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  • Colossians 2:15
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
    • 15 He has stripped the governments and the authorities bare and has publicly exhibited them as conquered,+ leading them in a triumphal procession by means of it.*

  • Colossians 2:15
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures
    • 15 ἀπεκδυσάμενος having stripped off τὰς the ἀρχὰς governments καὶ and τὰς the ἐξουσίας authorities ἐδειγμάτισεν he made show of ἐν in παρρησίᾳ outspokenness θριαμβεύσας having triumphed over αὐτοὺς them ἐν in αὐτῷ. it.

  • Colossians 2:15
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References
    • 15 Stripping the governments and the authorities+ bare, he exhibited* them in open public as conquered,+ leading them in a triumphal procession+ by means of it.*

  • Colossians 2:15
    The Bible in Living English
    • 15** Disarming the governments and the dominions, he made a public show of them, celebrating his triumph over them on it.

  • Colossians 2:15
    American Standard Version
    • 15 having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

  • Colossians 2:15
    The Emphasized Bible
    • 15 Spoiling the principalities and the authorities He made of them an open example, Celebrating a triumph over them thereby.

  • Colossians 2:15
    King James Version
    • 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

  • Colossians
    Watch Tower Publications Index 1986-2026
    • 2:15 it-2 1129; w90 11/15 28

  • Colossians
    Watch Tower Publications Index 1930-1985
    • 2:15 ad 1617; w64 199; w56 371; w55 629, 632

  • Colossians
    Research Guide for Jehovah’s Witnesses—2019 Edition
    • 2:15

      Insight, Volume 2, p. 1129

      The Watchtower,

      11/15/1990, p. 28

  • Colossians Study Notes—Chapter 2
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
    • 2:15

      He has stripped the governments and the authorities bare: In this word picture, Paul likens governments and authorities under Satan to condemned captives who were paraded in a Roman triumphal procession. (Compare Eph 6:12.) Prisoners were stripped of their armor and weapons, and the crowds following the procession ridiculed them. Ancient sources state that some prisoners, including monarchs, preferred to commit suicide rather than to be paraded in such a procession, stripped of their dignity. In the metaphor used by Paul, Jehovah the Conqueror strips his enemies naked and exhibits them in public as defeated. Paul here uses the metaphor of “a triumphal procession” in a way different from what he uses at 2Co 2:14-16.​—See study note on 2Co 2:14.

      by means of it: That is, by means of “the torture stake” mentioned in the preceding verse. Christ’s death on the torture stake not only provided the basis for removing “the handwritten document,” the Law covenant, but also made it possible for Christians to be freed from bondage to the satanic powers of darkness. (Col 2:14) It is also possible to understand the expression to mean “by means of him,” that is, Jesus Christ.

English Publications (1950-2027)
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