Colossians 2:19

Colossians 2:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
• New International Version (NIV)They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

Context of Colossians 2:19

17Such things are only a shadow of what is to come and they have only symbolic value; but the substance [the reality of what is foreshadowed] belongs to Christ. 18Let no one defraud you of your prize [your freedom in Christ and your salvation] by insisting on mock humility and the worship of angels, going into detail about visions [he claims] he has seen [to justify his authority], puffed up [in conceit] by his unspiritual mind, and not holding fast to the head [of the body, Jesus Christ], from whom the entire body, supplied and knit together by its joints and ligaments, grows with the growth [that can come only] from God. 20If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were still living in the world, do you submit to rules and regulations, such as, 21“Do not handle [this], do not taste [that], do not [even] touch!”?

Colossians 2:19 word by word

καὶ οὐ κρατῶν τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα διὰ τῶν ἁφῶν καὶ συνδέσμων ἐπιχορηγούμενον καὶ συμβιβαζόμενον αὔξει τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ θεοῦ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• notοὐou · noG3756
• holdingκρατέωkrateō · to grasp/seizeG2902
• the Headὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Headκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• the bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• jointsἁφήhaphē · jointG860
• bandsσύνδεσμοςsundesmos · bond(age)G4886
• having nourishment ministeredἐπιχορηγέωepichorēgeō · to supplyG2023
• knit togetherσυμβιβάζωsumbibazō · to join withG4822
• increaseth withαὐξάνωauxanō · to growG837
• the increaseαὔξησιςauxēsis · growthG838
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for Colossians 2:19

• Colossians 2:6Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting His character in the things you do and say—living lives that lead others away from sin],
• Colossians 1:18He 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.
• Galatians 1:6I am astonished and extremely irritated that you are so quickly shifting your allegiance and deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different [even contrary] gospel;
• Galatians 5:2Notice, it is I, Paul, who tells you that if you receive circumcision [as a supposed requirement of salvation], Christ will be of no benefit to you [for you will lack the faith in Christ that is necessary for salvation].
• 1 Timothy 2:4who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge and recognition of the [divine] truth.
• 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.
• Job 19:9He has stripped me of my honor And removed the crown from my head.
• Psalms 139:15My frame was not hidden from You, When I was being formed in secret, And intricately and skillfully formed [as if embroidered with many colors] in the depths of the earth.
• John 15:4Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.
• Romans 11:17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you [Gentiles], being like a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them to share with them the rich root of the olive tree,
• Ephesians 5:29For no one ever hated his own body, but [instead] he nourishes and protects and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,
• Colossians 2:2[For my hope is] that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in [unselfish] love, so that they may have all the riches that come from the full assurance of understanding [the joy of salvation], resulting in a true [and more intimate] knowledge of the mystery of God, that is, Christ,
• John 17:21that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me.
• Acts 4:32Now the company of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one [of them] claimed that anything belonging to him was [exclusively] his own, but everything was common property and for the use of all.
• Romans 12:4For just as in one [physical] body we have many parts, and these parts do not all have the same function or special use,
• 1 Corinthians 1:10But I urge you, believers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in full agreement in what you say, and that there be no divisions or factions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your way of thinking and in your judgment [about matters of the faith].

Commentaries on Colossians 2:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19And not holding the Head - Not acknowledging Jesus Christ as the only Savior of mankind, and the only Head or chief of the Christian Church, on whom every member of it depends, and from whom each derives both light and life. For a farther explanation of these words see the notes on Ephesians 4:16, where the figures and phraseology are the same.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19And not holding the Head - Not holding the true doctrine respecting the Great Head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ; Notes, Ephesians 1:22. This is regarded here as essential to the maintenance of all the other doctrines of religion. He who has just views of the Redeemer will not be in much danger of erring respecting the other points of religious belief. From which all the body … - This passage is almost word for word the same as in Ephesians…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 It looked like humility to apply to angels, as if men were conscious of their unworthiness to speak directly to God. But it is not warrantable; it is taking that honour which is due to Christ only, and giving it to a creature. There really was pride in this seeming humility. Those who worship angels, disclaim Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man. It is an insult to Christ, who is the Head of the church, to use any intercessors…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-23Paul rejects the false teachers and their demands, explaining that their ideas come from human teachings (see 2:8). They advocated various rules of conduct that had no basis in Christ.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Translate, "Not holding fast the Head." He who does not hold Christ solely and supremely above all others, does not hold Him at all [Bengel]. The want of firm holding of Christ has set him loose to (pry into, and so) "tread haughtily on (pride himself on) things which he hath seen." Each must hold fast the Head for himself, not merely be attached to the other members, however high in the body [Alford]. from which--rather, "from whom." the body--that…Read the comment

Topics related to Colossians 2:19

• Church
• Doctrines
• Grace of God
• Law
• Minister, Christian
• Philosophy
• Physiology

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Bands
• Complete
• Conflict
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Kingly office of Christ
• Subject
• Treasure
• Trespass

Commentaries on Colossians 2

• 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
• 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