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

16because by him were created all things, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or principalities, or authorities: all things have been created by him and for him. 17And he is before all, and all things subsist together by him. And he is the head of the body, the assembly; who is [the] beginning, firstborn from among the dead, that he might have the first place in all things: 19for in him all the fulness [of the Godhead] was pleased to dwell, 20and by him to reconcile all things to itself, having made peace by the blood of his cross — by him, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens.

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

• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• headκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
• bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• assemblyἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• firstbornπρωτότοκοςprōtotokos · firstbornG4416
• deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• placeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956

Cross-references for Colossians 1:18

• Colossians 1:24Now, I rejoice in sufferings for you, and I fill up that which is behind of the tribulations of Christ in my flesh, for his body, which is the assembly;
• Colossians 2:10and ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and authority,
• 1 Corinthians 11:3But I wish you to know that the Christ is the head of every man, but woman's head [is] the man, and the Christ's head God.
• Ephesians 1:10for [the] administration of the fulness of times; to head up all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth; in him,
• Ephesians 4:15but, holding the truth in love, we may grow up to him in all things, who is the head, the Christ:
• Ephesians 5:23for a husband is head of the wife, as also the Christ [is] head of the assembly. He [is] Saviour of the body.
• John 1:1In [the] beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
• 1 John 1:1That which was from [the] beginning, that which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes; that which we contemplated, and our hands handled, concerning the word of life;
• Revelation 1:8I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith [the] Lord God, he who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.
• Revelation 3:14And to the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:
• Revelation 21:6And he said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that thirsts of the fountain of the water of life freely.
• Revelation 22:13I [am] the Alpha and the Omega, [the] first and [the] last, the beginning and the end.
• John 11:25Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believes on me, though he have died, shall live;
• Acts 26:23[namely,] whether Christ should suffer; whether he first, through resurrection of [the] dead, should announce light both to the people and to the nations.
• 1 Corinthians 15:20(But now Christ is raised from among [the] dead, first-fruits of those fallen asleep.
• Revelation 1:5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and has washed us from our sins in his blood,

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