COL 1:18 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Καί
2. kai
3. And
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. S
10. Y64
11. 132854
1. αὐτός
2. autos
3. he
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3NMS
7. he
8. he
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132855
1. ἐστίν
2. eimi
3. is
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA3··S
7. is
8. is
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132856
1. ἡ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132857
1. κεφαλή
2. kefalē
3. head
4. head
5. 27760
6. N····NFS
7. head
8. head
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132858
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. of the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GNS
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132859
1. σώματος
2. sōma
3. body
4. body
5. 49830
6. N····GNS
7. body
8. body
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132860
1. τῆς
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132861
1. ἐκκλησίας
2. ekklēsia
3. assembly
4. assembly
5. 15770
6. N····GFS
7. assembly
8. assembly
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132862
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. R···3NMS
7. he
8. he
9. -
10. -
11. 132863
1. ὅς
2. hos
3. who
4. -
5. 37390
6. R····NMS
7. who
8. who
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132864
1. ἐστίν
2. eimi
3. is
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA3··S
7. is
8. is
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132865
1. ἡ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132866
1. ἀρχή
2. arχē
3. beginning
4. beginning
5. 7460
6. N····NFS
7. beginning
8. beginning
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132867
1. πρωτότοκος
2. prōtotokos
3. firstborn
4. -
5. 44160
6. S····NMS
7. firstborn
8. firstborn
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132868
1. ἐκ
2. ek
3. from
4. -
5. 15370
6. P·······
7. from
8. from
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132869
1. τῶν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132870
1. νεκρῶν
2. nekros
3. dead
4. dead
5. 34980
6. S····GMP
7. dead
8. dead
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132871
1. ἵνα
2. hina
3. in order that
4. -
5. 24430
6. C·······
7. in_order_that
8. in_order_that
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132872
1. γένηται
2. ginomai
3. may become
4. -
5. 10960
6. VSAM3··S
7. ˓may˒ become
8. ˓may˒ become
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132873
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132874
1. πᾶσιν
2. pas
3. all things
4. -
5. 39560
6. S····DNP
7. all ‹things›
8. all ‹things›
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132875
1. αὐτός
2. autos
3. he
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3NMS
7. he
8. he
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132876
1. πρωτεύων
2. prōteuō
3. being first
4. -
5. 44090
6. VPPA·NMS
7. being_first
8. being_first
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132877

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:13–23: Jesus Christ is greater than everything

In this section, Paul stated these things: Jesus is equal to God in every way. He has always been with God and he (with God) created the world. God has freed Christians from the power of Satan and has placed them under the rule of his Son, Christ Jesus. God has accepted those who believe in Jesus as his own people. This was possible because Jesus died on the cross instead of them.

Paragraph 1:15–20

Theme: Jesus Christ has shown exactly what God is like. He is the great ruler over everything that he, with God, created.

In this paragraph Paul was emphasizing how great Jesus is. This was in order to oppose the following things that the false teachers were teaching the Colossian Christians.

The Greek people believed that evil spirits created and then controlled the world. A summary of Paul’s response to that false teaching is: No, Jesus, who is equal to God, created the world and now controls it.
The Greeks also said that God’s Messiah would never live in a human body. A summary of Paul’s response is: When Jesus, God’s Messiah, became a man, he retained all the character and power of God.

1:18a

And He is the head of the body, the church;

Also it is he, Christ, who rules over his people and guides them, just as the head rules over and guides the physical body.

the head of the body: This is a figure of speech. Paul was saying that Christ controls and directs his people the same way that a person’s head controls and directs his body.

In many cultures, people do not consider that a person’s head controls his body. However, since the NT often uses this figure of speech, you should try to keep it in your translation. If this is impossible, you could use one of the following ways to translate this part of the verse:

the one who controls his people

the chief over his people

the one who rules over Christians

the body: In this verse Paul was emphasizing that Christ is the head (chief, ruler) of the church. He was not emphasizing the other part of the figure of speech, that is, that the church is like Christ’s body.

the church: The Greek word ekklēsia is translated church in almost all English versions. However, the Greek word means “congregation, assembly, community.” It never means a church building. Make sure you translate this term in a way that clearly refers to a gathering of Christian people, not to a building. For further information see “church” in the glossary and in KBT.

1:18b

He is the beginning

He can do this since he is the source of new life for his people,
He is the one who gives life to the body, his people,

He is the beginning: There are several ways to understand this. The two main ways are:

Paul was still writing about Christ’s relation to his body, the church. English versions show this connection in different ways. For example:
He is its origin (REB)
he is the source of the body’s life (GNT)

The NET Bible translates 1:18a–b as:

He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning. (NET) (REB, GNT, NET)

1:18b could even be the basis for Paul’s statement in 1:18a, that is, Christ is the head of the church since he is its source. See the SSA for a fuller discussion of this possibility.
1. Paul had begun a new idea here and was referring to the beginning or source of everything, not simply the church. (NCV, NJB)

Many English versions leave this ambiguous, although most scholars agree that Paul was still writing about Christ’s relation to the church, so it is recommended that you follow the first option (1).

