«  |  Home  |  Genealogy  |  Recovery  |  Bible Study  |  Will Power  |  Dictionaries  |  Simple Bible  |
Download/Print (PDF) .

Principalities and Powers

3 Greek words in 10 Bible Passages

Introduction

This is a Greek word study of three words used to convey the idea of "principalities and powers" a total of 10 times in the New Testament. The reason for 3 Greek words rather that 2 is because there are 2 different types of "power" in the Greek - 1) the power of ability and 2) the power of authority. Both of those words are used in the 10 passages we will look at in this study. Various English words have been used as translations for the 3 Greek words we will study. But, to be more clear, I will only use 3 descriptive, color-coded English words to match the following 3 Greek words:

  1. "Ruler" (principalities)
    • English: this is a ruling power, such as the rulers of the synagogues, a nation, kingdom, country dominion, province, city, etc...
    • Greek: G746: ἀρχή archḗ, ar-khay'; (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank)
    • KJV Translation(s):-- beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.
  2. "Authority"
    • English: this is a person or persons with a high level of knowledge or skill to enforce the rules of the "Rulers".
    • Greek: G1849: ἐξουσία exousía, ex-oo-see'-ah; privilege, i.e. (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely, magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence
    • KJV Translation(s):-- authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.
  3. "Power"
    • English: this is generally a person or persons with ability to enforce the rules of the Rulers working under those who have "Authority" to enforce those rules.
    • Greek: G1411 δύναμις dýnamis , doo'-nam-is; force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself)
    • KJV Translation(s):-- ability, abundance, meaning, might(-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle(-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.

10 Bible Passages - how the 3 words are used together in the new testament

Luke 12:11 When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer or what you will say;

Luke 20:20 They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him{Jesus} in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the [rule] and authority of the governor.

Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor [rulers], nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which is in Messiah Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:24 Then the end comes, when he{Jesus} will deliver up the Kingdom to God the Father, when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power.

Ephesians 1:19-21 And what is the exceeding greatness of his{the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory(verse 17)} power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he{Father} raised him{Jesus} from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.

Ephesians 3:9-11 and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus the Messiah, 10 to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the [rulers] and the [authorities] in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Messiah Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the [rulers], against the [authorities], against the world’s rulers{an epithet of Satan (G2888)} of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Colossians 1:15-17 He{Jesus} is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or [rulers] or [authorities]. All things have been created through him{Jesus} and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.

Colossians 2:9-10 For in him{Jesus} all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily, 10 and in him you are made full, who is the head of all [rule] and [authority].

Colossians 2:13-15 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 Having stripped the [ruler] and the [authorities], he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah ( Deut8:3; Matt4:4 )

-Sid Nash: 11/01/2025. Latest version: https://sidnash.org/docs/PrincipalityPower.html