¹⁷ And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.]^{(A) 18} He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the ^[a]church; and He is the beginning, ^[b]the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything.^(B)

²² And He ^[a]put all things [in every realm] in subjection under Christ’s feet, and ^[b]appointed Him as [supreme and authoritative] head over all things in the church,^{(A) 23} which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills and completes all things in all [believers].