King James Bible
"And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
Paul affirms Christ's eternal preexistence and supremacy over creation—He exists prior to and ranks above everything that has been made. This echoes John 1:1 and establishes Christ's divine nature, as only God exists before creation itself. Christ actively sustains and holds together the entire universe, preventing it from falling into chaos. The Greek word 'sunistemi' conveys the idea of cohesion and continuous preservation, revealing that creation's ongoing existence depends entirely on Christ's sustaining power.