πρωτεύω; (πρῶτος); to be first, hold the first place, (A. V. have the pre-eminence): Col_1:18. (From Xenophon, and Plato down.)

πρωτεύω prōteuō 1x to be first, to hold the first rank or highest dignity, have the preeminence, be chief, Col_1:18

πρωτεύω ( < πρῶτος ), [in LXX : Ezr_5:11 , 2Ma_6:18 ; 2Ma_13:15 * ;] to be first, pre-eminent, have the first place: Col_1:18 .†

πρωτεύω [page 556] This NT ἅπ . εἰρ . ( Col_1:18 ) hold the chief place, am preeminent, may be illustrated from P Lips I. 40 ii. 16 (iv/v A.D.) ἀνὴρ ἀξιόπιστος ἐμαρτύρησεν πρωτεύων τῆς Ἑρμουπολιτῶν , P Oxy XVI. 1983 .3 (A.D. 535) εὐκλεεστάτῳ πατρικίῳ πρωτεύοντι , ib . VIII. 1106 .6 (vi/A.D.) παρεγγύησον τοῖς πρωτεύουσιν ἀποσχέσθαι τοῦ τοιούτου τολμήματος , instruct their leaders to abstain from any such outrage (Ed.), and Kaibel 489 .2 (iv/B.C.). With the use in Col l.c . we may compare Plut. Mor . p. 9 σπεύδοντες τοὺς παῖδας ἐν πᾶσι τάχιον πρωτεῦσαι . A less pleasing sentiment is found in Menander Fragm . p. 140 οἶκος δ᾽ ἐν ᾧ τὰ πάντα πρωτεύει γυνή , οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις πώποτ᾽ οὐκ ἀπώλετο , never does a house fail to come to grief, where woman takes the lead in everything. For the similar form δευτερεύω (as in Est_4:8 ) cf. P Passalacqua .13 (iii/B.C.) (= Witkowski .2 , p. 54) περὶ Πετονοῦριν τὸν δευτερεύοντα : see P Par p. 405 f. The subst. πρωτεῖον occurs in Kaibel 560 .3 (i/A.D.).

πρωτεύω πρωτεύω, φυτ. -σω [Etym: πρῶτος] "to be the first, hold the first place", Plat. , etc.:— "to be first in" a thing, καρτερίᾳ Xen. ; βδελυρίᾳ Aeschin. ; περὶ κακίαν id=Aeschin. c. gen. pers. "to be first of or among", τῶν ῥητόρων id=Aeschin.

πρωτεύω (πρῶτος) [in LXX: Est.5:11, 2Ma.6:18 2Mac 13:15 * ;] to be first, pre-eminent, have the first place: Col.1:18.† (AS)