Focused Passage

Colossians 1:15-20

The Supremacy of Christ and the Gospel of Reconciliation

Paul moves from thanksgiving for gospel fruit, to prayer for worthy walking, to praise for the Son's supremacy, to the reconciling work of Christ, and finally to Paul's ministry of proclaiming Christ for mature discipleship.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

16For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.

17He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

18And 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.

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 the blood of His cross.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Cross-references

Hebrews 1BSB references Romans 8:29Classic cross-references Hebrews 1:3Classic cross-references John 1:18Classic cross-references John 14:9Classic cross-references John 1:1Classic cross-references

Original words

[The Son]ὍςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularisἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular[the] imageεἰκὼνG1504Noun - Nominative Feminine Singularof theτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularinvisibleἀοράτουG517Adjective - Genitive Masculine SingularGodΘεοῦG2316Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular[the] firstbornπρωτότοκοςG4416Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singularover allπάσηςG3956Adjective - Genitive Feminine SingularcreationκτίσεωςG2937Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Genesis 1:1Classic cross-references John 1:3Classic cross-references Romans 11:36Classic cross-references Revelation 4:11Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 8:6Classic cross-references

Original words

ForὅτιG3754ConjunctioninἐνG1722PrepositionHimαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τὰG3588Article - Nominative Neuter Pluralall thingsπάνταG3956Adjective - Nominative Neuter Pluralwere createdἐκτίσθηG2936Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular[things] inἐνG1722Preposition-τοῖςG3588Article - Dative Masculine PluralheavenοὐρανοῖςG3772Noun - Dative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctiononἐπὶG1909Preposition-τῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularearthγῆςG1093Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular-τὰG3588Article - Nominative Neuter PluralvisibleὁρατὰG3707Adjective - Nominative Neuter PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunction-τὰG3588Article - Nominative Neuter PluralinvisibleἀόραταG517Adjective - Nominative Neuter PluralwhetherεἴτεG1535ConjunctionthronesθρόνοιG2362Noun - Nominative Masculine PluralorεἴτεG1535ConjunctiondominionsκυριότητεςG2963Noun - Nominative Feminine PluralorεἴτεG1535ConjunctionrulersἀρχαὶG746Noun - Nominative Feminine PluralorεἴτεG1535ConjunctionauthoritiesἐξουσίαιG1849Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural-τὰG3588Article - Nominative Neuter PluralAll thingsπάνταG3956Adjective - Nominative Neuter Pluralwere createdἔκτισταιG2936Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singularthroughδι’G1223PrepositionHimαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionforεἰςG1519PrepositionHimαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

John 1:1Classic cross-references Acts 17:28Classic cross-references Hebrews 1:3Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 8:6Classic cross-references John 8:58Classic cross-references

Original words

-ΚαὶG2532ConjunctionHeαὐτόςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person SingularisἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularbeforeπρὸG4253Prepositionall thingsπάντωνG3956Adjective - Genitive Neuter PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctioninἐνG1722PrepositionHimαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τὰG3588Article - Nominative Neuter Pluralall thingsπάνταG3956Adjective - Nominative Neuter Pluralhold togetherσυνέστηκενG4921Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular

Verse 18

Cross-references

Ephesians 1:22Classic cross-references John 3:30Classic cross-references Matthew 16:18Classic cross-references Revelation 1:5Classic cross-references Ephesians 4:15Classic cross-references

Original words

AndκαὶG2532ConjunctionHeαὐτόςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person SingularisἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartheἡG3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularheadκεφαλὴG2776Noun - Nominative Feminine Singularof theτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter SingularbodyσώματοςG4983Noun - Genitive Neuter SingulartheτῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularchurchἐκκλησίαςG1577Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularHeὅςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularisἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularthe(ἡ)G3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularbeginningἀρχήG746Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular[and] firstbornπρωτότοκοςG4416Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singularfrom amongἐκG1537PrepositiontheτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluraldeadνεκρῶνG3498Adjective - Genitive Masculine Pluralso thatἵναG2443ConjunctioninἐνG1722Prepositionall thingsπᾶσινG3956Adjective - Dative Neuter PluralHeαὐτὸςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person SingularmayγένηταιG1096Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singularhave preeminenceπρωτεύωνG4409Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular

Verse 19

Cross-references

Colossians 2:9Classic cross-references John 1:14Classic cross-references John 1:16Classic cross-references Ephesians 1:23Classic cross-references Colossians 2:3Classic cross-references

Original words

ForὅτιG3754Conjunction[God] was pleased [to have]εὐδόκησενG2106Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularallπᾶνG3956Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular[His]τὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingularfullnessπλήρωμαG4138Noun - Accusative Neuter SingulardwellκατοικῆσαιG2730Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveinἐνG1722PrepositionHimαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular

Verse 20

Cross-references

Ephesians 1:10Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 5:18Classic cross-references John 16:33Classic cross-references Matthew 1:21Classic cross-references Romans 5:1Classic cross-references

Original words

andκαὶG2532Conjunctionthroughδι’G1223PrepositionHimαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singularto reconcileἀποκαταλλάξαιG604Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivetoεἰςG1519PrepositionHimselfαὐτόνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Pluralall thingsπάνταG3956Adjective - Accusative Neuter PluralwhetherεἴτεG1535ConjunctionthingsτὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralonἐπὶG1909Preposition-τῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularearthγῆςG1093Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularorεἴτεG1535ConjunctionthingsτὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralinἐνG1722Preposition-τοῖςG3588Article - Dative Masculine PluralheavenοὐρανοῖςG3772Noun - Dative Masculine Pluralby making peaceεἰρηνοποιήσαςG1517Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularthroughδιὰG1223PrepositiontheτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter SingularbloodαἵματοςG129Noun - Genitive Neuter SingularofτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularHisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularcrossσταυροῦG4716Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular-δι’G1223Preposition-αὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular

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