the Fifth Week after Epiphany
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
Read the Bible
New King James Version
Colossians 2:15
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedDevotionals:
- DailyParallel Translations
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
And hath spoyled the Principalities, and Powers, & hath made a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed ouer them in the same croße.
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.
having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
having spoiled principalities and authorities, he made a show of them publicly, leading them in triumph by it.
He defeated the rulers and powers of the spiritual world. With the cross he won the victory over them and led them away, as defeated and powerless prisoners for the whole world to see.
When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.
having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
There Christ defeated all powers and forces. He let the whole world see them being led away as prisoners when he celebrated his victory.
Stripping the rulers and authorities of their power, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by means of the stake.
And when he had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross.in it">[fn]Genesis 3:15; Psalm 68:18; Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 12:29; Luke 10:18; 11:22; John 12:31; 16:11; Ephesians 4:8; 6:12; Hebrews 2:14;">[xr]
and by the yielding up of his body he hath prostrated principalities and powers, and hath shamed them openly by himself.
And, by yielding up his body, he showed contempt for principalities and authorities; and put them to shame, openly, in his own person.
And hauing spoyled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing ouer them in it.
Spoylyng all principalities & powers, hath made a shewe of them openly, triumphyng ouer them in it.
having put off from himself the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
When he had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he made a display of them in public, triumphing over them by it.
having stripped the rulers and the authorities, He made a show of them in public, triumphing over them in it.
When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
God stripped the spiritual rulers and powers of their authority. With the cross, he won the victory and showed the world that they were powerless.
Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.
Spoiling the principalities and the authorities, he made of them an open example, celebrating a triumph over them thereby.
And despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open shew, triumphing over them in himself.
And by putting off his mortal body, he exposed the powers of evil, and through his person put them openly to shame.
And on that cross Christ freed himself from the power of the spiritual rulers and authorities; he made a public spectacle of them by leading them as captives in his victory procession.
having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
And having spoiled the principalities and powers, he exposed them openly, triumphing over them in him.
And the hostile princes and rulers He shook off from Himself, and boldly displayed them as His conquests, when by the Cross He triumphed over them.
and he spuylide principatis and poweris, and ledde out tristili, opynli ouercomynge hem in hym silf.
[And] having despoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
He disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him.
and hath spoyled rule and power and hath made a shewe of the openly and hath triumphed over them in his awne persone.
having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
having stripped the principalities and the authorities, he made a shew of them openly -- having triumphed over them in it.
Having made himself free from the rule of authorities and powers, he put them openly to shame, glorying over them in it.
And hath spoyled rule and power, and hath made a shewe of them openly, and triumphed ouer them in his awne persone.
and having divested principalitys and powers, he made them an example of obedience, and caus'd them to triumph in Christ.
God took away the power of the leaders of this world and the powers of darkness. He showed them to the world. The battle was won over them through Christ.
Jesus put a whipping on the enemies of God by his triumph on the cross.
When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
Having disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them in Him.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
having: Genesis 3:15, Psalms 68:18, Isaiah 49:24, Isaiah 49:25, Isaiah 53:12, Matthew 12:29, Luke 10:18, Luke 11:22, John 12:31, John 16:11, Ephesians 4:8, Hebrews 2:14, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 20:2, Revelation 20:3, Revelation 20:10
principalities: Colossians 1:16, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 6:12
triumphing: Luke 23:39-43, John 12:32, John 19:30, Acts 2:23, Acts 2:24, Acts 2:32-36
in it: or, in himself
Reciprocal: Exodus 15:1 - for Judges 16:30 - So the dead 2 Samuel 23:21 - slew him Psalms 18:29 - by thee Psalms 24:8 - The Lord strong Psalms 41:11 - because Psalms 98:1 - his right Isaiah 25:11 - he shall spread Mark 3:27 - General John 13:31 - Now Acts 16:18 - I command Romans 8:38 - nor Ephesians 1:21 - principality 1 John 3:8 - this purpose
Cross-References
And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.
The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
[And] having spoiled principalities and powers,.... Principalities of hell, the infernal powers of darkness, the devil that had the power of death, the accuser of the brethren, who often objected their debts, with all his works and posse: these Christ has divested of their armour, wherein they trusted to have ruined men, as sin, the law, and death; he has ransomed his people from him that was stronger than they, and taken the prey out of the hands of the mighty; he has bruised the serpent's head, demolished his works, destroyed him himself, and all his powers, and defeated all their counsels and designs against his elect: some render the word
απεκδυσαμενος, "having put off", or "unclothed": and which some of the ancient writers apply to the flesh of Christ, and understand it of his putting off the flesh by death, whereby he gave the death blow to Satan and his powers, Hebrews 2:14, to which sense agrees the Syriac version, which renders the words, ובשלח פגרה, "and by the putting off of his body, he exposed to shame principalities and powers": but it may be better interpreted of unclothing, or stripping principalities and powers of their armour, with which they were clothed; as is usually done to enemies, when they fall into the hands of their conquerors: unless rather this is to be understood of Christ's taking away the power and authority of the Jewish ecclesiastical rulers and governors, by abolishing the ceremonial law, and the ordinances of it; declaring himself to be the alone King and Lawgiver in his house, and requiring subjection to his institutions and appointments, which sense agrees with the context:
he made a show of them openly; when being raised from the dead, he ascended on high, and led captivity captive; he led Satan and his principalities and powers captive, who had led others, as he passed through the air, the territories of the devil, in the sight of God and the holy angels:
triumphing over them in it; which some understand of the cross, as if where and by what he got the victory, there he triumphed; the cross, where his enemies thought to make a show of him, expose him to public scorn and contempt, and to triumph over him, was as it were the triumphant chariot, in which he triumphed over all the powers of hell, when he had conquered them by it: but the words may be rendered "in himself", as they are by the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions; and the sense be, that as he by himself got the victory, his own arm brought salvation to him, so he alone shared the glory and honour of the triumph: or it may be rendered "in him", and the whole in this and the preceding verse be applied to God the Father, who, as in Colossians 2:12; is said to raise Christ from the dead, to quicken sinners dead in sins, and to forgive all their trespasses; so he may be said to blot out the handwriting of ordinances, and to spoil principalities and powers, expose them to public view and shame, and triumph over them, "in him", in and by his Son Jesus Christ: the whole is an allusion to the victories, spoils, and triumphs, of the Roman emperors, who when they had obtained a victory, a triumph was decreed for them by the senate; in which the emperor was drawn in an open chariot, and the captives being stripped of their armour, and their hands tied behind them, were led before him and exposed to public view and disgrace; while he was shouted and huzzaed through the city of Rome, and had all the marks of honour and respect given him b: now all that is said in the preceding verses show how complete the saints are in and by Christ; and stand in no need of the philosophy of the Gentiles, or the ceremonies of the Jews; nor have anything to fear from their enemies, sin, Satan, and the law, for sin is pardoned, the law is abolished, and Satan conquered.
