1:23a

which is His body: The clause which is His body is a metaphor. The church is like the body of Christ, and Christ is the head/leader. Paul often used this figure of speech to describe the close relationship between Christ and the church (see 4:15–16, 5:23).

Here are some ways to translate this metaphor:

• Use a figure of speech that communicates this in your language:

And the church is his body (New Living Translation (2004))

• Use a simile:

which is like his body

Translate the meaning directly. For example:

The church belongs to him

1:23b

the fullness of Him: There are several ways to understand the word fullness in this context:

(1) It indicates that the church is filled with/by Christ. This means that Christ fills the church with his life and power. For example:

The church is filled with Christ (New Century Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, King James Version, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) It indicates that the church fulfils Christ in the sense that the church completes Christ. For example:

The church is Christ’s body and completes him (God’s Word)

(Good News Translation, God’s Word, UBS Handbook)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and the majority of English versions.

fullness: In many languages, it will not make sense to literally translate “the church is filled by Christ” or “Christ fills the church.” You will need to supply a complement to the verb “fill,” or you will need to choose a different verb.

Commentators say that Christ fills the church with his presence, power, life, directions, gifts, graces and blessings. So some ways you can translate this part of the verse are:

Christ fills the church with his power/life/presence
-or-
Christ gives power/life to the church
-or-
Christ sustains the church

1:23c

who fills all: There are at least two ways to understand the word fills in this part of the verse:

(1) fills has an active meaning. It means that Christ fills (controls, empowers) everything. For example:

Christ fills everything in every way (New Century Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

(2) fills has a passive meaning. It means that Christ is filled with everything, that is, Christ is filled with all the fulness of God. For example:

the fullness of him who is filled (New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and the majority of English versions.

all: The word all here refers to everything in the whole world or universe.

in all: The phrase in all means “completely” or “in every respect.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

who himself completes all things everywhere (Good News Translation)
-or-
who fills all things everywhere with himself (New Living Translation (2004))

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