Colossians 1:18
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 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. | And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence. | 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. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedColossians 1:15-23The preeminence of Christ
About Colossians 1Paul and Timotheus give thanks for the Colossians' faith and love, which Epaphras "declared unto us," and pray that they may be "filled with the knowledge of his will" and "walk worthy of the Lord." Christ "is the image of the invisible God," by whom "all things were created," the head of the church, in whom "should all fulness dwell," and who has made "peace through the blood of his cross." Paul rejoices in his sufferings as a minister of "the mystery... which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:1Colossians 1:4Colossians 1:7Colossians 1:9Colossians 1:10Colossians 1:15Colossians 1:16Colossians 1:18Colossians 1:19Colossians 1:20Colossians 1:23Colossians 1:24Colossians 1:27Colossians 1:2Colossians 1:3Colossians 1:8Colossians overview
Why this verse matters here"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." Colossians 1:18
Original Greek words
| English | Greek | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| And | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. … |
| He himself | αὐτός | autos | G0846 | it/s/heαὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; … |
| is | ἐστιν | estin | G1510 | you areεἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. … |
| head | κεφαλὴ | kephalē | G2776 | headκεφαλή (kephalē) κεφαλή, -ῆς, ἡ [in LXX nearly always for רֹאשׁ ;] the head: Mat.5:35, Mrk.6:24, Rev.1:14 9:7, al. mult.; figuratively, ἄνθρακες ἐπὶ τὴν κ., Rom.12:20 (LXX); αἷμι, Act.18:6; metaphorically, of a husband, with genitive, 1Co.1:13, Eph.5:23; of Christ, 1Co.11:3, Eph.4:15 5:23, Col.1:18 2:10, 19; of things, κ. γωνίας, Mat.21:42 (LXX) (AS) |
| body | σώματος | sōmatos | G4983 | bodyσῶμα (sōma) σῶμα, -τος, τό, [in LXX for גְּוִיָּה ,בָּשָׂר, etc., and for Aram. נְבֵלָה ;] a body. 1. Prop., of the human body, (a) as always in Hom. (opposite to δέμας), of the dead body: Mat.27:58, 59 Mrk.15:43, al.; … |
| church; | ἐκκλησίας· | ekklēsias | G1577 | assemblyἐκκλησία (ekklēsia) ἐκκλησία, -ας, ἡ (ἐκ-καλέω), [in LXX chiefly for קָהָל, otherwise for one of its cogn. forms ;] 1. prop., an assembly of citizens regularly convened (in Thuc., ii, 22, opposite to σύλλογος, a concourse): Act.19:32, 39 41. 2. In LXX of the assembly, congregation, community of Israel (Deu.4:10 23:2, al.): Act.7:38, Heb.2:12" (LXX) . 3. NT, esp. of an assembly or company of Christians, a (the) church; (a) of gatherings for worship: 1Co.11:18 14:19, 34 35; … |
| who | ὅς | hos | G3739 | whichὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. … |
| is | ἐστιν | estin | G1510 | you areεἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. … |
| beginning, | ἀρχή, | archē | G0746 | beginningἀρχή (archē) ἀρχή, -ῆς, ἡ [in LXX for קֶדֶם, רֹאשׁ, רֹאשׁ, etc. ;] 1. beginning, origin; (a) absol., of the beginning of all things: of God as the Eternal, the First Cause, Rev.21:6 (cf. 18); similarly, of Christ, Rev.22:13; of Christ as the uncreated principle, the active cause of creation, Rev.3:14; in his relation to the Church, Col.1:18; ἐν ἀ., Jhn.1:1-2; ἀπ᾽ ἀ. (and ἀπ᾽ ἀ. κτισεως), Mat.19:4, 8 24:21, Mrk.10:6 13:19, Jhn.8:44, 2Th.2:13, 2Pe.3:4, 1Jn.1:1 Jn 2:13-14 Jn 2:24; κατ ἀρχἀς, Heb.1:10; … |
