That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Parallel translations
- WEB that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,
- BSB that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
- NKJV that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
- NASB so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
- NLT that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
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
At Jesus' name every knee will bow, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. All creation will ultimately submit to Christ.
Overview
Echoing Isaiah 45:23, where every knee bows to Yahweh, Paul applies this universal homage to Jesus, affirming His deity. The three realms encompass all created beings, willingly or not, acknowledging His lordship. Christ's exaltation guarantees that His reign will be universally recognized.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Isa 45:23–25I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
- Matt 28:18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
- Rev 5:13–14And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
- Heb 1:6And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
- Rom 14:10–11But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
- Eph 3:14For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Rev 4:10The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
- Eph 1:10That 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:
- John 5:28–29Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
- Matt 27:29And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
- Rev 20:13And 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.
- Matt 12:40For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
- Rom 11:4But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
- Eph 4:9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
- Gen 41:43And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
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Christ at the center
The one who, being in the form of God, emptied himself to the point of death on a cross and was exalted to the name above every name — the joy and prize of the believer.
How Philippians 2:10 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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