Ephesians 1 · Verse 21

Ephesians 1:21

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

Ephesians 1:21, King James Version

Ephesians 1:21 in other translations

BSB	far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
WEB	far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.
ASV	far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
YLT	far above all principality, and authority, and might, and lordship, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in the coming one;
DARBY	above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come;
BBE	Far over all rule and authority and power and every name which is named, not only in the present order, but in that which is to come:
Webster	Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

What does Ephesians 1:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

21. Greek, "Far (or high) above all (Ep 4:10) principality (or rule, 1Co 15:24), and authority, and power (Mt 28:18), and dominion (or lordship)." Compare Php 2:9; Col 1:16; He 7:26; 1Pe 3:22. Evil spirits (who are similarly divided into various ranks, Ep 6:12), as well as angels of light, and earthly potentates, are included (compare Ro 8:38). Jesus is "King of kings, and Lord of lords" (Re 19:16). The higher is His honor, the greater is that of His people, who are His members joined to Him, the Head. Some philosophizing teachers of the school of Simon Magus, in Western Asia Minor, had, according to Irenæus and Epiphanius, taught their hearers these names of various ranks of angels. Paul shows that the truest wisdom is to know Christ as reigning above them all. every name--every being whatever. "Any other creature" (Ro 8:39). in this world--Greek, "age," that is, the present order of things. "Things present ... things to come" (Ro 8:38). that ... to come--"Names which now we know not, but shall know hereafter in heaven. We know that the emperor goes before all, though we cannot enumerate all the satraps and ministers of his court; so we know that Christ is set above all, although we cannot name them all" [Bengel].

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 21. Far above all principality. The general sense in this verse is, that the Lord Jesus was exalted to the highest conceivable dignity and honour. Comp. Php 2:9, Col 2:10. In this beautiful and most important passage, the apostle labours for words to convey the greatness of his conceptions, and uses those which denote the highest conceivable dignity and glory. The main idea is, that God had manifested great power in thus exalting the Lord Jesus, and that similar power was exhibited in raising up the sinner from the death of sin to the life and honour of believing. The work of religion throughout was a work of power; a work of exalting and honouring the dead, whether dead in sin or in the grave; and Christians ought to know the extent and glory of the power thus put forth in their salvation. The word rendered "far above"-- υπερανω--is a compound word, meaning high above, or greatly exalted. He was not merely above the ranks of the heavenly beings, as the head; he was not one of their own rank, placed by office a little above them, but he was infinitely exalted over them, as of different rank and dignity. How could this be if he were a mere man, or if he were an angel? The word rendered "principality" --αρχης--means, properly, the beginning; and then the first, the first place, power, dominion, pre-eminence, rulers, magistrates, etc. It may refer here to any rank and power, whether among men or angels, and the sense is, that Christ is exalted above all.

And power. It is not easy to distinguish between the exact meaning of the words which the apostle here uses. The general idea is, that Christ is elevated above all ranks of creatures, however exalted, and by whatever name they may be known. As in this he refers to the "world that is to come," as well as this world, it is clear that there is a reference here to the ranks of the angels, and probably he means to allude to the prevailing opinion among the Jews, that the angels are of different orders. Some of the Jewish rabbis reckon four, others ten orders of angels, and they presume to give them names according to their different ranks and power. But all this is evidently the result of mere fancy. The Scriptures hint, in several places, at a difference of rank among the angels, but the sacred writers do not go into detail. It may be added that there is no improbability in such a subordination, but it is rather to be presumed to be true. The creatures of God are not made alike; and difference of degree and rank, as far as our observation extends, everywhere prevails. On this verse Rom 8:38.

Dominion. Gr., Lordship.

And every name that is named. Every creature of every rank.

Not only in this world. Not only above all kings, and princes, and rulers of every grade and rank on earth

But also in that which is to come. This refers undoubtedly to heaven. The meaning is, that he is supreme over all.

