King James Version
Colossians 1:17
17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Colossians 1:17 in other versions
- New International Version (NIV)He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.
Context of Colossians 1:17
15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18And 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. 19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Read all of Colossians 1Colossians 1:17 word by word
καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων, καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν,Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Colossians 1:17
- Colossians 1:15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
- Proverbs 8:22The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
- Isaiah 43:11I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.
- Isaiah 44:6Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
- Micah 5:2But thou, Beth–lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
- John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- John 8:58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
- John 17:5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
- 1 Corinthians 8:6But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
- Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
- Revelation 1:8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
- Revelation 2:8And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
- 1 Samuel 2:8He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.
- Psalms 75:3The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.
- John 5:17But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
- Acts 17:28For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Commentaries on Colossians 1:17
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17And he is before all things - As he must be, if he created all things. Those who regard this as referring to a moral creation, interpret it as meaning that he has the pre-eminence over all things; not as referring to his pre-existence. But the fair and proper meaning of the word “before” ( ̀ pro) is, that he was before all things in the order of existence; compare Matthew 8:29; John 11:55; John 13:1; Acts 5:36; Acts 21:38; 2 Corinthians 12:2. It is…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. 15-20Paul describes Jesus as the ultimate creator and redeemer (1:15–17; 1:18–20). Three main things suggest these verses quote an early Christian hymn about Jesus: These verses are brief statements. These verses have contain high praise and special honor for Christ (he is exalted). These verses use similar language and ideas. Paul applied this hymn to the situation of the church in Colossae.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. (Joh 8:58.) Translate as Greek, "And He Himself (the great He) is (implying divine essential being) before all things," in time, as well as in dignity. Since He is before all things, He is before even time, that is, from eternity. Compare "the first-born of every creature" (Col 1:15). by him--Greek, "IN Him" (as the conditional element of existence, Col 1:16) [Alford]. consist--"subsist." Not only are called into being from nothing, but are maintained…Read the comment
Topics related to Colossians 1:17
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
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries