ἐξουσίαι· (exousiai) in Colossians 1:16: Noun Nominative Plural Feminine

Noun: this form names a class of authorities or powers, so it functions as a substantive item in the sentence.

Nominative: the form commonly marks a subject or a listed item in apposition, and here it appears as one member of a coordinated list.

Plural: the form refers to more than one authority, so the verse presents it as part of a plurality.

Feminine: the noun belongs to the feminine grammatical class, which is a language feature and does not by itself make a theological claim about gender.

It is attached to the repeated listing after 'εἴτε' with 'ἀρχαί'.

It is governed by the coordinated 'whether' clauses that name categories within the things created in Christ.

It functions as one item in the catalogue of invisible powers, describing a sphere or rank included under 'all things'.

It does not function here as the main subject of the clause or as a verb; the focus remains on what was created in and through Christ.

High: The nominative plural places authorities inside the created powers named under Christ's supremacy.

Listed nominative category. names one category in the list of created powers rather than the main subject of the paragraph. Attached to the coordinated whether-list of powers. Governed by the catalogue of things created in Christ. The list item contributes to the scope of all things, while Christ remains the focus of the clause.

What category is included in the created order? Authorities are included as one listed category among the powers named under all things created in Christ.

Direct: The plural nominative supports rendering the category as authorities or powers within the list.

The form names a category of powers; the verse does not require the form alone to define every rank or spiritual being.

Listed noun defines a full hierarchy of powers: The grammar includes the category in the list, but the passage does not let the form build a complete hierarchy by itself. feminine plural makes a gendered claim: The feminine plural is grammatical and should not be turned into a theological gender statement.

The witness reads 'εἴτε ἐξουσίαι' in Colossians 1:16, within a list of visible and invisible realities created in Christ.

The lemma ἐξουσία ordinarily refers to authority, right, power, or ruling capacity, and the form keeps that lexical sense in view.

Its plural nominative form fits a grouped enumeration, so the grammar points to multiple authorities being named together rather than a single isolated office.

The verse says that even authorities are part of the created order and are included under Christ's creative agency and purpose.

This aligns with the passage's larger emphasis on Christ's supremacy over all ranks and powers without turning the grammar into a separate doctrine by itself.

For readers and teachers, the form helps convey that the verse is comprehensive, naming even ordered powers among the things made through and for Christ.

Do not derive from the feminine plural form any claim about the personal gender of authorities, and do not make the nominative case override the sentence's broader claim about Christ.