by Bobcat
For it says: “When he ascended on high he carried away captives; he gave gifts in men.” (Ephesians 4:8 New World Translation)
New International Version
This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”
New Living Translation
That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”
English Standard Version
Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
Berean Study Bible
This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”
Berean Literal Bible
Therefore it says: “Having ascended on high, He led captive captivity, and gave gifts to men.”
New American Standard Bible
Therefore it says, “WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.”
King James Bible
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Christian Standard Bible
For it says: When he ascended on high, he took the captives captive; he gave gifts to people.
Contemporary English Version
As the Scriptures say, “When he went up to the highest place, he led away many prisoners and gave gifts to people.”
Good News Translation
As the scripture says, “When he went up to the very heights, he took many captives with him; he gave gifts to people.”
Holman Christian Standard Bible
For it says: When He ascended on high, He took prisoners into captivity; He gave gifts to people.
International Standard Version
That is why God says, “When he went up to the highest place, he led captives into captivity and gave gifts to people.”
NET Bible
Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he captured captives; he gave gifts to men.”
New Heart English Bible
Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.”
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Therefore it is said, “He ascended to the heights and took captivity prisoner and he has given gifts to the children of men.”
GOD’S WORD® Translation
That’s why the Scriptures say: “When he went to the highest place, he took captive those who had captured us and gave gifts to people.”
New American Standard 1977
Therefore it says, “WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.”
Jubilee Bible 2000
Therefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men.
King James 2000 Bible
Therefore he says, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
American King James Version
Why he said, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.
American Standard Version
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore he saith: Ascending on high, he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men.
Darby Bible Translation
Wherefore he says, Having ascended up on high, he has led captivity captive, and has given gifts to men.
English Revised Version
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men.
Webster’s Bible Translation
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.
Weymouth New Testament
For this reason Scripture says: “He re-ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and gave gifts to men.”
World English Bible
Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”
Young’s Literal Translation
wherefore, he saith, ‘Having gone up on high he led captive captivity, and gave gifts to men,’ —
Why do all other Bibles read differently from the New World Translation?
The Greek word rendered “men” in Eph 4:8 is the male plural form of anthrópos (Strong’s 444; ἀνθρώποις, anthrópois, is the male dative plural in Eph 4:8). This form is used to refer to people or humans in a way similar to how we say in English “mankind,” which, in English, has no reference to gender. (On the other hand, “womankind” is always used in a gender specific manner in English.)
The Greek word used for the male gender is ἀνήρ (anēr; Strong’s 435; rendered “male” or “man” or “husband” depending upon the context, such as 1 Cor 11:3.)
The article before “men” (or “people”) is dative (which is why anthrópois is dative), meaning that the “gifts” are being given “to” them. They (the men/people) are not the gifts. Rather, they are the recipients of the gifts. (The dative case indicates that the action of the verb, “gave,” is towards the object of the verb “men”/”people.”) And this agrees with the context that leads up to verse 8, namely Ephesians 4:7 – “Now undeserved kindness was given to each one of us according to how the Christ measured out the free gift” (Revised NWT) Then notice Eph 4:8 starts with διὸ (dio; therefore, for which, wherefore; Strong’s 1352), indicating that verse 8 is about to show why verse 7 is true.
Of the ones listed in verse 11 (“apostles . . . prophets . . . evangelizers . . . shepherds . . . teachers”), “prophets . . . evangelizers . . . and teachers” definitely include women (Acts 21:9; 1Cor 11:5; Php 4:2, 3; Tit 2:3, 4).
As for why the NWT renders the phrase “gifts in men”:
The reference Bible has a footnote that says: Or, “consisting of men,” in agreement with M (Ps 68:18) and LXX (Ps 67:19). Lit., “to the men.” The original NWT (1950) has a footnote that is a little more forthright. It says: Or, “consisting of men”; according to the Hebrew original of Psalm 68:18 and the LXX translation of it. Or, possibly, “to men.”
In other words, they are saying, ‘since the Hebrew and LXX of Psalm 68:18 (Ps 67:19 in the LXX) say “gifts in men” (δόματα ἐν ἀνθρώποις in the LXX vs. δόματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις in Ephesians 4:8), then, we are taking the liberty to amend what Paul said so as to make the phrase agree with Psalm 68:18. Of course, the idea that the phrase refers to elders only is a matter of control for the WT. It is also typical of the WT to strip ordinary congregation members of anything (such as the free gift of the holy spirit – Acts 2:38, 39) so as to make them completely dependent on the WT for all their spiritual needs.
In fact, Paul made five (some say six) changes to Psalm 68:18 as it is quoted in Eph 4:8. But the NWT only amends the last phrase to read as they want. So they are being disingenuious to claim that they are amending the last phrase to read like Ps 68:18, yet ignoring all the other changes that Paul made.
More than that, I thought Paul, the writer of Ephesians, was inspired. He also knew both Greek and Hebrew. Any changes he made in citing the Psalm were under the inspiration of the holy spirit. Nor did Paul say that he was making a verbatim quote of Psalm 68:18. Who is the WT to amend what Paul chose to write?