Spiritual Forces of This Present Darkness
Ephesians 1:21
“Rule”- arche- ⑥ “an authority figure who initiates activity or process… Also of angelic or transcendent powers, since they were thought of as having a political organization.”
Translated: “principalities”- Rom 8:38
Also 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16; 2:10, 15- word is used to describe dark spiritual forces.
“Authority”- exousia- ⑤ “bearer of ruling authority… ⓑ of transcendent rulers and functionaries: powers of the spirit world.”
Also 1 Cor 15:24; Col 2:10; 1 Pet 3:22.
“Power”- dunamis- ⑤ “an entity or being, whether human or transcendent, that functions in a remarkable manner, power as a personal transcendent spirit or heavenly agent/angel.” Also Rom 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 1 Pt 3:22.
“Dominion”- kuriotes- ③ “a special class of angelic powers, bearers of the ruling power, dominions.” Also Col 1:16.
Colossians 1:16
“Thrones”- thronos- ③ name of a class of powerful beings, earthly or transcendent, the enthroned, plural… perhaps of transcendent beings Col 1:16… but in view of the reference to things ‘seen and unseen’ in the same verse it is probable that the author thinks also of earthly rulers.”