What is the Godhead?

The word "Godhead" appears three times in the King James Version (KJV), each with a different Greek word.

1. Acts 17:29 (KJV)
"Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone..."

Greek word: θεῖον (theion)

Meaning: “The divine nature” or “that which is divine.”

Root: from theos (God)

Used in context: Paul is telling the Greeks not to think of God as something man-made.

✅ Modern translations (e.g., ESV, NASB) usually say: “Divine Being” or “Divine Nature.”

2. Romans 1:20 (KJV)
"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen... even his eternal power and Godhead..."

Greek word: θειότης (theiotēs)

Meaning: "Divine nature" — the qualities that make God God.

Root: from theios, meaning “divine.”

✅ Many modern translations render this as “divine nature.”

3. Colossians 2:9 (KJV)
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

Greek word: θεότης (theotēs)

Meaning: “Deity” or “Godhood” — the state of being God.

Root: from theos (God).

This is the strongest word of the three.

Refers to Jesus: Paul is affirming that Jesus has the full essence of God in bodily form.

✅ Modern translations (e.g., ESV) say:

“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”

🧠 Summary of the Greek Words for “Godhead”
Verse Greek Word Meaning Notes
Acts 17:29 theion Divine nature/being General divine essence
Romans 1:20 theiotēs Divine nature/qualities God's attributes in creation
Colossians 2:9 theotēs Full deity Refers to Jesus as fully God

🔍 Final Thoughts
"Godhead" is an old English word meaning “divine essence or deity.”

In Greek, it ranges from the attributes of divinity (theiotēs) to the full identity of God (theotēs).

Colossians 2:9 is the strongest declaration of Jesus' full divinity in bodily form.