the beginning: The Greek word archē that the BSB translates as beginning has several meanings: “beginning, source, origin, foundation.” There are many different opinions about which meaning Paul intended here. The three main opinions are:

It means that Christ is the source of the church’s life. For example:
he is the source of the body’s life (GNT)
- See also SSA.
It means that Christ is the founder, the one who began the church. For example:
he is its [the church’s] origin (REB)
The phrase is connected to 1:18c, so beginning refers to the same thing as “firstborn from among the dead.” Several English versions imply this by the way they use punctuation to divide the verse. (CEV, GW)

Since it seems that Paul was still writing about the church here (see previous note), this third option is less likely. Either of the other two is possible. The Display follows the first one (1).

1:18c

and firstborn from among the dead,

because it was he whom God first raised from death never to die again,

and firstborn from among the dead: The BSB connects 1:18c to 1:18b using the word and, although there is no conjunction in the Greek text. Scholars suggest two ways to connect the phrase firstborn from among the dead in 1:18c to 1:18b:

The phrase firstborn from among the dead explains the reason why Christ is the source (beginning) of the church’s life. No English version explicitly follows this, but some reliable commentaries support this view. The UBS Handbook suggests this, as well as the SSA.
The phrase firstborn from among the dead is another title for Christ in the same way that “the beginning” is in 1:18b, and is related in some way. Many English versions seem to understood the phrase this way and they translate it as does the BSB, using and or a comma to separate 1:18b and 1:18c.

Either of these two options is possible and both have strong support in the commentaries. The Display follows the first option.

firstborn from among the dead: Christ was not the first person ever to die and be resurrected. The Bible tells us about several people in the OT and the NT who died and later were brought back to life again (see, for example, the story about Lazarus in John chapter 11). However, all these people died again. Christ was the first person who rose from death with the sort of body Christians will have in heaven—a body that will never die again.

firstborn: This is the same word that Paul used in 1:15b. However, here the meaning is different. Here Paul was not referring to Christ’s authority, but simply to the fact that Christ was the first to rise from the dead to live forever.

1:18d

so that in all things He may have preeminence.

and God planned it this way in order that Christ alone should be the supreme ruler over all that exists.
so that Christ would be the most important person/thing in the universe.

so that in all things He may have preeminence: This sentence explains the purpose for 1:18b–c. God raised Christ from death and caused him to be the source of the church’s life, so that Christ would be the supreme ruler over everything.

in all things: The Greek words that the BSB translates in all things can mean:

“all things.” This is how most English versions have translated it.
“every way.” Only the NJB has this in the text, though the SSA also supports this translation.

Both of these are acceptable. Your choice of which term to use in your language may depend on how you translate “preeminence.” The important thing is that your translation should communicate that Christ is most important.

preeminence: This Greek word that the BSB translates preeminence is related to the word “first.” It means that Christ has the first place, he is first in rank, honor, and influence. Here is another way to translate this verse part:

in order that he alone might have the first place in all things (GNT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος, τῆς ἐκκλησίας

he he (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί αὐτός ἐστίν ἡ κεφαλή τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὅς ἐστίν ἡ ἀρχή πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτός πρωτεύων)

Paul speaks of Jesus’ position over the church as if he were the head on the human body. As the head rules and directs the body, so Jesus rules and directs the church. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable expression or express the idea with a simile or in plain language. Alternate translation: [he rules and directs the church]

ἡ ἀρχή

the the beginning

The word beginning could refer to: (1) the origin of something; here, the origin of the church. Alternate translation: [the origin of the church] or [the one who started the church] (2) a position of power or authority. Alternate translation: [the ruler] or [the one with authority]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν

firstborn from the dead

Paul describes Jesus’ resurrection from among the dead as if someone gave birth to him as her first child. This figure helps us to see that this new life was not like his old life, because he can never die again. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [the first one to come back to new life] or [the first person to permanently rise from the dead]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

τῶν νεκρῶν

the dead

Paul is using the adjective dead as a noun in order to describe a group of people. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this with a noun phrase. Alternate translation: [the dead people]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων

in_order_that ˓may˒_become in all_‹things› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί αὐτός ἐστίν ἡ κεφαλή τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὅς ἐστίν ἡ ἀρχή πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτός πρωτεύων)

This clause could identify: (1) the result of Jesus starting the church and coming back from the dead. Alternate translation: [with the result that he is first among all things] (2) the purpose of Jesus starting the church and coming back from the dead. Alternate translation: [in order that he might be first among all things]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων

˓may˒_become in all_‹things› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί αὐτός ἐστίν ἡ κεφαλή τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὅς ἐστίν ἡ ἀρχή πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτός πρωτεύων)

Paul here describes Jesus as if he were first to do or be something. This does not refer to time or sequence, but rather it refers to importance. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea with a comparable expression or plainly. Alternate translation: [he himself might become the most important person in all creation] or [he himself might be greater than everything and anybody else]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear COL 1:18