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Easy-to-Read Version

Ephesians 1:21

He put Christ over all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings. He gave him authority over everything that has power in this world or in the next world.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (a Spirit);   Atonement;   Jesus Continued;   Power;   Salvation;   Scofield Reference Index - Bible Prayers;   Church;   Sanctification;   Thompson Chain Reference - Principalities;   The Topic Concordance - Body;   Jesus Christ;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Angels;   Ascension of Christ, the;   Excellency and Glory of Christ, the;   Power of Christ, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Kingdom of Heaven;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Church;   Demons;   Ephesians, letter to the;   Eternity;   Jesus christ;   Knowledge;   Magic;   Paul;   Prayer;   Psalms, book of;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Age, Ages;   Apocalyptic;   Ascension of Jesus Christ;   Authority;   Body of Christ;   Colossians, Theology of;   Corinthians, First and Second, Theology of;   Exaltation;   Hades;   Heaven, Heavens, Heavenlies;   Paul the Apostle;   Powers;   Resurrection;   Suffering;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Church;   Covenant;   Eternity of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Angel;   Philippians, Epistle to;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Age;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ascension;   Ascension of Christ;   Body;   Ephesians, Book of;   Eschatology;   King, Christ as;   Lord;   Middle Wall;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the New Testament;   Devil;   Dominion;   Faith;   Hope;   Person of Christ;   Peter, First Epistle of;   Power;   Text of the New Testament;   World;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Angels;   Angels (2);   Ascension;   Ascension of Isaiah;   Authority;   Character;   Demon;   Dominion;   Enoch Book of;   Ephesians Epistle to the;   Eternal Everlasting;   Force;   Good;   King;   Power Powers;   Pre-Eminence ;   Principality Principalities ;   Quotations;   Restoration;   Rufus;   Supremacy;   Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs;   Time;   Unity;   World;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Age,;   Hosts, Lord of;   Power;   Principality;   World, the;   World to Come;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Christ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Angels;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ascension;   Authority in Religion;   Christ, the Exaltation of;   Dominion;   Ephesians, Epistle to the;   Eschatology of the New Testament;   Hope;   Intercession;   King, Christ as;   Pauline Theology;   Power;   Principality;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for January 20;   Every Day Light - Devotion for November 25;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
King James Version (1611)
Farre aboue all principalitie, and power, and might, and dominion, and euery name that is named, not onely in this world, but also in that which is to come:
King James Version
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:
English Standard Version
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
New American Standard Bible
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.
New Century Version
God has put Christ over all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings, not only in this world but also in the next.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.
Legacy Standard Bible
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.
Berean Standard Bible
far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.
Contemporary English Version
There Christ rules over all forces, authorities, powers, and rulers. He rules over all beings in this world and will rule in the future world as well.
Complete Jewish Bible
far above every ruler, authority, power, dominion or any other name that can be named either in the ‘olam hazeh or in the ‘olam haba.
Darby Translation
above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come;
Geneva Bible (1587)
Farre aboue al principalitie, and power, and might, and domination, and euery Name, that is named, not in this world only, but also in that that is to come,
George Lamsa Translation
Far above all angels and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in the world which is to come:
Good News Translation
Christ rules there above all heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and lords; he has a title superior to all titles of authority in this world and in the next.
Lexham English Bible
above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this age but also in the coming one,
Literal Translation
far above all rule, and authority, and power, and lordship, and every name having been named, not only in this age, but also in the coming age ;
Amplified Bible
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion [whether angelic or human], and [far above] every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and world but also in the one to come.
American Standard Version
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:
Bible in Basic English
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:
Hebrew Names Version
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.
International Standard Version
He is far above every ruler, authority, power, dominion, and every name that can be named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.Romans 8:38; Philippians 2:9-10; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:4;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
and powers, and mighty ones, and rulers, and above every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in (that) to come;
Murdock Translation
high above all principalities, and authorities, and powers, and lordships, and above every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that to come:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Farre aboue all rule, and power, and myght, and dominion, and euery name that is named, not in this worlde only, but also in the worlde to come.
English Revised Version
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:
World English Bible
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.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
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.
Weymouth's New Testament
high above all other government and authority and power and dominion, and every title of sovereignty used either in this Age or in the Age to come.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
aboue ech principat, and potestat, and vertu, and domynacioun, and aboue ech name that is named, not oneli in this world, but also in the world to comynge;
Update Bible Version
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:
Webster's Bible Translation
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:
New English Translation
far above every 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.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
This place was given to Christ. It is much greater than any king or leader can have. No one else can have this place of honor and power. No one in this world or in the world to come can have such honor and power.
New Revised Standard
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Over-above all principality, authority, and power, and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the coming one,
Douay-Rheims Bible
Above all principality and power and virtue and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.
Revised Standard Version
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come;
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
above all rule power and myght and dominacion and above all names that are named not in this worlde only but also in the worlde to come:
Young's Literal Translation
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;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
aboue all rule, power, and mighte, and dominacio, and aboue all that maye be named, not onely in this worlde, but also in ye worlde to come.
Mace New Testament (1729)
far above all the principalities, all the powers, all the potentates, all the dominations, and whatever order can be named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come:
Simplified Cowboy Version
We follow a man who God gave all authority in heaven and earth to.

Contextual Overview

15That is why I always remember you in my prayers and thank God for you. I have done this ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God's people. 17 I always pray to the great and glorious Father, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that he will give you the Spirit, who will let you know truths about God and help you understand them, so that you will know him better. 18 I pray that God will open your minds to see his truth. Then you will know the hope that he has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised his holy people are rich and glorious. 19 And you will know that God's power is very great for us who believe. It is the same as the mighty power 20 he used to raise Christ from death and put him at his right side in the heavenly places. 21 He put Christ over all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings. He gave him authority over everything that has power in this world or in the next world. 22 God put everything under Christ's power and made him head over everything for the church. 23 The church is Christ's body. It is filled with him. He makes everything complete in every way.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

above: Philippians 2:9, Philippians 2:10, Colossians 2:10, Hebrews 1:4

principality: Ephesians 3:10, Ephesians 6:12, Daniel 7:27, Romans 8:38, Romans 8:39, Colossians 1:15, Colossians 1:16, Colossians 2:15, Hebrews 4:14, 1 Peter 3:22

every: Matthew 28:19, Acts 4:12, Philippians 2:9-11, Revelation 19:12, Revelation 19:13

in that: Matthew 25:31-36, Matthew 28:18, John 5:25-29, Hebrews 2:5, Revelation 20:10-15

Reciprocal: Job 25:2 - Dominion Psalms 8:5 - hast Psalms 69:29 - let thy Psalms 97:9 - high Psalms 103:19 - his kingdom Psalms 113:7 - out of Song of Solomon 5:11 - head Isaiah 6:1 - high Isaiah 9:6 - the government Isaiah 33:5 - he dwelleth Ezekiel 1:26 - over Ezekiel 34:24 - a prince Daniel 7:13 - and they Daniel 12:1 - the great Micah 4:8 - the first Luke 10:22 - All things John 3:31 - that cometh John 13:3 - knowing Ephesians 3:15 - the whole Ephesians 4:6 - who Hebrews 2:8 - hast

Cross-References

Genesis 1:18
He put them in the sky to rule over the day and over the night. They separated the light from the darkness. And God saw that this was good.
Genesis 1:24
Then God said, "Let the earth produce many kinds of living things. Let there be many different kinds of animals. Let there be large animals and small crawling animals of every kind. And let all these animals produce more animals." And all these things happened.
Genesis 1:25
So God made every kind of animal. He made the wild animals, the tame animals, and all the small crawling things. And God saw that this was good.
Genesis 1:26
Then God said, "Now let's make humans who will be like us. They will rule over all the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. They will rule over all the large animals and all the little things that crawl on the earth."
Genesis 1:31
God looked at everything he had made. And he saw that everything was very good. There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the sixth day.
Genesis 6:20
Two of every kind of bird, animal, and creeping thing will come to you so that you might keep them alive.
Genesis 7:14
They and every kind of animal on the earth were in the boat. Every kind of cattle, every kind of animal that crawls on the earth, and every kind of bird were in the boat.
Genesis 8:17
Bring every living animal out of the boat with you—all the birds, animals, and everything that crawls on the earth. These animals will make many more animals, and they will fill the earth again."
Genesis 8:19
All the animals, everything that crawls, and every bird left the boat. All the animals came out of the boat in family groups.
Genesis 9:7
"Have many children and fill the earth with your people."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Far above all principality and power,.... Good angels and bad angels, and civil magistrates, who also may be intended by the following words:

and might and dominion; good angels may be so called, because of their employment under God in the affairs of Providence, and the government of this world; and Christ is not only above them, as he is God, being their Creator, who has made them, and on whom they depend, and is the Lord whom they serve, and is the object of their worship and adoration, and as he is Mediator, to whom they minister, and so is above them in nature, name, and office; but also as he is man, in union with the Son of God; and chiefly he here is said to be above them on account of place, being at the right hand of God, where they are not, Hebrews 1:13. And evil angels may be so called, because of the government which subsists among themselves, and the power and influence they have over mankind; Christ was above them when here on earth, as appears by his resisting the temptations of Satan, and defeating him in them; by his dispossessing devils from the bodies of men; by his spoiling and destroying them and their works at his death; and by his leading them captive, and triumphing over them at his ascension; and by delivering souls out of his hands at conversion, through his power attending the ministration of his Gospel; and his being above them will still be more manifest, in the binding of Satan a thousand years, and in the final condemnation of him, and of all his angels under him: civil magistrates are sometimes called by these names, and Christ is above them; they receive their governments from him, they rule by him, and are accountable to him, and are set up and put down at his pleasure; all these senses may be taken in; but the first seems chiefly designed: it is added,

and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; persons of authority and dignity, of fame and renown, whether in earth or heaven; as emperors, kings, princes, nobles, generals of armies c. in this world, and cherubim, seraphim, &c. in the other world: this phrase denotes both the extensiveness of Christ's kingdom, and the eternity of it as reaching to both worlds, and being over everything in them, and as lasting to the end of this, and unto that which is to come.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Far above all principality - The general sense in this verse is, that the Lord Jesus was exalted to the highest conceivable dignity and honor; compare Philippians 2:9; Colossians 2:10. In this beautiful and most important passage, the apostle labors 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 honor of believing. The work of religion throughout was a work of power; a work of exalting and honoring “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” - ὑπεράνω huperanō - 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” - ἀρχή archē - 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 people 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 rabbies 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 compare the notes at Romans 8:38.

Dominion - Greek “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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

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 απχη, 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:


 
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