Colossians 2:15

Colossians 2:15

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

a. NLT: In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

b. NIV: And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

c. YLT: having stripped the principalities and the authorities, he made a shew of them openly -- having triumphed over them in it.

d. Amplified Bible: 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.

e. Worrell Translation: having despoiled the principalities and powers, He made an example of them, celebrating a triumph over them in it.

1. “And having spoiled principalities and powers…”

a. And having spoiled [554 * apekduomai] [Strong: middle voice from 575 and 1562; to divest wholly oneself, or (for oneself) despoil:--put off, spoil.] [Zodhiates: to strip, divest of power or authority, to deprive of power.]

b. principalities [746 * arche] [Strong: from 756; (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank):--beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.]

c. and [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

d. powers [1849 * exousia] [Strong: from 1832 (in the sense of ability); privilege, i.e. (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely, magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence:--authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.]

2. “…he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

a. he made a show of them [1165 * deigmatizo] [Zodhiates: To o make a public show or spectacle as the Romans did when they exposed their captives and the spoils of the conquered enemies to public view in their triumphant processions.]

1). This reminds me of a verse in 2 Corinthians in the Amplified Translation concerning us. Jesus leads us about showing off his trophies, we are his trophies.

a). 2 Corinthians 2:14 [Amplified Bible] But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,

b. openly [1722 * en] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

c. triumphing over [2358 * thriambeuo] [Strong: from a prolonged compound of the base of 2360; and a derivative of 680 (meaning a noisy iambus, sung in honor of Bacchus); to make an acclamatory procession, i.e. (figuratively) to conquer or (by Hebraism) to give victory:--(cause) to triumph (over).]

d. them [846 * autos] [Strong: from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

e. in [1722 * en] See “openly” above.

f. it [846 * autos] See “him” above.