Colossians 1:15
New International Version
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

New Living Translation
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

English Standard Version
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Berean Standard Bible
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Berean Literal Bible
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,

King James Bible
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

New King James Version
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

New American Standard Bible
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation:

NASB 1995
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

NASB 1977
And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation.

Legacy Standard Bible
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Amplified Bible
He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.

Christian Standard Bible
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

American Standard Version
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

Contemporary English Version
Christ is exactly like God, who cannot be seen. He is the first-born Son, superior to all creation.

English Revised Version
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Good News Translation
Christ is the visible likeness of the invisible God. He is the first-born Son, superior to all created things.

International Standard Version
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Majority Standard Bible
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

NET Bible
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,

New Heart English Bible
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Webster's Bible Translation
Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature:

Weymouth New Testament
Christ is the visible representation of the invisible God, the Firstborn and Lord of all creation.

World English Bible
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
who is the image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation,

Berean Literal Bible
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,

Young's Literal Translation
who is the image of the invisible God, first-born of all creation,

Smith's Literal Translation
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Catholic Public Domain Version
He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature.

New American Bible
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

New Revised Standard Version
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He is the image of the invisible God, and the first-born of every creature:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He who is the image of The Unseen God and is The Firstborn of all creation.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature;

Godbey New Testament
who is the image of the invisible God, being the first begotten of all creation,

Haweis New Testament
Who is the image of the invisible God, the prime author of all creation:

Mace New Testament
he is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of the whole creation.

Weymouth New Testament
Christ is the visible representation of the invisible God, the Firstborn and Lord of all creation.

Worrell New Testament
Who is the image of the invisible God, Primal Source of all creation;

Worsley New Testament
Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of the whole creation:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Supremacy of Christ
14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.…

Cross References
John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. / He was with God in the beginning. / Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.

Hebrews 1:2-3
But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. / The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Philippians 2:6
Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

1 Corinthians 8:6
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.

Revelation 3:14
To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation.

Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” / So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Proverbs 8:22-31
The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old. / From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began. / When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water. ...

John 14:9
Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

2 Corinthians 4:4
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Hebrews 1:6
And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Romans 8:29
For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

Ephesians 1:20-23
which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, / 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. / And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church, ...

John 17:5
And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.

Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.


Treasury of Scripture

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

the image.

Exodus 24:10
And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

Numbers 12:8
With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Ezekiel 1:26-28
And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it…

the invisible.

1 Timothy 1:17
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:16
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Hebrews 11:27
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

the firstborn.

Colossians 1:13
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Psalm 89:27
Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

of every.

Colossians 1:16,17
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: …

Proverbs 8:29-31
When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: …

Revelation 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

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Colossians 1
1. After salutation Paul thanks God for the Colossians' faith;
7. confirms the doctrine of Epaphras;
9. prays further for their increase in grace;
14. describes the supremacy of Christ;
21. encourages them to receive Jesus Christ, and commends his own ministry.














The Son
This phrase refers to Jesus Christ, emphasizing His unique relationship with God the Father. In the Greek, "ho huios" signifies not just any son, but the Son, indicating a special status. This title underscores the divinity and preeminence of Christ, affirming His role in the Trinity. Historically, this was a profound declaration in a polytheistic world, asserting the singularity and supremacy of Christ as the divine Son.

is the image
The Greek word "eikōn" is used here, meaning "image" or "likeness." This term conveys the idea of representation and manifestation. In the ancient world, an image was not merely a reflection but carried the essence of the original. Thus, Christ is the perfect representation of God, embodying His nature and character. This challenges believers to see Christ as the full revelation of God, making the invisible visible.

of the invisible God
This phrase highlights the nature of God as spirit, unseen by human eyes. The Greek word "aoratos" means "invisible" or "unseen." In the context of Jewish monotheism, God was understood as transcendent and beyond human comprehension. Yet, through Christ, the invisible God is made known. This revelation is central to Christian faith, as it bridges the gap between humanity and the divine.

the firstborn
The term "prōtotokos" in Greek can mean first in time or first in rank. In this context, it signifies preeminence rather than chronological birth order. Historically, the firstborn held a place of honor and authority. Here, it affirms Christ's supremacy over all creation, not as a created being, but as the eternal Son who holds authority and inheritance over all.

over all creation
This phrase establishes Christ's authority and dominion. The Greek "pāsēs ktiseōs" encompasses all that is created, both seen and unseen. In a world where various powers and deities were worshiped, this declaration asserts Christ's sovereignty over the entire cosmos. It reassures believers of His ultimate control and purpose in creation, encouraging trust in His divine plan.

