American Standard Version
Colossians 1:15
15who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;
Colossians 1:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
- New International Version (NIV)The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Context of Colossians 1:15
13who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 14in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17and he is before all things, and in him all things consist.
Read all of Colossians 1Colossians 1:15 word by word
ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως·Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Colossians 1:15
- Exodus 24:10and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the very heaven for clearness.
- Numbers 12:8with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Jehovah shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?
- Ezekiel 1:26And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above.
- John 1:18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
- John 14:9Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father?
- John 15:24If I had not done among them the works which none other did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them.
- Philippians 2:6who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,
- Hebrews 1:3who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
- 1 Timothy 1:17Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
- 1 Timothy 6:16who only hath immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power eternal. Amen.
- Hebrews 11:27By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
- Colossians 1:13who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;
- Psalms 89:27I also will make him my first-born, The highest of the kings of the earth.
- John 1:14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.
- John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Commentaries on Colossians 1:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Who is the image of the invisible God - The counterpart of God Almighty, and if the image of the invisible God, consequently nothing that appeared in him could be that image; for if it could be visible in the Son, it could also be visible in the Father; but if the Father be invisible, consequently his image in the Son must be invisible also. This is that form of God of which he divested himself; the ineffable glory in which he not only did not appear, as…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Who is the image of the invisible God - ̓̀ ͂ ͂ ͂ ̓́ eikōn tou Theou tou aoratouThe objects. here, as it is in the parallel place in Ephesians 1:20-23, is to give a just view of the exaltation of the Redeemer. It is probable that, in both cases, the design is to meet some erroneous opinion on this subject that prevailed in those churches, or among those that claimed to be teachers there. See the Introduction to this Epistle, and compare the notes at…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. 15the image: In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, eikōn means "image" or "representation." It describes humans as made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27). It also refers to the wisdom figure in Jewish writings (see Wisdom of Solomon 7:25–26). New Testament writers describe Christ as "the wisdom of God" to explain his importance (compare 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30). the firstborn over all creation: This phrase was important in early Christian…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. They who have experienced in themselves "redemption" (Col 1:14), know Christ in the glorious character here described, as above the highest angels to whom the false teachers (Col 2:18) taught worship was to be paid. Paul describes Him: (1) in relation to God and creation (Col 1:15-17); (2) in relation to the Church (Col 1:18-20). As the former regards Him as the Creator (Col 1:15, 16) and the Sustainer (Col 1:17) of the natural world; so the latter…Read the comment
Topics related to Colossians 1:15
In the dictionaries
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries