In this post I will be citing specific translations of those texts that identify Christ as the Creator of all things who sustains and gives life to all creation, which render the Greek preposition dia as by, instead of through. The reason for doing so is because there are groups out there who use this particular prepositional phrase to argue that the God-breathed Scriptures do not teach that Jesus is the Creator, but rather assigns to him a secondary, passive instrumental role. Their purpose is to show that the Father alone is the Creator, and therefore he alone is God in an absolute, eternal sense.

To better appreciate this point, and in order to highlight how translations can affect the meaning of specific texts, here is the New International Version (NIV) of the Holy Bible’s translation of the key passages which employ the preposition dia to describe the role that Christ played in creating all things:

“Through him (di’ autou) all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made… He was in the world, and though the world was made through him (di’ autou), the world did not recognize him.” John 1:3, 10

“yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom (di’ ou) all things came and through whom (di’ autou) we live.” 1 Corinthians 8:6

“For in him (en auto) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him (di’ autou) and for him (eis auton). He is before all things, and in him (en auto) all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16-17

“but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom (di’ ou) also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:2-3

We will also be quoting translations that make explicit what is implied by this prepositional phrase, namely, that Jesus Christ is not some passive instrument that God used to create all things. Rather, Christ is in fact THE Creator and Sustainer of all things who is just as much responsible as the Father and the Holy Spirit are for bringing the entire creation into existence. This can be readily seen by this next passage,

“He also says, ‘In the beginning, Lord [the Son], you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.’” Hebrews 1:10-12 NIV

Which quotes the following Psalm, that describes Jehovah as the unchanging Creator and Sustainer of all creation,

“In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.” Psalm 102:25-27 NIV

And applies it to the Son!

This sufficiently shows that Jesus didn’t play some secondary, less significant role in creation, but rather proves that our glorious Lord is in fact THE one true Creator and Sustainer God who, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, created and sustains all things by his powerful word.

With that said we are ready to proceed to the various translations of the aforementioned verses.

John 1:3

“All things were made BY him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Authorized King James Version (AV)

“All things were made BY him: and without him was made nothing that was made.” Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

“All things were made BY him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB)

“He created everything there is—nothing exists that he didn’t make.” Living Bible (TLB)

“All things were created BY him, and apart from him not a single thing was created that has been created.” Mounce Reverse-Interlinear New Testament (MOUNCE)

“All things were made BY him, and nothing was made without him.” New Century Version (NCV)

“All things were created BY him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.” New English Translation (NET)

“He made all things. Nothing was made without Him making it.” New Life Version (NLV)

“And through his creative inspiration this Living Expression made all things, for nothing has existence apart from him!”

Footnotes:

a. John 1:3 Or “all things happened because of him and nothing happened apart from him.” The Aramaic is, “everything was in his hand” (of power). See Ps. 33:6; Isa. 44:24. The Passion Translation (TPT)

“God made everything BY the Word. Nothing has been made without him.” Worldwide English New Testament (WE)

John 1:10

“He was in the world, and the world was made BY him, and the world knew him not.” AV

“He was in the world, and the world was made BY him, and the world knew him not.” DRA

“He was in the world, and the world was made BY him, and the world knew him not.” JUB

“But although he made the world, the world didn’t recognize him when he came.” TLB

“He was in the world, and the world was created BY him, but the world did not know him.” MOUNCE

“The Word was in the world, and the world was made BY him, but the world did not know him.” NCV

“He was in the world, and the world was created BY him, but the world did not recognize him.” NET

“He came into the world. The world was made BY Him, but it did not know Him.” NLV

“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.” New Living Translation (NLT)

“He came into the world—the world he had created—and the world failed to recognise him. He came into his own creation, and his own people would not accept him.” 1:10-11 J. B. Philips New Testament (PHILIPS)

“He entered into the very world he created, yet the world was unaware. He came to the very people he created—to those who should have recognized him, but they did not receive him.” 1:10-11 TPT

“He, the Word, was in the world. Yes, he even made the world. And yet the world did not know him.” WE

1 Corinthians 8:6

“but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, BY whom are all things, and we BY him.” AV

“Yet to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, BY whom are all things, and we BY him.” DRA

“but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, BY whom are all things, and we BY him.” JUB

“But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created all things and made us to be his own; and one Lord Jesus Christ, who made everything and gives us life.” TLB

“in fact, to us there is only one God, the Father, from whom everything comes, and for who we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, BY whom everything exists, and BY whom we ourselves are alive.” PHILIPS

“yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, BY whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” New American Standard Version (NASB)

“But for us there is only one God. He is the Father. All things came from him, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord. He is Jesus Christ. All things came because of him, and we live because of him.” NIRV

“But we know there is only one God. He is the Father. All things are from Him. He made us for Himself. There is one Lord. He is Jesus Christ. He made all things. He keeps us alive.” NLV

“Yet for us there is only one God. He is the Father. All things come from him. He is the one for whom we live. And there is only one Lord. He is Jesus Christ. He made all things. He is the one who gives us life.” WE

Colossians 1:16

“for BY him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created BY him, and for him:” AV

“For everything was created BY him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.” Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

“Everything was created BY him, everything in heaven and on earth, everything seen and unseen, including all forces and powers, and all rulers and authorities. All things were created BY God’s Son, and everything was made for him.” Contemporary English Version (CEV)

“For in him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers: all things were created BY him and in him.” DRA

“For BY him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” English Standard Version (ESV)

“He created all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. Whether they are kings or lords, rulers or powers— everything has been created through him and for him.” GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

“For BY him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether they are kings, lords, rulers, or powers. All things have been created through him and for him.” International Standard Version (ISV)

“for BY him were all things created, that are in the heavens and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones or dominions or principalities or powers: all things were created BY him and in him;” JUB

“Christ himself is the Creator who made everything in heaven and earth, the things we can see and the things we can’t; the spirit world with its kings and kingdoms, its rulers and authorities; all were made BY Christ for his own use and glory.” TLB

“For BY Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created BY Him and for Him.” Modern English Version (MEV)

“He created all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. Whether they are kings or lords, rulers or powers— everything has been created through him and for him.” Names of God Bible (NOG)

“For BY Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.” NASB

“All things were created in him. He created everything in heaven and on earth. He created everything that can be seen and everything that can’t be seen. He created kings, powers, rulers and authorities. All things have been created BY him and for him.” NIRV

“Christ made everything in the heavens and on the earth. He made everything that is seen and things that are not seen. He made all the powers of heaven. Everything was made BY Him and for Him.” NLV

“It was BY Him that everything was created: the heavens, the earth, all things within and upon them, all things seen and unseen, thrones and dominions, spiritual powers and authorities. Every detail was crafted through His design, by His own hands, and for His purposes.” The Voice (VOICE)

“For BY him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.” World English Bible (WEB)

“He made everything in the sky and on the earth. He made the things which can be seen and the things which cannot be seen. That means angels, kings, great powers, and rulers. They were all made BY him and for him.” WE

Hebrews 1:2

“hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, BY whom also he made the worlds;” AV

“But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son.” CEV

“at the end of these days has spoken to us in [the person of the] Son, whom he has established heir of all things, BY whom also he made the worlds;” DARBY

“In these days hath spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, BY whom also he made the world.” DRA

“has in these last times spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, BY whom also he made the ages;” JUB

“But in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son. God gave His Son everything. It was by His Son that God made the world.” NLV

“In these last days, he talked to us through his Son. God chose him to be the one to whom he would give all things. God also made the world by this Son.” WE

With the foregoing in view we are ready to proceed to the next part of our discussion where we provide further evidence for the Lord Jesus being the eternal Creator and Sustainer of all things: JESUS CHRIST – THE CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF ALL THINGS PT. 2.

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Further Reading

Is Jesus Creator –or Middle Man? http://www.chick.com/bc/2015/creator_or_middle_man.asp

Is Jesus Creator or Middle Man? https://www.chick.com/m/bible/transcripts/52-bibles-that-say-all-things-were-created-through-jesus.asp

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