This verse in Greek begins a sentence which ends with verse 16. It will be useful to show how the thought progresses in the Greek text: see Handbook translation|fig:Table_EPH4-11.jpg.
Verse 11 begins with the third personal pronoun (as in 2.14), which is emphatic; so Good News Translation It was he who. The Greek says only “he himself gave,” which Good News Translation has translated by “gave gifts to mankind”, since it is clear that the verb refers back to the scripture quoted in verse 8. Translator’s New Testament achieves the same effect by a more extensive paraphrase: “And what does ‘he gave gifts’ mean? It means that he gave….” Another way of making the meaning clear would be to say “He is the one referred to in the passage that says ‘He gave gifts.’ ”
The phrase “gave gifts to mankind” refers specifically to different kinds of endowments or abilities. But it is probably best to translate this quotation in a relatively literal fashion, since the explanation of its meaning comes in the following statements.
The Greek “he himself gave some as apostles,” etc., could be understood to mean “he himself gave (to the church) some as apostles,” etc. Good News Translation has he appointed some to be since the gifts are properly the offices or responsibilities in the church and not the persons as such (so New English Bible “some to be,” etc.). The statement he appointed some to be may be rendered as “he chose some to be.” But often a more appropriate rendering is equivalent to “to some he gave the task of being…” or “… assigned the task of being….”
Apostles and prophets: see 2.20; 3.5.
Evangelists: the word occurs also in Acts 21.8 (Philip), and 2 Timothy 4.5 (Timothy). It means one who proclaims the Good News, presumably as an itinerant going from place to place where there was no established work (so Robinson, Beare, Barth). The word does not mean the writers of the Gospels. The term may be translated by “those who told others about the Good News” or “those who went about from place to place telling the Good News.” In some languages it may be appropriate to use “missionaries” (see Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).
The fact that the phrase pastors and teachers is governed by one definite article implies that the same persons would exercise both functions. So Beare: “twofold task of the settled ministry, with its duties of pastoral care and instruction”; Barth translates “teaching shepherds.” Pastors translates the Greek word for “shepherd,” which Christ uses to speak of himself in John 10. The related verb “to shepherd” is used of the pastoral functions of the elders in the Ephesian church, Acts 20.28, and also in 1 Peter 5.2. Pastors had charge of a given church, but it is not at all certain that at this time any one man had the sole responsibility over a given church. Both in Acts 20.28 and in 1 Peter 5.2 the role of pastor is defined as that of “overseer,” and in 1 Peter 2.25 Christ is called “pastor and overseer of your souls.”
As teachers these people presumably instructed a given congregation in the facts and the faith of the Christian religion.
In a number of languages pastors and teachers may be rendered as “those who help the believers and teach them” or “those who guide the believers and teach them.”
In 1 Corinthians 12.28-29, in Paul’s lists of church offices, apostles, prophets, and teachers head the list, in that order.
It seems clear that here the first three offices listed were functions in the churches at large, while the last two were functions in a local congregation.
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .