Colossians 1 · Verse 17

Colossians 1:17

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Colossians 1:17, King James Version

Colossians 1:17 in other translations

BSBHe is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
WEBHe is before all things, and in him all things are held together.
ASVand he is before all things, and in him all things consist.
YLTand himself is before all, and the all things in him have consisted.
DARBYAnd he is before all, and all things subsist together by him.
BBEHe is before all things, and in him all things have being.
WebsterAnd he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

What does Colossians 1:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. (Joh 8:58.) Translate as Greek, "And He Himself (the great He) is (implying divine essential being) before all things," in time, as well as in dignity. Since He is before all things, He is before even time, that is, from eternity. Compare "the first-born of every creature" (Col 1:15). by him--Greek, "IN Him" (as the conditional element of existence, Col 1:16) [Alford]. consist--"subsist." Not only are called into being from nothing, but are maintained in their present state. The Son of God is the Conserver, as well as the Creator of all things [Pearson]. Bengel less probably explains, "All things in Him come together into one system: the universe found its completion in Him" (Is 41:4; Re 22:13). Compare as to God, Ro 11:36: similar language; therefore Christ must be God.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 17. And he is before all things. As he must be, if he created all things. Those who regard this as referring to a moral creation, interpret it as meaning that he has the pre-eminence over all things; not as referring to his pre-existence. But the fair and proper meaning of the word before προ is, that he was before all things in the order of existence. Comp. Mt 8:29; Jn 11:55, 13:1, Acts 5:36, 21:38; 2Cor 12:2. It is equivalent to saying that he was eternal--for he that had an existence before anything was created must be eternal. Thus it is equivalent to the phrase, "In the beginning," Gen 1:1; comp. Jn 1:1.

And by him all things consist. Or are sustained. Heb 1:3. The meaning is, that they are kept in the present state; their existence, order, and arrangement are continued by his power. If unsupported by him, they would fall into disorder, or sink back to nothing. If this be the proper interpretation, then it is the ascription to Christ of infinite power--for nothing less could be sufficient to uphold the universe; and of infinite wisdom--for this is needed to preserve the harmonious action of the suns and systems of which it is composed. None could do this but one who is Divine; and hence we see the reason why he is represented as the image of the invisible God. He is the great and glorious and ever-active Agent by whom the perfections of God are made known.

(b) "before all things" Jn 1:1

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Colossians 1:15-23

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…

Read the full comment on Colossians 1:15-23 →

Colossians 1:17 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
αὐτόςautosHe himselfG846
ἐστινestinisG1510
πρὸprobeforeG4253
πάντων,pantōnall things,G3956
καὶkaiandG2532
τὰta<the>G3588
πάνταpantaall thingsG3956
ἐνeninG1722
αὐτῷautōHimG846
συνέστηκεν,sunestēkenhave held together,G4921

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Colossians 1:17

  • Hebrews 1:3

    Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

  • 1 Corinthians 8:6

    But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

  • John 17:5

    And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

  • John 8:58

    Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

  • John 1:1-3

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

  • Acts 17:28

    For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

  • Psalms 75:3

    The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.

  • Revelation 1:8

    I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

  • Colossians 1:15

    Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

  • Isaiah 44:6

    Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

  • Proverbs 8:22-23

    The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

  • Revelation 1:17

    And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he.
15; Pr 8:22,23; Isa 43:11-13; 44:6; Mic 5:2; Joh 1:1-3; 8:58; 17:5
1Co 8:6; Heb 13:8; Re 1:8,11,17; 2:8
and by.
1Sa 2:8; Ps 75:3; Joh 5:17,18; Ac 17:28; Heb 1:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Colossians 1:16

    For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

  • Colossians 1:17

    And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

  • Colossians 1:18

    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.

Read all of Colossians 1

Colossians 1:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y él es antes de todas las cosas, y por él todas las cosas subsisten:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et lui est avant toutes choses, et toutes choses subsistent par lui;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er ist vor allen, und alle Dinge bestehen zusammen durch ihn.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et ipse est ante omnes, et omnia in ipso constant.