Colossians 2 19

Colossians 2:19 kjv

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Colossians 2:19 nkjv

and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

Colossians 2:19 niv

They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Colossians 2:19 esv

and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

Colossians 2:19 nlt

and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.

Colossians 2 verses

Colossians 2 19 Meaning

Colossians 2:19 warns against abandoning Christ as the sole Head of the Church, the source from whom the entire body of believers draws its sustenance, coherence, and supernatural growth. Those who deviate into human traditions, legalistic practices, or mystical experiences, deny the essential supremacy and sufficiency of Christ for the Church's true spiritual development. The verse emphasizes that genuine growth in the body of Christ is an organic, God-given process stemming directly and entirely from its vital connection to Christ, the Head, and the harmonious function of all its parts through Him.

Colossians 2 19 Context

Colossians 2:19 is part of Paul's sustained argument in the second chapter against a cluster of false teachings threatening the Colossian church. These "hollow and deceptive philosophies" (v. 8) appear to combine elements of legalistic Jewish observances (food, drink, festivals, new moons, Sabbaths - v. 16), asceticism (harsh treatment of the body - v. 23), mystical experiences (visions - v. 18), and the worship of angels (v. 18). The core of this "Colossian heresy" was a diminishment of Christ's supreme sufficiency. Instead of relying solely on Christ for salvation and spiritual growth, the false teachers advocated additional requirements or intermediaries.Verse 19 directly attacks the notion that spiritual advancement comes from anything other than direct attachment to Christ. Paul contrasts the false teachers, who "do not hold fast to the Head," with the healthy functioning of the true body of Christ. This verse polemicizes against any teaching that seeks spiritual completeness or deeper experience apart from Christ's all-sufficient Person and work. It implicitly criticizes attempts to seek revelation or spiritual status through visions or angel worship by affirming that all true growth flows organically from Christ, the Head.

Colossians 2 19 Word analysis

• and not holding fast: Greek: kai ou kratōn.
  • kai: "and," links to the previous verse (Col 2:18), indicating a continuous train of thought and consequence. The actions described in v.18 (false humility, angel worship, dwelling on visions) lead to or stem from "not holding fast."
  • ou: "not," a strong negation, emphasizing the definitive rejection of Christ as the source.
  • kratōn: "holding fast," "grasping," "retaining control." From krateō, it signifies a firm, unyielding grip. Its opposite implies a loosening, letting go, or failing to maintain a connection. In this context, it means failing to acknowledge or adhere to Christ as the ultimate and sufficient authority and source of life for the believer and the Church.
• to the Head: Greek: tēn kephalēn.
  • kephalēn: "Head," here metaphorically refers to Christ. This is a consistent Pauline metaphor (Col 1:18, Eph 1:22-23, Eph 4:15-16), signifying His supreme authority, sovereignty, leadership, and the source of life for the Church, His body. The false teachers undermine this headship by introducing other intermediaries or sources of spiritual experience.
• from whom: Greek: ex hou.
  • ex: "from," indicates origin, source, or cause. All life, nourishment, and proper function for the body originates from Christ, the Head. This reinforces His singular and indispensable role.
  • hou: "whom," referring back to "the Head," i.e., Christ.
• the whole body: Greek: pan to sōma.
  • pan: "whole," "entire," "all-inclusive." Emphasizes that Christ's Headship applies to every part of the body, meaning all believers.
  • sōma: "body," here the metaphorical body of Christ, which is the Church. This stresses the organic unity and interdependence of believers with Christ as their collective source of life.
• nourished: Greek: epichorēgoumenon.
  • From epichorēgeō, meaning "to supply fully," "to provide amply," "to furnish generously." Originally used for funding a chorus or dramatic performance, implying comprehensive provision. Here, it denotes the continuous, abundant spiritual sustenance and resources that flow from Christ to the Church, enabling its life and function.
• and knit together: Greek: kai symbibazomenon.
  • kai: "and," connects this action with "nourished," showing two aspects of Christ's work for the body.
  • symbibazomenon: "knit together," "joined together," "held together." From symbibazō, to cause to stand together, unite. It describes the precise and effective integration of the body's parts. This points to the perfect coherence, unity, and harmonious functioning of the Church as its members are divinely integrated.
• by means of joints and ligaments: Greek: dia tōn haphōn kai syndesmōn.
  • dia: "by means of," "through." Identifies the instruments or channels of the body's coherence and nourishment.
  • haphōn: "joints," points of contact or attachment where bones meet.
  • syndesmōn: "ligaments," "bands," "connective tissue" that hold joints and other parts of the body together.
  • Metaphorically, these represent the various connecting structures within the Church – the gifted ministries, fellowship, and functional relationships that enable the spiritual nourishment and growth to flow effectively throughout the whole body from the Head.
• grows: Greek: auxanei.
  • From auxanō, meaning "to increase," "to grow," "to cause to grow." Implies natural, organic, and vital expansion.
• with the growth that is from God: Greek: tēn auxēsin tou Theou.
  • auxēsin: "growth," the noun form, specifying the outcome of the process.
  • tou Theou: "of God," here a genitive of source or divine origin. It clarifies that this growth is not merely human effort or wisdom but a supernatural work originating from God Himself. True spiritual growth is ultimately God's work, manifested through Christ, the Head.

Colossians 2 19 Bonus section

The phrase "holding fast to the Head" is a direct rebuke of the false teachers who were seemingly preoccupied with angelic hierarchy and visionary experiences (Col 2:18), which essentially placed their focus on mediators other than Christ. This deviation from Christ, the unique Head, fundamentally undermines the authority and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as the supreme Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Paul contrasts the healthy, unified, Christ-dependent body with the unhealthy, disjointed, self-dependent spiritual practices of the heretics. The integrity of the body (Church) is entirely contingent upon its singular connection to Christ (Head), demonstrating that spiritual well-being and genuine progress are measured by the degree of devotion and reliance on Christ alone, not by human religious endeavors.

Colossians 2 19 Commentary

Colossians 2:19 succinctly encapsulates Paul's robust Christology against emerging distortions. It presents a critical challenge to anyone seeking spiritual advancement or completeness apart from Christ. The passage establishes Christ not merely as a part of salvation, but as the exclusive and all-sufficient source for the Church's vitality. To not "hold fast" to Him means a spiritual detachment that inhibits true growth. The vivid organic metaphor of the body, familiar from Paul's other letters, highlights the interdependent relationship between Christ (the Head) and the Church (the body).Just as a physical body cannot thrive, or even survive, if it severs connection with its head, so the spiritual body of Christ depends entirely on Him for every aspect of its being. "Nourished" and "knit together" emphasize both the abundant spiritual provision and the structural integrity that flows from Christ through various connecting points (representing the ministries and relationships within the Church). The phrase "growth that is from God" underscores that authentic spiritual expansion—both individual and corporate—is ultimately a divine work, not a product of human rituals, self-discipline, or mystical experiences. The false teachings in Colossae sought to find completion through additions to Christ, but Paul counters that completeness, life, and growth are found only in Him.