Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

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:

KJV

ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται,

Greek NT

quoniam in ipso condita sunt universa in cælis, et in terra, visibilia, et invisibilia, sive throni, sive dominationes, sive principatus, sive potestates : omnia per ipsum et in ipso creata sunt :

Vulgate

for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him;

ASV

For in him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by him and in him.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

19 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
γῆ
ge
noun · 251×
διά
dia
preposition · 633×
εἰς
eis
preposition · 1769×
εἴτε
eite
conjunction · 65×
θρόνος
thronos
noun · 62×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
κτίζω
ktizo
verb · 14×
κυριότης
kuriotes
noun · 4×
οὐρανός
ouranos
noun · 274×
πᾶς
pas
adjective · 1226×
ἀρχή
arche
noun · 56×
ἀόρατος
aoratos
adjective · 5×
ἐν
en
preposition · 2743×
ἐξουσία
exousia
noun · 102×
ἐπί
epi
preposition · 888×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×
ὁρατός
oratos
adjective · 1×
ὅτι
oti
conjunction · 1299×

Textual variants

2 variant units attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

notable
SBLGNT: πάντα | WH/Treg/NIV: πάντα | RP: + τὰ
  • πάντα — SBLGNT
  • πάντα — Westcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • + τὰ — Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus
notable
SBLGNT: καὶ | WH/NIV: καὶ | Treg/RP: + τὰ
  • καὶ — SBLGNT
  • καὶ — Westcott-Hort, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • + τὰ — Tregelles, Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Themes

Doctrines that cite this verse

Historic Christian voices

21 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§291"In the beginning was the Word. . . and the Word was God. . . all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made."129 The New Testament reveals that God created everything by the eternal Word, his beloved Son. In him "all things were created, in heaven and on earth.. . all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, a…
§331Christ is the centre of the angelic world. They are his angels: "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him. . "191 They belong to him because they were created through and for him: "for in him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities - all things were created th…
§2641"[Address] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart."124 Like the inspired writers of the New Testament, the first Christian communities read the Book of Psalms in a new way, singing in it the mystery of Christ. In the newness of the Spirit, they also composed hymns and canticles in the light of the unheard -…
Account given by the heretics of the formation of Achamoth; origin of the visible world from her disturbances. 1. The following are the transactions which they narrate as having occurred outside of the Pleroma: The enthymesis of that Sophia who dwells above, which they also term Achamoth, being removed from the Pleroma, together with her passion, they relate to have, as a matte…
1. Moses in the beginning of the history and writings of the Old Testament speaks to us of the objects of sense, and enumerates them to us at length. For, In the beginning, he says, God made the heaven and the earth, and then he adds, that light was created, and a second heaven and the stars, the various kinds of living creatures, and, that we may not delay by going through par…
§34This truth, which God reveals to us in Jesus Christ, is not opposed to the truths which philosophy perceives. On the contrary, the two modes of knowledge lead to truth in all its fullness. The unity of truth is a fundamental premise of human reasoning, as the principle of non-contradiction makes clear. Revelation renders this unity certain, showing that the God of creation is a…
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. Here I learn to know the First Person of the Godhead, namely, the Father, the Creator, who has created me with my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them. He gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, fields, cattle, …
Chapter 1. On the World. 1. Although all the discussions in the preceding book have had reference to the world and its arrangements, it now seems to follow that we should specially re-discuss a few points respecting the world itself, i.e., its beginning and end, or those dispensations of Divine Providence which have taken place between the beginning and the end, or those events…
Chapter 1 It is not, my reverend Ambrosius, because we seek after many words — a thing which is forbidden, and in the indulgence of which it is impossible to avoid sin — that we now begin the fifth book of our reply to the treatise of Celsus, but with the endeavour, so far as may be within our power, to leave none of his statements without examination, and especially those in w…
31. But the sentiment of Truth in this matter must not be hidden, but must have high utterance. For the Word of God was not made for us, but rather we for Him, and 'in Him all things were created Colossians 1:16.' Nor for that we were weak, was He strong and made by the Father alone, that He might frame us by means of Him as an instrument; perish the thought! It is not so. For …
62. But if He is also called 'First-born of the creation ,' still this is not as if He were levelled to the creatures, and only first of them in point of time (for how should that be, since He is 'Only-begotten?'), but it is because of the Word's condescension to the creatures, according to which He has become the 'Brother' of 'many.' For the term 'Only-begotten' is used where …
He continues his explanation of the first Chapter of Genesis according to the Septuagint, and by its assistance he argues, especially, concerning the double heaven, and the formless matter out of which the whole world may have been created; afterwards of the interpretations of others not disallowed, and sets forth at great length the sense of the Holy Scripture. Chapter 1 .— Th…
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, the only-begotten; that is, of the essence of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made both in heaven and on earth.
Belgic Confession · 2 passages
We believe that Jesus Christ, according to his divine nature, is the only Son of God—eternally begotten, not made or created, for then he would be a creature. He is one in essence with the Father; coeternal; the exact image of the person of the Father, and the "reflection of his glory," being in all things like him. He is the Son of God not only from the time he assumed our nat…
We believe that the Father, when it seemed good to him, created heaven and earth and all other creatures from nothing, by the Word—that is to say, by the Son. God has given all creatures their being, form, and appearance and their various functions for serving their Creator. Even now God also sustains and governs them all, according to his eternal providence and by his infinite…
We believe in one God, true, almighty, and infinite, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; the Father unbegotten; the Son begotten of the Father before the ages, and consubstantial with Him; and the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father, and consubstantial with the Father and the Son. These three Persons in one essence we call the All-Holy Trinity, by all creation to be ev…
We believe the most good God to be infinite in essence, incomprehensible, omnipotent, merciful, free, the Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; and that the All-Holy Trinity comprehendeth in Three Persons — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — one in essence, and undivided. The Father is unbegotten, the Son begotten, and the Spirit proceedeth…
Christ is not a man who was promoted to deity but the eternal Son who is true God of true God, Light of Light, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father. He is the exact image of the Father, through whom all things were made. Cyril traces the titles of Christ — Son, Lord, Jesus, Christ — showing that each reveals a different aspect of His divine person and saving work…

Cross-references

  • 1Chr 29:11 — Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exa
  • 1Cor 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.
  • 1Cor 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.
  • 1Pet 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.
  • 1Pet 4:19 — Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
  • 1Tim 3:16 — And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up int
  • 2Cor 5:18 — And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
  • 2Pet 1:3 — According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
  • Col 1:15 — Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
  • Col 1:15 — Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
  • Col 1:20 — And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
  • Col 2:10 — And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
  • Col 2:10 — And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
  • Col 2:15 — And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
  • Col 2:15 — And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
  • Deut 4:39 — Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
  • Eph 1:10 — That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
  • Eph 1:10 — That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
  • Eph 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,
  • Eph 3:9 — And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
  • Eph 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,
  • Eph 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.
  • Gen 1:1 — In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
  • Heb 1:2 — Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
  • Heb 1:2 — Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
  • Heb 1:10 — And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
  • Heb 2:10 — For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
  • Heb 2:10 — For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
  • Heb 3:3 — For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
  • Isa 37:16 — O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
  • Isa 40:9 — O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Juda
  • Isa 40:26 — Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power;
  • Isa 43:21 — This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
  • Isa 43:21 — This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
  • Isa 44:24 — Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
  • Isa 44:24 — Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
  • Jer 10:12 — He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
  • Jer 27:5 — I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.
  • Jer 51:15 — He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding.
  • John 1:3 — All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.