(15) The image of the invisible God.--This all important clause needs the most careful examination. We note accordingly (1) that the word "image" (like the word "form," Philippians 2:6-7) is used in the New Testament for real and essential embodiment, as distinguished from mere likeness. Thus in Hebrews 10:1 we read, "The law, having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things;" we note also in Romans 1:23 the distinction between the mere outward "likeness" and the "image" which it represented; we find in 1Corinthians 15:49 that the "image of the earthy" and "the image of the heavenly" Adam denote actual identity of nature with both; and in 2Corinthians 3:18 the actual work of the Spirit in the heart is described as "changing us from glory to glory" into "the image" of the glorified Christ. (2) Next we observe that although, speaking popularly, St. Paul in 1Corinthians 11:7 calls man "the image and glory of God," yet the allusion is to Genesis 1:26; Genesis 1:28, where man is said, with stricter accuracy, to be made "after the image of God" (as in Ephesians 4:24, "created after God"), and this more accurate expression is used in Colossians 3:10 of this Epistle, "renewed after the image of Him that created him." Who then, or what, is the "image of God," after which man is created? St. Paul here emphatically (as in 2Corinthians 4:4 parenthetically) answers "Christ," as the Son of God, "first-born before all creation." The same truth is conveyed in a different form, clearer (if possible) even than this, in Hebrews 1:3, where "the Son" is said to be not only "the brightness of the glory of the Father," but "the express image of His Person." For the word "express image" is character in the original, used here (as when we speak of the alphabetical "characters") to signify the visible drawn image, and the word "Person" is substance or essence. (3) It is not to be forgotten that at this time in the Platonising Judaism of Philo, "the Word" was called the eternal "image of God." (See passages quoted in Dr. Light-foot's note on this passage.) This expression was not peculiar to him; it was but a working out of that personification of the "wisdom of God," of which we have a magnificent example in Proverbs 8:22-30, and of which we trace the effect in the Alexandrine Book of "Wisdom" (Wisdom Of Solomon 7:25-26). "Wisdom is the breath of the power of God, and a pure stream from the glory of the Most High--the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of His goodness." It seems to have represented in the Jewish schools the idea complementary to the ordinary idea of the Messiah in the Jewish world. Just as St. John took up the vague idea of "the Word," and gave it a clear divine personality in Christ, so St. Paul seems to act here in relation to the other phrase, used as a description of the Word. In Christ he fixes in solid reality the floating vision of the "image of God." (4) There is an emphasis on the words "of the invisible God." Now, since the whole context shows that the reference is to the eternal pre-existence of Christ, ancient interpreters (of whom Chrysostom may be taken as the type) argued that the image of the invisible must be also invisible. But this seems opposed to the whole idea of the word "image," and to its use in the New Testament and elsewhere. The true key to this passage is in our Lord's own words in John 1:8, "No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son" (here is the remarkable reading, "the only begotten God"), "who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath revealed Him." In anticipation of the future revelation of Godhead, Christ, even as pre-existent, is called "The image of the invisible God." . . . Verse 15.

(a) Who is Image of God the invisible, Firstborn of all creation:

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[The Son]
Ὅς (Hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

[the] image
εἰκὼν (eikōn)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1504: An image, likeness, bust. From eiko; a likeness, i.e. statue, profile, or representation, resemblance.

of the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

invisible
ἀοράτου (aoratou)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 517: Unseen, invisible. Invisible.

God,
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

[the] firstborn
πρωτότοκος (prōtotokos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4416: First-born, eldest. From protos and the alternate of tikto; first-born.

over all
πάσης (pasēs)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

creation.
κτίσεως (ktiseōs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2937: From ktizo; original formation.


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Colossians 1:14
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