(b) "above all principality" Php 2:9

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 21 Far above all principality - The difficulty in this verse does not arise from the words themselves, the meaning of each being easily understood, but from the sense in which the apostle uses them. Some think he has reference here to the different orders among good and evil angels; he is superior to all the former, and rules all the latter. Others think he refers to earthly governments; and as αρχη, principality, the first word, signifies the most sovereign and extensive kind of dominion; and κυριοτης, lordship, the last word, signifies the lowest degree of authority; hence we are to understand that to our Lord, in his human nature, are subjected the highest, the intermediate, and the lowest orders of beings in the universe. - Chandler. Others imagine that the apostle has in view, by whatsoever is named in this world, all the dignitaries of the Jewish Church; and by what is named in the world to come, all the dignities that should be found in the Christian Church. Schoettgen supposes that the "apostle's αρχη (for αρχοντες, the abstract for the concrete) means the same as the נשיאים Nesiim among the Jews, whose chief business it was to clear and decide all contentions which arose concerning traditions and legal controversies. "That εξουσια, power, is the same as צורבא tsorba, he who possesses authority to propound, expound, persuade, convince, and refute. "That δυναμις, might, answers to רבנות rabbanoth, signifying all the class of rabbins, whose office it was to expound the law, and teach the people generally. "And that κυριοτης, dominion, answers to מר mar, which signifies a person above the lower orders of men. And he observes that Jesus Christ, after his resurrection, called fishermen, publicans, and men from the lowest orders of the people, to the work of the ministry; and made them instruments of confounding and overturning all the Jewish rulers, rabbins, and doctors. And that in the world which is to come - the successive ages of Christianity, he should ever be exalted above all those powers and authorities which Antichrist might bring into the Christian Church; such as popes, cardinals, wicked archbishops, bishops, deans, and canons; and all those who among the schoolmen were termed seraphic doctors, angelic doctors, most illuminated, most perfect, and irrefragable doctors. And although Wiclif, Huss, Luther, Melancthon, and the rest of the reformers, were men of little or no note when compared with the rulers of the popish Church, so eminently did the power of Christ work in and by them, that the pope and all his adjutants were every where confounded, and their power and authority annihilated in several entire regions." It is certain that the apostle means that all created power, glory, and influence, are under Christ; and hence it is added:

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

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

God has laid up spiritual blessings for us in his Son the Lord Jesus; but requires us to draw them out and fetch them in by prayer. Even the best Christians need to be prayed for: and while we hear of the welfare of Christian friends, we should pray for them. Even true believers greatly want heavenly wisdom. Are not the best of us unwilling to come under God's yoke, though there is no other way to find rest for the…

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

Ephesians 1:21 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.

ὑπεράνωhuperanōaboveG5231

πάσηςpasēseveryG3956

ἀρχῆςarchēsprincipalityG746

καὶkaiandG2532

ἐξουσίαςexousiasauthorityG1849

καὶkaiandG2532

δυνάμεωςdunameōspowerG1411

καὶkaiandG2532

κυριότητοςkuriotētosdominionG2963

καὶkaiandG2532

παντὸςpantoseveryG3956

ὀνόματοςonomatosnameG3686

ὀνομαζομένουonomazomenoubeing namedG3687

οὐounotG3756

μόνονmonononlyG3441

ἐνeninG1722

τῷtō<the>G3588

αἰῶνιaiōniageG165

τούτῳtoutōthisG3778

ἀλλὰallabutG235

καὶkaialsoG2532

ἐνeninG1722

τῷtōthe [one]G3588

μέλλοντι,mellonticoming,G3195

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

Cross references for Ephesians 1:21

Philippians 2:9-11
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Colossians 2:10
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Colossians 1:15-16
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 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:
1 Peter 3:22
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Hebrews 1:4
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Daniel 7:27
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Colossians 2:15
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Matthew 28:18-19
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Ephesians 3:10
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Revelation 20:10-15
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. …
Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

above.
Php 2:9,10; Col 2:10; Heb 1:4
principality.
3:10; 6:12; Da 7:27; Ro 8:38,39; Col 1:15,16; 2:15; Heb 4:14
1Pe 3:22
every.
Mt 28:19; Ac 4:12; Php 2:9-11; Re 19:12,13
in that.
Mt 25:31-36; 28:18; Joh 5:25-29; Heb 2:5; Re 20:10-15

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

Context

Ephesians 1:20
Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Ephesians 1:21
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Ephesians 1:22
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Read all of Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1:21 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Sobre todo principado, y potestad, y potencia, y señorío, y todo nombre que se nombra, no sólo en este siglo, mas aun en el venidero:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	au-dessus de toute principauté, et autorité, et puissance, et domination, et de tout nom qui se nomme, non seulement dans ce siècle, mais aussi dans celui qui est à venir;
German Elberfelder 1871	über jedes Fürstentum und jede Gewalt und Kraft und Herrschaft und jeden Namen, der genannt wird, nicht allein in diesem Zeitalter, sondern auch in dem zukünftigen,
Latin Clementine Vulgate	supra omnem principatum, et potestatem, et virtutem, et dominationem, et omne nomen, quod nominatur non solum in hoc sæculo, sed etiam in futuro.