| firstborn | πρωτότοκος | prōtotokos | G4416 | firstbornπρωτότοκος (prōtotokos) πρωτότοκος, -ον (πρῶτος, τίκτω) [in LXX chiefly for בְּכוֹר ;] first-born: Luk.2:7; pl., Heb.11:28. Metaphorical, of the priority of Christ (originally perh. a Messianic title, cf. Psa.89:28, Heb.1:6; see ICC on Col.1:15): Heb.1:6; π. πάσης κτίσεως, Col.1:15; ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, Rom.8:29; π. (ἐκ) τ. νεκρῶν, Col.1:18, Rev.1:5; pl., of the elect, ἐκκλησία πρωτοτόκων, Heb.12:23.† (AS) |
| out from | ἐκ | ek | G1537 | out fromἐκ (ek) ἐκ (ἐξ), prep. with genitive, from out of, from (see Addendum, p. 492). This entry is included here, but in the print version the entry is found on p. 492. ἐκ, before a vowel ἐξ, prep. with genitive, of motion outwards, separation from (opposite to εἰς; = Lat. e, ex), from out of, from among, from. I. Of Place, … |
| dead, | νεκρῶν, | nekrōn | G3498 | deadνεκρός (nekros) νεκρός, -α, -ον, [in LXX chiefly for מֵת ;] dead, I. as adj., 1. prop.: Act.5:10 20:9, Jas.2:26, Rev.1:18, al.; ὡσεὶ ν., Mat.28:4, Mrk.9:26, Rev.1:17; of that which is subject to death, Rom.8:10. 2. Metaphorical, (a) of persons: Luk.15:24, 32; of those immersed in worldly cares, Mat.8:22, Luk.9:60; of spiritual death, Jhn.5:25, Rom.6:13, Eph.5:14, Rev.3:1; τ. παραπτώμασιν, Eph.2:1, 5 Col.2:13; of the opposite condition, ν. τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, Rom.6:11; (b) of things regarded as inoperative, devoid of power: ἁμαρτία, Rom.7:8; πίστις, Jas.2:17, 26; ἔργα, Heb.6:1 9:14. … |
| so that | ἵνα | ina | G2443 | in order that/toἵνα (hina) ἵνα, I. adverb (poët., Hom., al.), 1. of place, where, whither. 2. of circumstance, when. II. Conjunction, 1. prop., final, denoting purpose or end (cl.), that, in order that, usually the first word in the clause, but sometimes (cl. also) preceded by an emphatic word (Act.19:4, Rom.11:31 (?), Gal.2:10, al.); (a) with optative (so in cl. after historic tenses): after a pres., Eph.1:17 (but WH, mg., subjc.; see Burton, §225, Rem., 2); … |
| may be | γένηται | genētai | G1096 | to beγίνομαι (ginomai) γίνομαι, Ion. and κοινή for Att. γίγν- (M. Pr., 47; Bl., §6, 8 Mayser, 166 f.), [in LXX chiefly for היה ;] 1. of persons, things occurrences, to come into being, be born, arise, come on: Jhn.1:15 8:58, 1Co.15:37; a first appearance in public, Mrk.1:4, Jhn.1:6, al.; before ἐκ (of birth), Rom.1:3, Gal.4:4; διά, Jhn.1:3; βροντή, Jhn.12:29; σεισμός, Rev.6:12; γογγυσμός, Act.6:1; χαρά, Act.8:8, many other similar exx.; ἡμέρα, Luk.22:66, al.; ὀψέ, Mrk.11:19; πρωΐα, Mat.27:1; νύξ, Act.27:27. … |
| in | ἐν | en | G1722 | in/on/amongἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af … |
| all things | πᾶσιν | pasin | G3956 | allπᾶς (pas) πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν, genitive, παντός, πάσης, παντός, [in LXX chiefly for כֹּל ;] all, every. I. As adj., 1. with subst. anarth., all, every, of every kind: Mat.3:10 4:23, Mrk.9:49, Luk.4:37, Jhn.2:1o, Act.27:20, Rom.7:8, Rev.18:17, al. mult.; pl., all, Act.22:15, Rom.5:12, Heb.1:6, al.; of the highest degree, π. ἐξουσία (προθυμία, χαρά), Mat.28:18, Act.17:11, Phi 2:29, al.; also the whole (though in this sense more frequently with art.), Mat.2:3, Act.2:36, Rom.11:26. … |
| He himself | αὐτὸς | autos | G0846 | it/s/heαὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; … |
| holding preeminence; | πρωτεύων· | prōteuōn | G4409 | be firstπρωτεύω (prōteuō) πρωτεύω (πρῶτος) [in LXX: Est.5:11, 2Ma.6:18 2Mac 13:15 * ;] to be first, pre-eminent, have the first place: Col.1:18.† (AS) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.