English Standard Version
Colossians 2:19
19and 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.
Context of Colossians 2:19
17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 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. 20If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21"Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch"
Read all of Colossians 2Colossians 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 received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
- Colossians 1:18And 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.
- Galatians 1:6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
- Galatians 5:2Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
- 1 Timothy 2:4who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- Ephesians 4:15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
- Job 19:9He has stripped from me my glory and taken the crown from my head.
- Psalms 139:15My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
- John 15:4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
- Romans 11:17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree,
- Ephesians 5:29For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,
- Colossians 2:2that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ,
- John 17:21that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
- Acts 4:32Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
- Romans 12:4For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,
- 1 Corinthians 1:10I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
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