What are principalities and powers?

The phrase principalities and powers occurs six times in the Bible, always in the King James Version and its derivatives (NKJV, MKJV). Other versions translate it variously as “rulers and authorities,” “forces and authorities,” and “rulers and powers.” In most places where the phrase appears, the reference is to the vast array of evil and malicious spirits who make war against the people of God. The principalities and powers are satanic—they are spiritual beings that wield power in the unseen realms to oppose everything and everyone that is of God.

The first mention of principalities and powers is in Romans 8:37–39: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (NKJV). These verses are about the victory Christ has won over all the forces ranged against us. We are “more than conquerors” because no force—not life, not death, not angels, not demons, indeed nothing—can separate us from the love of God. The “powers” referred to here are those with miraculous powers, whether false teachers and prophets or the demonic entities that empower them. Whatever their power, they cannot separate us from the love of God. Our victory is assured.

Another mention of principalities and powers is in Colossians 1:16, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (NKJV). The Son of God is the Creator and Ruler over all authorities, whether they submit to Him or rebel against Him. The forces of evil are subject to the control of our sovereign Lord, who uses even the wicked for bringing about His perfect plan and purpose (Daniel 4:35; Isaiah 46:10–11).

Colossians 2:15 pinpoints the moment of Jesus’ triumph as His substitutionary atonement on the cross: “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in [the cross]” (NKJV). The principalities and powers are not to be feared, for they have been disarmed at the cross. Satan and his legions had drawn mankind into captivity, subjecting them to their evil reign. But Christ, by His death, subdued the enemy and “rescued us from the dominion of darkness” (Colossians 1:13).

Ephesians 3:10–11 speaks of a broader set of principalities and powers—the holy and unholy angels in the heavenly realms: “To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (NKJV). The wisdom and purpose of God in the plan of salvation shine through the church. Angels now witness the glory of God and the preeminence of Christ, as God has redeemed a people for Himself and preserves them by His power (Ephesians 1:20–21).

Ephesians 6:12 specifies that we battle “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (NKJV). We have been given spiritual armor to fight the fight (Ephesians 6:13–18). We “stand firm” (Ephesians 6:11, NLT), knowing our enemy has been disarmed—the serpent has been defanged, and victory is promised.

The final reference to principalities and powers is Titus 3:1, where believers are admonished to “be subject to principalities and powers” (KJV). In this context, the rulers are those governmental authorities whom God has placed over us for our protection and welfare. Submission to God involves submission to His duly constituted human authorities. Those who rebel against earthly authorities are “rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves” (Romans 13:2).