Bible Dictionary Definition of edify:

build up

Only Christ can edify.  He does it through His people in gifts and ministries.  Every member of the Body of Christ has a ministry and is a ministry.  In understanding Ephesians 4:12-16, you must go back to the main verb, edoken, in verse 11.  Christ gave the gifts.  He gave the office of apostle.  He gave the four ministries.  Those gifts are not the persons but the Christ in those persons, as another passage says, "Christ in us, the hope of glory."  The text cannot be read any other way than to understand that these gifts are performing all of this work as the gifts proceed from Christ.  Grace means, literally, free gift.  This is grace, and we know from Scripture that it is grace that does any work that is done.  In fact, God could give no greater gift, so He gave us of Himself.  He chooses to do it through apostles, ones sent.  He chooses to not use those who send themselves or who are sent by men.  It is plain from the Greek that it is not gifted people who do any of this work, but rather the Gift Himself does the work through the members.  This is true whether it is the apostle who is totally equipping and completing the member or the member who is now also moving in the power and authority of the same gift.  When any member comes into submission to the apostle, that person carries the same anointing and authority of the apostle just as long and to the extent that they are in submission.  They are not submitting to a man but to Christ Himself.  If you can discern the Body of Christ, you will see this.  If you see this, flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but your Father in Heaven has revealed it.

Examples of edify from KJV:

3618

Matthew 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man, which built <3618> his house upon a rock:
Matthew 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, which built <3618> his house upon the sand:
Matthew 16:18  And I say also to thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build <3618> my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 21:33  Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built <3618> a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
Matthew 21:42  Jesus saith to them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders <3618> rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Matthew 23:29  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build <3618> the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Matthew 26:61  And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build <3618> it in three days.
Matthew 27:40  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest <3618> it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
Mark 12:1  And he began to speak to them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built <3618> a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
Mark 12:10  And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders <3618> rejected is become the head of the corner:
Mark 14:58  We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build <3618> another made without hands.
Mark 15:29  And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest <3618> it in three days,
Luke 4:29  And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill whereon their city was built <3618>, that they might cast him down headlong.
Luke 6:48  He is like a man which built <3618> an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luke 6:49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built <3618> an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
Luke 7:5  For he loveth our nation, and he hath built <3618> us a synagogue.
Luke 11:47  Woe to you! for ye build <3618> the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
Luke 11:48  Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build <3618> their sepulchres.
Luke 12:18  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build <3618> greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
Luke 14:28  For which of you, intending to build <3618> a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Luke 14:30  Saying, This man began to build <3618>, and was not able to finish.
Luke 17:28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded <3618>;
Luke 20:17  And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders <3618> rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?
John 2:20  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was <3618> this temple in building <3618>, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
Acts 4:11  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders <3618>, which is become the head of the corner.
Acts 7:47  But Solomon built <3618> him an house.
Acts 7:49  Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build <3618> me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
Acts 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified <3618>; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
Romans 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build <3618> upon another man's foundation:
1 Corinthians 8:1  Now as touching things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth <3618>.
1 Corinthians 8:10  For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall <3618> not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened <3618> to eat those things which are offered to idols;
1 Corinthians 10:23  All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify <3618> not.
1 Corinthians 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth <3618> himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth <3618> the church.
1 Corinthians 14:17  For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is <3618> not edified <3618>.
Galatians 2:18  For if I build <3618> again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
1 Thessalonians 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify <3618> one another, even as also ye do.
1 Peter 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up <3618> a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but to them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders <3618> disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

3619

Matthew 24:1  And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings <3619> of the temple.
Mark 13:1  And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith to him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings <3619> are here!
Mark 13:2  And Jesus answering said to him, Seest thou these great buildings <3619>? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Romans 14:19  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify <3619> another.
Romans 15:2  Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification <3619>.
1 Corinthians 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building <3619>.
1 Corinthians 14:3  But he that prophesieth speaketh to men to edification <3619>, and exhortation, and comfort.
1 Corinthians 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying <3619>.
1 Corinthians 14:12  Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying <3619> of the church.
1 Corinthians 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done to edifying <3619>.
2 Corinthians 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building <3619> of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 Corinthians 10:8  For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification <3619>, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
2 Corinthians 12:19  Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves to you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying <3619>.
2 Corinthians 13:10  Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification <3619>, and not to destruction.
Ephesians 2:21  In whom all the building <3619> fitly framed together groweth to an holy temple in the Lord:
Ephesians 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying <3619> of the body of Christ:
Ephesians 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body to the edifying <3619> of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying <3619>, that it may minister grace to the hearers.