Colossians 1:15

A common misinterpretation of this verse, often held by groups like Jehovah's Witnesses, takes 'firstborn of every creature' literally to mean Jesus was the first created being, a subordinate entity fashioned by God before the rest of creation, which denies His eternal divinity and ignores the broader context of Colossians 1:16-17 that explicitly states all things in heaven and earth were created by Him, through Him, and for Him, with Him existing before all things and holding them together, thus twisting 'firstborn' from its Hebraic sense of preeminent rank and inheritance to imply chronological creation.

Colossians 1:15 affirms Jesus Christ as the perfect visible image of the invisible God, fully revealing the Father's nature and character to humanity, and as the firstborn over all creation, denoting His supreme authority, preeminence, and eternal priority in the divine order rather than implying He was created, which is supported by the surrounding verses declaring that all things were created through Him and for Him, establishing His role as Creator and sustainer of the universe.