Colossians 2:15

Colossians 2:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
• New International Version (NIV)And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Context of Colossians 2:15

13When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. 16Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-- 17things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

Colossians 2:15 word by word

ἀπεκδυσάμενος τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας ἐδειγμάτισεν ἐν παρρησίᾳ, θριαμβεύσας αὐτοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ.¶Read the interlinear

• disarmedἀπεκδύομαιapekduomai · to take offG554
• rulersἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• and authoritiesἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• madeδειγματίζωdeigmatizō · to disgraceG1165
• a publicπαρρησίαparrhēsia · boldnessG3954
• triumphedθριαμβεύωthriambeuō · to triumphG2358
• them throughἐνen · in/on/amongG1722

Cross-references for Colossians 2:15

• Genesis 3:15And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
• Psalms 68:18You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives; You have received gifts among men, Even among the rebellious also, that the Lord God may dwell there.
• Isaiah 49:24“Can the prey be taken from the mighty man, Or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?”
• Isaiah 53:12Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.
• Matthew 12:29Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
• Luke 10:18And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.
• Luke 11:22But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder.
• John 12:31Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
• John 16:11and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
• Ephesians 4:8Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men.”
• Hebrews 2:14Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
• Revelation 12:9And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
• Revelation 20:2And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
• Colossians 1:16For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him.
• 2 Corinthians 4:4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
• Ephesians 6:12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Commentaries on Colossians 2:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15And having spoiled principalities and powers - Here is an allusion to the treatment of enemies when conquered: they are spoiled of their armor, so much the word implies; and they are exhibited with contumely and reproach to the populace, especially when the victor has the honor of a triumph; to the former of which there is an allusion in the words ̔ͅ, making a public exhibition of them; and to the latter in the words , triumphing over them. And the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15And having spoiled - Plundered as a victorious army does a conquered country. Notes, Colossians 2:8. The terms used in this verse are all military, and the idea is, that Christ has completely subdued our enemies by his death. A complete victory was achieved by his death, so that every thing is now in subjection to him, and we have nothing to fear. Principalities and powers - Notes, Ephesians 1:21; Ephesians 6:12, note. The “principalities and powers” here…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-17Verses 8-17 There is a philosophy which rightly exercises our reasonable faculties; a study of the works of God, which leads us to the knowledge of God, and confirms our faith in him. But there is a philosophy which is vain and deceitful; and while it pleases men's fancies, hinders their faith: such are curious speculations about things above us, or no concern to us. Those who walk in the way of the world, are turned from following Christ. We have in Him…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them (literally he led [them] in a victory parade): The Roman army celebrated a big victory with a parade. The winning Roman general would lead the embarrassed captives into the conquered city. This image clearly pictures the great victory of God. Through the cross of Christ, God has defeated all hostile spiritual forces (see also Ephesians 4:7–11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Alford, Ellicott, and others translate the Greek to accord with the translation of the same Greek, Col 3:9, "Stripping off from Himself the principalities and the powers: " God put off from Himself the angels, that is, their ministry, not employing them to be promulgators of the Gospel in the way that He had given the law by their "disposition" or ministry (Ac 7:53; Ga 3:19; He 2:2, 5): God manifested Himself without a veil in Jesus. "The…Read the comment

Topics related to Colossians 2:15

• Jesus, the Christ
• Law
• Power
• Satan
• Types

In the dictionaries

• Complete
• Conflict
• Subject
• Treasure
• Trespass
• Angel
• Apostolic Age
• Astrology
• Authority in Religion
• Colossians, Epistle to the

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