far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Parallel translations
- WEB far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.
- KJV 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:
- 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.
- NKJV far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
- NLT Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Christ is exalted far above every ruler, authority, and power in this age and the age to come. It declares Christ's supremacy over all spiritual and earthly powers.
Overview
Paul stresses the absolute supremacy of the exalted Christ over every conceivable power — 'rule, authority, power, dominion' — terms that include spiritual forces. His lordship spans 'not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.' For readers in a world rife with fear of unseen powers, this is profound assurance of Christ's total dominion.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Phil 2:9–11Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;
- Col 2:10and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power;
- Col 1:15–16who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
- 1 Pet 3:22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
- Heb 1:4having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have.
- Dan 7:27The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
- Acts 4:12There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”
- Col 2:15having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
- Matt 28:18–19Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
- Rev 20:10–15The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
- Eph 3:10to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,
- Eph 6:12For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
- Heb 4:14Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.
- Rev 19:12–13His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself.
- John 5:25–29Most certainly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live.
- Rom 8:38–39For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
- Matt 25:31–36“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
- Matt 12:32Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come.
- Heb 2:5For he didn’t subject the world to come, of which we speak, to angels.
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Christ at the center
Every spiritual blessing is 'in Christ,' the head over all things for the church, in whom Jew and Gentile are made one new man by his blood.
How Ephesians 1:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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