1:18a

the head of the body: This is a figure of speech. Paul was saying that Christ controls and directs his people the same way that a person’s head controls and directs his body.

In many cultures, people do not consider that a person’s head controls his body. However, since the NT often uses this figure of speech, you should try to keep it in your translation. If this is impossible, you could use one of the following ways to translate this part of the verse:

the one who controls his people
-or-
the chief over his people
-or-
the one who rules over Christians

the body: In this verse Paul was emphasizing that Christ is the head (chief, ruler) of the church. He was not emphasizing the other part of the figure of speech, that is, that the church is like Christ’s body.

the church: The Greek word ekklēsia is translated church in almost all English versions. However, the Greek word means “congregation, assembly, community.” It never means a church building. Make sure you translate this term in a way that clearly refers to a gathering of Christian people, not to a building. For further information see “church” in the glossary and in Key Biblical Terms.

1:18b

He is the beginning: There are several ways to understand this. The two main ways are:

(1) Paul was still writing about Christ’s relation to his body, the church. English versions show this connection in different ways. For example:

He is its origin (Revised English Bible)
-or-
he is the source of the body’s life (Good News Translation)

The NET Bible Bible translates 1:18a–b as:

He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning. (NET Bible)

(Revised English Bible, Good News Translation, NET Bible)

1:18b could even be the basis for Paul’s statement in 1:18a, that is, Christ is the head of the church since he is its source. See the SSA for a fuller discussion of this possibility.

(2) Paul had begun a new idea here and was referring to the beginning or source of everything, not simply the church.

(New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

Many English versions leave this ambiguous, although most scholars agree that Paul was still writing about Christ’s relation to the church, so it is recommended that you follow the first option (1).

the beginning: The Greek word archē that the Berean Standard Bible translates as beginning has several meanings: “beginning, source, origin, foundation.” There are many different opinions about which meaning Paul intended here. The three main opinions are:

(1) It means that Christ is the source of the church’s life. For example:

he is the source of the body’s life (Good News Translation)

See also SSA.

(2) It means that Christ is the founder, the one who began the church. For example:

he is its [the church’s] origin (Revised English Bible)

(3) The phrase is connected to 1:18c, so beginning refers to the same thing as “firstborn from among the dead.” Several English versions imply this by the way they use punctuation to divide the verse.

(Contemporary English Version, God’s Word)

Since it seems that Paul was still writing about the church here (see previous note), this third option is less likely. Either of the other two is possible. The Display follows the first one (1).

1:18c

and firstborn from among the dead: The Berean Standard Bible connects 1:18c to 1:18b using the word and, although there is no conjunction in the Greek text. Scholars suggest two ways to connect the phrase firstborn from among the dead in 1:18c to 1:18b:

(1) The phrase firstborn from among the dead explains the reason why Christ is the source (beginning) of the church’s life. No English version explicitly follows this, but some reliable commentaries support this view. The UBS Handbook Handbook suggests this, as well as the SSA.

(2) The phrase firstborn from among the dead is another title for Christ in the same way that “the beginning” is in 1:18b, and is related in some way. Many English versions seem to understood the phrase this way and they translate it as does the Berean Standard Bible, using and or a comma to separate 1:18b and 1:18c.

Either of these two options is possible and both have strong support in the commentaries. The Display follows the first option.

firstborn from among the dead: Christ was not the first person ever to die and be resurrected. The Bible tells us about several people in the OT and the NT who died and later were brought back to life again (see, for example, the story about Lazarus in John chapter 11). However, all these people died again. Christ was the first person who rose from death with the sort of body Christians will have in heaven—a body that will never die again.

firstborn: This is the same word that Paul used in 1:15b. However, here the meaning is different. Here Paul was not referring to Christ’s authority, but simply to the fact that Christ was the first to rise from the dead to live forever.

1:18d

so that in all things He may have preeminence: This sentence explains the purpose for 1:18b–c. God raised Christ from death and caused him to be the source of the church’s life, so that Christ would be the supreme ruler over everything.

in all things: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates in all things can mean:

(1) “all things.” This is how most English versions have translated it.

(2) “every way.” Only the New Jerusalem Bible has this in the text, though the SSA also supports this translation.

Both of these are acceptable. Your choice of which term to use in your language may depend on how you translate “preeminence.” The important thing is that your translation should communicate that Christ is most important.

preeminence: This Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates preeminence is related to the word “first.” It means that Christ has the first place, he is first in rank, honor, and influence. Here is another way to translate this verse part:

in order that he alone might have the first place in all things (Good News Translation)

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