The powers that be
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In idiomatic English, "the powers that be" is a phrase used to refer to those individuals or groups who collectively hold authority over a particular domain.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Within this phrase, the word be is an archaic variant of are rather than a subjunctive be.
OriginEdit
The phrase first appeared in the Tyndale Bible, William Tyndale's 1526 translation of Romans Chapter 13 verse 1 in the New Testament, as: "Let every soul submit himself unto the authority of the higher powers. There is no power but of God. The powers that be, are ordained of God".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In the 1611 King James Version it became, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: The powers that be are ordained of God." (Template:Bibleverse),<ref>[1] Template:Webarchive</ref> whence it eventually passed into popular language.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The phrase comes from a translation of the Template:Langx; {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} is also translated as "authorities" in some other translations.<ref>Biblos.com. Chain Link Bible. Romans 13:1.</ref>
ExamplesEdit
"The powers that be" can refer to a variety of entities that depend on the domain, including
- Governments, both central and local, and the accompanying civil service
- The upper management of a business
- Those who control the dissemination of information
- Controlling bodies in any organization i.e corporation or activity
- Secret societies and cabals
See alsoEdit
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