The syntax of this verse in Greek is complex. The subject (see Hdb translation under verse 11|fig:Table_EPH4-11.jpg) is “the whole body,” the verb is “makes,” and its object is “the growth of the body.” The verse is obviously related to Colossians 2.19, “from whom the whole body, supplied and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows the growth of God.” The best way to analyze the verse is to use the Hdb|fig:Table_EPH4-11.jpg translation of the Greek (under verse 11).
“From whom the whole body”: “from whom” clearly expresses the idea of the head, Christ, being in charge of the body, the church (as in Col 2.19). Good News Translation has under his control, which states the circumstances under which all of the rest of verse 16 becomes true. In some languages it is best to translate the phrase under his control as “he has control of all the different parts of the body” or even “because he controls all the different parts of the body.”
“Joined and knit together”: the first participle is of the verb used in 2.21. The second participle is used also in Colossians 2.19. Good News Translation translates the first one (all the different parts of the body) fit together, and the second one (the whole body) is held together. The different parts of the body fit together may be expressed in some languages as “all the different parts of the body come together to make one” or “… come together to make one body.”
“Through every joint of supply”: the first noun appears in the New Testament only here and in Colossians 2.19; it means either “joint” or “ligament” (in Col 2.19 it is used together with “bond”). The writer is not scientific in his use of the term, and the precise meaning of the word here is unclear. When applied to the human body they would be ‘joints,’ provided that we use the word accurately of the relations between contiguous limbs, and not loosely (as it is often used) of the parts of the limbs themselves in the neighborhood of the contact.” New English Bible has “Bonded and knit together by every constituent joint” (Moffatt, Revised Standard Version, and others also use “joint”; Goodspeed, Translator’s New Testament, and others use “ligament”). Whether “joint” or “ligament,” the idea is that of joining or holding together.
Rather than the passive expression the whole body is held together by every joint with which it is provided, it may be best to use an active expression, “every joint in the body helps to hold the whole body together.”
“Of supply”; Good News Translation with which it is provided (so Phillips; Moffatt, Revised Standard Version “supplied”; Barclay “equipped”). The Greek noun “supply, equipment” in this genitive phrase could be understood in the active sense that the joints “supply” something to the body (as the related verb means in the parallel Col 2.19; see Good News Translation is nourished). So Bible de Jérusalem translates “the joints which nourish it.” But the idea of joints providing nourishment to the body is a rather strange one (see Robinson), and so most take the noun in the passive sense of “being supplied.” So Murray: “By every band (or ligament) with which Christ furnishes it.” Beare, following Abbott, prefers the idea of “contact” (for the Greek noun translated “joint”) and takes the whole phrase to mean “through every contact of supply,” indicating that the nourishment (which here is that which Christ provides) spreads through the body “by an endless succession of ‘contacts.’ ” This is quite attractive and may be the meaning intended. Similarly Barth: “He provides sustenance to it through every contact.” But the meaning can be faithfully represented without specifying a particular bodily part, by doing what Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has done: “by means of the union among all its parts” (similarly Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje).
The following prepositional clause “according to the working in measure of each and every part” (Hdb|fig:Table_EPH4-11.jpg) may go with what precedes or with what follows; it seems better to take it with what follows. Good News Translation translates So when each separate part works as it should (compare Revised Standard Version “when each part is working properly”; New English Bible “the due activity of each part”; New International Version “as each part does its work”). “Working” translates a noun used in 1.19. “In measure” translates a prepositional phrase; the noun “measure” is used also in 4.7, 13. “Part” translates a word which means “part, piece”; some Greek manuscripts (and Vulgate) have “member.”
The clause when each separate part works as it should may also be translated as a condition, for example, “So if each separate part works as it should.” In this context works is to be understood in a much broader sense than to engage in physical work, and it may be best to translate the introductory clause as “so when each part does what it should do” or “… functions as it should.”
“Makes the growth of the body”: this is the verb and object of this relative clause (verse 16), of which the subject is “the body” at the beginning of the verse. The verb “makes” is in the middle voice, which may properly be taken to mean “makes for itself” or “makes by itself.” The noun “growth” is related to the verb “to grow” (2.21; 4.15).
“To the building of itself in love”: for “building” see 2.21; 4.12. It may be difficult to introduce a shift in the figure of speech at the end of verse 16. Accordingly, builds itself up may be rendered in some languages more satisfactorily as “becomes stronger” or even “becomes better.”
“In love” may be understood as the means whereby the body is made to grow (so Good News Translation through love), but the text can be taken to mean that the body’s love increases, it becomes ever more loving. Barth says: “ ‘love’ is denoted as the ground, the sphere, the instrument of the church’s existence.” He takes love here as encompassing God’s (and Christ’s) love for mankind, the believers’ love of God and Christ, and the believers’ love for one another. It may be necessary to specify in translation who loves whom, and so the following may be said, “The whole body grows and builds itself up as the members have more love for one another.”
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 .