Colossians 1:18

Prayer For Maturity Based On Christ's Preeminence

¹⁷ And He existed before all things and all things are held together by Him. ¹⁸ And He is the head of the [spiritual] body, the church. He is [its] source, the firstborn One from the dead [i.e., the first one to return to life, never to die again], so that He could rank first [in importance] over all things. ¹⁹ For God was very pleased to have all of [His] fullness dwell in Christ [See 2:9],

All Things

Firstborn from the Dead

Head of the Body

Head of the Church

Rise from the Dead

Ephesians 1:22-23

And God placed everything in subjection under His [i.e., Christ's] feet, and appointed Him to be head over all things to the church,

Revelation 1:5

[It is also] from Jesus Christ, who is the Faithful Witness [to the truth], the Firstborn from the dead [i.e., the first One raised never to die again], the Ruler of the kings of the world. May there be honor and power forever and ever to Christ, who loved us and released us from our sins by His blood [Note: Some manuscripts say "washed us" since the two words are spelled almost alike].

Acts 26:23

namely, that the Christ must suffer and be the first to rise from the dead [i.e., never to die again] and then proclaim the light [of the Gospel] to the [Jewish] people and to the Gentiles."

John 3:29-31

The one who has the bride is the groom; but the best man, who stands up with him and listens to him [take his vows], is very happy when he hears him speak. So, [now] my joy is complete [i.e. over hearing about Jesus' ministry].

1 Corinthians 11:3

But I want you to know that Christ is the [spiritual] head [i.e., authority] over every man; and the man is the [spiritual] head over the woman [Note: The Greek words for "woman" and "wife" are the same. "Wife" is obviously meant by the context]; and God is the head over Christ.

Ephesians 4:15-16

But [instead], we should speak [and practice] truth in a loving way, so that we can, in all respects, grow up [spiritually] into [union with] Christ, who is the head [i.e., of His body, the church].

Ephesians 5:23

For the husband is the [spiritual] head over his wife, just as Christ is also the [spiritual] head over the church, since He is the Savior of the body.

Revelation 3:14

"Write [this] to the angel of the church at Laodicia: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the source [or, ruler] of God's creation [See John 1:3; Heb. 1:1-2]:

Revelation 5:9-13

And they sang a new song [which went like this]: "You deserve to take the book and break the seals on it, for you were killed and, with your blood, you purchased people for God from every tribe and language and race and nation,

Revelation 11:15

Then the seventh angel sounded its trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord [i.e., God] and of His Christ, and He will rule forever and ever."

Matthew 23:8

But you should not assume the title 'Rabbi,' for [only] one is your teacher [i.e., Jesus Himself] and all of you are [simply] brothers.

Matthew 28:18

Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

John 1:1

The Word [already] existed in the beginning [of time]. [Note: This is a reference to the preexistence of Jesus. See verse 14]. And the Word was with God and the Word was [what] God [was].

John 1:16

For we have all received from His full richness one favor after another.

John 1:27

He is the One who will follow my ministry; [and] I do not deserve to untie his sandal lace."

John 3:34-35

For the One whom God has sent [i.e., Jesus] speaks the words of God, for He [i.e., God] does not give the Holy Spirit in a limited quantity [i.e., to Jesus. See next verse].

John 11:25-26

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; the person who believes in me will live on, even though he dies [physically].

Romans 8:29

For [that class of] persons whom God knew beforehand He also predetermined to become conformed to the [spiritual] likeness of His Son, so that He could be the firstborn One among [His] many brothers [i.e., so He could be the preeminent example to all His followers. See Heb. 2:11].

1 Corinthians 15:20-23

But now Christ has been raised up from the dead; [He is] the firstfruits of those who have died. [Note: By "firstfruits" is meant the first installment of the crop which promises the entire harvest eventually].

1 Corinthians 15:25

For Christ must [continue to] rule [over His kingdom, the church] until God has put all of His enemies under Christ's feet.

Ephesians 1:10

[He did this] to fulfill His plan at the proper time, by bringing together everything [in the universe] under Christ's headship --- things both in heaven and on earth.

Colossians 1:24

Now I rejoice in [spite of] my sufferings for your sake, and I am filling up [i.e., completing] in my physical body what was lacking in the afflictions Christ endured for His body's sake, the church.

Colossians 2:10-14

and you people have been made full [i.e., spiritually complete] in [fellowship with] Him, who is the [spiritual] head over all who rule and have authority.

Hebrews 1:5-6

For, to which angel did God ever say [Psa. 2:7], "You are my Son, today I have conceived you"? And again [II Sam. 7:14], "I will be His Father, and He will be my Son"?

1 John 1:1

We [apostles] proclaim to you [the truth about Jesus], who existed from the beginning [of time]. We have heard [Him] and seen [Him] with our [own] eyes. We looked at Him, and [even] touched Him with our hands. [See John 20:20]. [So, we proclaim that] He is the word of life [i.e., the life-giving Word]!

Revelation 1:8

"I am the Alpha and the Omega" [Note: These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and indicate "the beginning and the end" See 21:6], says the Lord God Almighty, who is [in the present], and who was [in the past] and who will come [in the future].

Revelation 1:18

and the Living One. I was dead, and see, I am [now] alive forever and ever! And I possess the keys of death and of the unseen place of departed spirits.

Revelation 21:6

Then He said to me, "These things have already happened. [Note: These words express the certainty of what has been predicted in this book, even though not all the events had actually taken place yet]. I am the Alpha and the Omega [See note at 1:8], the beginning and the end. I will give the person who is [spiritually] thirsty [a drink] from the spring of water of life without his having to pay for it.

Revelation 21:23-24

And the city does not need the sun or the moon to illuminate it, for the splendor of God provides the light for it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Revelation 22:13

I am the Alpha and the Omega [See note at 1:8], the first and the last, the beginning and the end."