Ephesians 4:7-9
HE LED THE CAPTIVES FREE AND GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.
(v. 7) "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.
(v. 8) Therefore it says, [Ps 68:18]
'When He ascended on high [to heaven],
He led captives
[OT saints in Paradise compartment in Hades who were saved on credit, held 'captive' there awaiting our Lord's atonement for them so that He could bring them into heaven with Himself]
in his train and gave gifts
[of eternal life now fully paid for them on the cross]
to men [and led them into heaven].
(v. 9) (What does 'He ascended' mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions"
[Hades to the Paradise compartment in order to lead the 'captives', i.e., the O.T. saints into heaven]"
"He led captives in his train" = lit. "He led captive captivity", i.e., he went to those in Hades/Paradise who were captive in the sense of being restricted to Paradise and led them in a captive group to heaven with Him.
[Compare Jn 3:13]:
"No one has ever gone up into heaven except the One Who came from heaven - the Son of Man."