b Vid. Lydium de re Militari, l. 6. c. 3.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
And having spoiled - Plundered as a victorious army does a conquered country. Notes, Colossians 2:8. The terms used in this verse are all military, and the idea is, that Christ has completely subdued our enemies by his death. A complete victory was achieved by his death, so that every thing is now in subjection to him, and we have nothing to fear.
Principalities and powers - Notes, Ephesians 1:21; Ephesians 6:12, note. The “principalities and powers” here referred to, are the formidable enemies that had held man in subjection, and prevented his serving God. There can be no doubt, I think, that the apostle refers to the ranks of fallen, evil spirits which had usurped a dominion over the world, John 12:31, note; Ephesians 2:2, note. The Saviour, by his death, wrested the dominion from them, and seized upon what they had captured as a conqueror seizes upon his prey. Satan and his legions had invaded the earth and drawn its inhabitants into captivity, and subjected them to their evil reign. Christ, by his death. subdues the invaders and recaptures those whom they had subdued.
He made a show of them openly - As a conqueror, returning from a victory, displays in a triumphal procession the kings and princes whom he has taken, and the spoils of victory. This was commonly done when a “triumph” was decreed for a conqueror. On such occasions it sometimes happened that a considerable number of prisoners were led along amidst the scenes of triumph see the notes at 2 Corinthians 2:14. Paul says that this was now done “openly” - that is, it was in the face of the whole universe - a grand victory; a glorious triumph over all the powers of hell It does not refer to any public procession or display on the earth; but to the grand victory as achieved in view of the universe, by which Christ, as a conqueror, dragged Satan and his legions at his triumphal car; compare Romans 16:20.
Triumphing over them in it - Margin, or, “himself.” Either “by the cross,” or “by himself.” Or, it may mean, as Rosenmuller suggests, that “God Colossians 2:12 triumphed over these foes in him; i. e., in Christ. The sense is substantially the same, that this triumph was effected by the atonement made for sin by the Redeemer. See the word “triumph” explained in the Notes on 2 Corinthians 2:14. The meaning of all this is, that since Christ has achieved for us such a victory, and has subdued all the foes of man, we should not be led captive, but should regard ourselves as freemen. We should not be made again the slaves of custom, or habit, or ritual observances, or superstitious rites, or anything whatever that has its origin in the kingdom of darkness. We are bound to assert and to use our freedom, and should not allow any hostile power in the form of philosophy or false teaching of any kind, to plunder or “spoil” us; Colossians 2:8. The Christian is a freeman. His great Captain has subdued all his enemies, and we should not allow them again to set up their dark empire over our souls. The argument of the apostle in these verses Colossians 2:13-15 is derived from what Christ has done for us. He mentions four things:
(1) He has given us spiritual life.
(2) He has forgiven all our trespasses.
(3) He has blotted out or abolished the “ordinances” that were against us.
(4) He has triumphed over all our foes. From all this he infers (Colossians 2:16 ff) that we should not be made captive or subdued by any of the rites of superstition, or any of the influences of the kingdom of darkness.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. And having spoiled principalities and powers — Here is an allusion to the treatment of enemies when conquered: they are spoiled of their armour, so much the word απεκδυειν implies; and they are exhibited with contumely and reproach to the populace, especially when the victor has the honour of a triumph; to the former of which there is an allusion in the words εδειγματισεν εν παρρησια, making a public exhibition of them; and to the latter in the words θριαμβευσας αυτους, triumphing over them. And the principalities and powers refer to the emperors, kings, and generals taken in battle, and reserved to grace the victor's triumph. It is very likely that by the αρχας και εξουσιας, principalities and powers, over whom Christ triumphed, the apostle means the נשיאות nesioth and רשות roshoth, who were the rulers and chiefs in the Sanhedrin and synagogues, and who had great authority among the people, both in making constitutions and explaining traditions. The propagation of Christianity in Judea quite destroyed their spiritual power and domination; just as the propagation of Protestantism, which was Christianity revived, destroyed, wherever it appeared, the false doctrine and domination of the pope of Rome.
In it. — The words εναυτω refer rather to Christ, than to the cross, if indeed they be genuine; of which there is much reason to doubt, as the versions and fathers differ so greatly in quoting them. Griesbach has left them out of the text.
