it says, "He went up," what does it mean? It means that he first came down to the earth.
(HCSB) But what does "He ascended" mean except that He descended to the lower parts of the earth?
(NIRV) What does "he went up" mean? It can only mean that he also came down to the lower, earthly places.
(RSV) (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
(NAB-Roman Catholic) What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended into the lower (regions) of the earth?
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) Now the expression “he ascended,” what does it mean but that he also descended into the lower regions, that is, the earth?
 
Textus Receptus - Traditional text
το δε ανεβη τι εστιν ει μη οτι και κατεβη πρωτον εις τα κατωτερα μερη της γης
 
Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
το δε ανεβη τι εστιν ει μη οτι και κατεβη εις τα κατωτερα μερη της γης
 
Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century
D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century
P 46 - circa 200 AD
33 (Minuscule) - Ninth Century
 
Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit (Corrected)
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century (Corrected)
L 020 - Ninth century
P 025 - Ninth century
 
Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions
Omit “First”
Greisbach, Johann - 1805
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Wordsworth, Christopher - 1856 revised in 1870
Westcott and Hort - 1881 - In the margin or brackets
Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941
Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition
United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition
Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition
 
Affected Teaching
This has to be one of the most subtle attacks on the resurrection of Christ. This verse is speaking of the resurrection of Christ. It speaks of the fact that the same Christ who ascended into Heaven is the very same one who was crucified and buried. This verse tells us that Christ was physically buried after His death, which signified that His death was real. It states that He was “first” buried in the ground and then He arose from the dead and ascended into Heaven. By using the word “first” it shows a progression that He was crucified and then buried first and after He was buried, He was then resurrected. The modern versions, omitting the word “first,” just make a statement that He came into our world from Heaven above and completely shrouds the real meaning of this verse.

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