Colossians 1:18

Colossians 1:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
• New International Version (NIV)And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Context of Colossians 1:18

16For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, [things] visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [that is, by His activity] and for Him. 17And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.] He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything. 19For it pleased the Father for all the fullness [of deity—the sum total of His essence, all His perfection, powers, and attributes] to dwell [permanently] in Him (the Son), 20and through [the intervention of] the Son to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace [with believers] through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say,] whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Colossians 1:18 word by word

καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας· ὅς ἐστιν ἀρχή, πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the headκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
• of the bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• the firstbornπρωτότοκοςprōtotokos · firstbornG4416
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• mightγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• have the preeminenceπρωτεύωprōteuō · be firstG4409

Cross-references for Colossians 1:18

• Colossians 1:24Now I rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf. And with my own body I supplement whatever is lacking [on our part] of Christ’s afflictions, on behalf of His body, which is the church.
• Colossians 2:10And in Him you have been made complete [achieving spiritual stature through Christ], and He is the head over all rule and authority [of every angelic and earthly power].
• 1 Corinthians 11:3But I want you to understand that Christ is the head (authority over) of every man, and man is the head of woman, and God is the head of Christ.
• Ephesians 1:10with regard to the fulfillment of the times [that is, the end of history, the climax of the ages]—to bring all things together in Christ, [both] things in the heavens and things on the earth.
• Ephesians 4:15But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ.
• Ephesians 5:23For the husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church, Himself being the Savior of the body.
• John 1:1In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.
• 1 John 1:1[I am writing about] what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life [the One who existed even before the beginning of the world, Christ]—
• Revelation 1:8“I am the Alpha and the Omega [the Beginning and the End],” says the Lord God, “Who is [existing forever] and Who was [continually existing in the past] and Who is to come, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all].”
• Revelation 3:14“To the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the trusted and faithful and true Witness, the Beginning and Origin of God’s creation:
• Revelation 21:6And He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the one who thirsts I will give [water] from the fountain of the water of life without cost.
• Revelation 22:13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End [the Eternal One].”
• John 11:25Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, relies on) Me [as Savior] will live even if he dies;
• Acts 26:23that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) was to suffer, and that He by being the first to rise from the dead [with an incorruptible body] would proclaim light (salvation) both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:20But now [as things really are] Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, [and He became] the first fruits [that is, the first to be resurrected with an incorruptible, immortal body, foreshadowing the resurrection] of those who have fallen asleep [in death].
• Revelation 1:5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who [always] loves us and who [has once for all] freed us [or washed us] from our sins by His own blood (His sacrificial death)—

Commentaries on Colossians 1:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18He is the head of the body - What the apostle has said in the two preceding verses refers to the Divine nature of Jesus Christ; he now proceeds to speak of his human nature, and to show how highly that is exalted beyond all created things, and how, in that, he is head of the Church - the author and dispenser of light, life, and salvation, to the Christian world; or, in other words, that from him, as the man in whom the fullness of the Godhead bodily…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18And he is the head of the body, the church - Notes Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 5:23, note. Who is the beginning - In all things - alike in the work of creation and in the church. He is the fountain of authority and power, and commences everything that is designed to uphold the order of the universe, and to save the world. The first-born from the dead - At the head of those who rise from their graves. This does not mean literally that he was the first who…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-23Verses 15-23 Christ in his human nature, is the visible discovery of the invisible God, and he that hath seen Him hath seen the Father. Let us adore these mysteries in humble faith, and behold the glory of the Lord in Christ Jesus. He was born or begotten before all the creation, before any creature was made; which is the Scripture way of representing eternity, and by which the eternity of God is represented to us. All things being created by Him, were…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Head of the body, the church: The Greek word kephalē (meaning “head”) often has the sense of authority over or chief when Paul uses it as a metaphor (see also 2:10, 19; 1 Corinthians 11:3–10; Ephesians 4:15; 5:23). of the body: The metaphor of the church as Christ’s body shows the essential unity of Christ and the church (see also Colossians 1:24; 2:19; 3:15; Ephesians 1:23; 2:16; 4:4, 12; 5:23, 30). firstborn from among the dead: See study note on…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Revelation of Christ to the Church and the new creation, as the Originator of both. he--emphatical. Not angels in opposition to the false teachers' doctrine concerning angel-worship, and the power of Oeons or (imaginary) spirit emanations from God (Col 2:10, 18). head of the body, the church--The Church is His body by virtue of His entering into communion corporeally with human nature [Neander], (Ep 1:22). The same One who is the Head of all things…Read the comment

Topics related to Colossians 1:18

• Church
• Jesus Continued
• Temple

In the dictionaries

• Birthright
• Consist
• Darkness
• Dominion
• Fill
• Kingly office of Christ
• Mightily
• Philippians, Epistle to
• Reconcile
• Redemption

Commentaries on Colossians 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings