Colossians 2:10

Christian Standard Bible ®

and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
And because you belong to Christ you are complete, having everything you need. Christ is ruler over every other power and authority.

Revised Standard Version
and you have come to fulness of life in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and ye are complete in him which is the heed of all rule and power

Hebrew Names Version
and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power;

New American Standard Bible
and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over every ruler and authority;

New Century Version
and you have a full and true life in Christ, who is ruler over all rulers and powers.

Update Bible Version
and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:

Webster's Bible Translation
And ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power:

English Standard Version
and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

World English Bible
and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And ye are filled by him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Weymouth's New Testament
and He is the Lord of all princes and rulers.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And ye ben fillid in hym, that is heed of al principat and power.

English Revised Version
and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:

Berean Standard Bible
And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Contemporary English Version
And you are fully grown because you belong to Christ, who is over every power and authority.

Amplified Bible
And in Him you have been made complete [achieving spiritual stature through Christ], and He is the head over all rule and authority [of every angelic and earthly power].

American Standard Version
and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:

Bible in Basic English
And you are complete in him, who is the head of all rule and authority:

Complete Jewish Bible
And it is in union with him that you have been made full — he is the head of every rule and authority.

Darby Translation
and ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and authority,

International Standard Version
And you have been brought to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.John 1:16; Ephesians 1:20-21; Colossians 1:16; 1 Peter 3:22;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And in him also you are complete; for he is the head of all principalities and powers.

Murdock Translation
And in him ye are also complete, because he is the head of all principalities and authorities.

King James Version (1611)
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principalitie, & power.

New Living Translation
So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

New Life Bible
When you have Christ, you are complete. He is the head over all leaders and powers.

New Revised Standard
and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And yee are complete in him, which is the head of all principalitie and power.

George Lamsa Translation
And it is through him that you also have been made complete, for he is the head of all angelic orders and powers:

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And ye are, in him, filled full, - Who, is the head of all principality and authority,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And you are filled in him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principalitie and power,

Good News Translation
and you have been given full life in union with him. He is supreme over every spiritual ruler and authority.

King James Version
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Lexham English Bible
and you are filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority,

Literal Translation
and having been filled, you are in Him, who is the Head of all rule and authority,

Young's Literal Translation
and ye are in him made full, who is the head of all principality and authority,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and ye are complete in him, which is the heade of all rule and power:

Mace New Testament (1729)
and ye are filled by him, who is the chief of all principality and power:

New English Translation
and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

New King James Version
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Only through Christ can you become the cowboy you were meant to be. No king or ruler is above the power of Jesus.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

Legacy Standard Bible
and in Him you have been filled, who is the head over all rule and authority;

Contextual Overview

⁴I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable. ⁵For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ. ⁶So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude. ⁸Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ. ⁹For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, ¹⁰and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. ¹¹You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, ¹²when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

complete: Colossians 3:11, John 1:16, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 1:31, Galatians 3:26-29, Hebrews 5:9

the head: Colossians 1:16-18, Ephesians 1:20-23, Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 4:16, Philippians 2:9-11, 1 Peter 3:22, Revelation 5:9-13

Reciprocal: Exodus 25:20 - toward Leviticus 8:35 - the tabernacle Ezekiel 37:27 - tabernacle Daniel 10:13 - one Luke 10:42 - one John 17:23 - made John 17:26 - and I Romans 3:30 - General Romans 10:4 - Christ 1 Corinthians 11:3 - the head of every Galatians 3:27 - as many Ephesians 1:21 - above Ephesians 1:22 - gave Ephesians 1:23 - fulness Ephesians 2:14 - the middle Ephesians 3:19 - that ye Colossians 1:18 - he is Colossians 1:28 - perfect 2 Thessalonians 1:12 - and ye Hebrews 1:4 - so Hebrews 7:11 - perfection 1 Peter 2:7 - the head 1 John 2:5 - hereby

Cross-References

Psalms 46:4
There is a river—its streams delight the city of God,the holy dwelling place of the Most High.

Revelation 22:1
Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And ye are complete in him,.... Or "filled up", or "filled full" in him; that is, are perfect in him: saints are in Christ, and all fulness being in him, they are full too, of as much as they stand in need, and are capable of containing: for these words are not an exhortation to perfection, as the Arabic version reads then, be ye complete in him, like those in Genesis 17:1; but are an affirmation, asserting not what the saints shall be hereafter, or in heaven, but what they now are; not in themselves, for in themselves none are perfect, not even those who are truly sanctified; for though all grace is seminally implanted in them, and they have a perfection of parts, of all the parts of the new man, or new creature, and are perfect in comparison of what they sometimes were, and of profane persons and hypocrites, and with respect to weaker believers, yet none are absolutely perfect; the good work of grace is not yet finished in them, sin dwells in them, they are full of wants and complaints; the best of them disclaim perfection as attained to by them, and express their desires of it; but they are perfect in Christ their head, who has all fulness in him, in whom they are chosen and blessed: they are complete and perfect in him as to sanctification; he having all fulness of grace and holiness for them, they have it in him; and he is made perfect sanctification to them: and as to justification, he has perfectly fulfilled the law for them, he has made full atonement for sin, has obtained eternal redemption, brought in a complete and perfect righteousness, by which they are justified from all things; are freed from sin, and made perfectly comely, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: and as to knowledge, though it is imperfect in them in their present state, yet in Christ all the treasures of it are, and they have no need to go elsewhere for any; they are filled with the knowledge of God and of his will, and are complete therein in Christ; and what knowledge they have, is eternal life, the beginning, pledge, and earnest of it; so that they have no reason to be beholden to angels or men, only to Christ:

which is the head of all principality and power; not only of the body the church, and who is to be held unto as such, from whom all light, life, grace, and strength, are to be derived; but of all others, though in a different sense; and not only of the kings, princes, and potentates of this world, who hold their kingdoms, and receive their crowns from him, and rule by him; but also of the angels, good and bad, often called principalities and powers; especially the former is here meant, of whom Christ is head, being their Creator, Governor, and upholder; who not only maintains them in their beings, but has confirmed them in their state of holiness; so that they are dependent upon him, and beholden to him for all they have and are: with the Jews, "Metatron", which with them is the name of the angel in Exodus 23:20 and seems to be a corruption of the word "mediator", and to design the Messiah, is said w to be King over all the angels. This is mentioned, partly to set forth the glory and excellency of Christ; and partly against worshipping of angels, making use of them as mediators, or applying to them on any account, since Christ is the head of these, and of every creature; therefore no creature is to be looked and applied unto, trusted and depended on: unless rather should be meant the Jewish rulers, Scribes, and Pharisees, their doctors, wise men, and Rabbins, called the princes of this world; the Jews' tutors and governors, to whom Christ is superior; he is the only master and Father, and in whom perfection of wisdom is, and not in them; and therefore should not regard them, their vain philosophy, worldly rudiments and traditions.

w Zohar in Deut. fol. 120. 8.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And ye are complete in him - Having no need, for the purposes of salvation, of any aid to be derived from the philosophy of the Greeks, or the traditions of the Jews. All that is necessary to secure your salvation is to be found in the Lord Jesus. There is a completion, or a filling up, in him, so as to leave nothing wanting. This is true in respect:

(1)To the wisdom which is needful to guide us;

(2)The atonement to be made for sin;

(3)The merit by which a sinner can be justified; and,

(4)The grace which is needful to sustain us in the trials, and to aid us in the duties, of life; compare the notes at 1 Corinthians 1:30.

There is no necessity, therefore, that we should look to the aid of philosophy, as if there was a defect in the teachings of the Saviour; or to human strength, as if he were unable to save us; or to the merits of the saints, as if those of the Redeemer were not sufficient to meet all our wants. The sentiment advanced in this verse would overthrow the whole papal doctrine of the merits of the saints, and, of course, the whole doctrine of papal “indulgences.”

Which is the head - See the notes at Ephesians 1:21-22.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 10. And ye are complete in him — και εστε εν αυτω πεπληρωμενοι. And, ye are filled with him. Our word complete quite destroys the connection subsisting in the apostle's ideas. The philosophy of the world was empty, κενη, but there was a πληρωμα, or fulness, in Christ; the Colossians were empty-spoiled and deprived of every good, while following the empty philosophy and groundless traditions of Jewish and Gentile teachers; but since they had received Christ Jesus they were πεπληρωμενοι, filled with him. This is the true meaning of the word, and by this the connection and assemblage of ideas in the apostle's mind are preserved. No fanciful completeness in Christ, of a believer, while incomplete in himself, is either expressed or intended by St. Paul. It is too bad a doctrine to exist in the oracles of God.

The head of all principality — See the notes on Colossians 1:16; Colossians 1:17.