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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.

Context of Colossians 1:18

16For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 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. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the headκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
• of the bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• the firstbornπρωτότοκοςprōtotokos · firstbornG4416
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• mightγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• have the preeminenceπρωτεύωprōteuō · be firstG4409

Cross-references for Colossians 1:18

• Colossians 1:24Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
• Colossians 2:10and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.
• 1 Corinthians 11:3But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
• Ephesians 1:10to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
• Ephesians 4:15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
• Ephesians 5:23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
• 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, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
• Revelation 1:8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
• Revelation 3:14“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
• Revelation 21:6He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
• 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. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
• Acts 26:23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
• Revelation 1:5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by 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