In idiomatic English, "the powers that be" (sometimes initialized as TPTB) is a phrase used to refer to those individuals or groups who collectively hold authority over a particular domain.[1] Within this phrase, the word be is an archaic variant of are rather than a subjunctive be. The use of are in this phrase ("the powers that are") is less common. "The powers that were" (TPTW) can also be found.
Origin edit
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".[2] 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." (Rom 13:1),[3] whence it eventually passed into popular language.[4][5]
The phrase comes from a translation of the Greek: αἱ ... οὖσαι [ἐξουσίαι], romanized: hai ... oûsai [exousíai], lit. 'the ... existing [powers]'; ἐξουσίαι is also translated as "authorities" in some other translations.[6]
Examples edit
"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
In popular culture edit
- The Public Enemy song "Fight the Power" features a call to "fight the powers that be."[7]
- Roger Waters' song, "The Powers That Be", appears on his 1987 album Radio Kaos
- Death Grips's fourth studio album, The Powers That B, references this phrase.
- Kendrick Lamar's third studio album To Pimp a Butterfly has the song "King Kunta" which references this phrase.
- The Dreadnoughts's album Into the North has the song "Roll Northumbria" which uses this phrase.
- Puscifer have a song called "Bread and Circus" on their 2020 album Existential Reckoning, where "powers that be" is mentioned twice in the lyrics - verse 2."[8]
- In the lyrics of "Meds" by Placebo, "the powers that be" are mentioned.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "powers that be". The Free Dictionary. Farlex. 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
- ^ Tyndale, William (1526). Tyndale Bible. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013.
- ^ [1] Archived December 18, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The powers that be - meaning and origin". Phrases.org.uk. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "powers that be - definition of powers that be by The Free Dictionary". Thefreedictionary.com. March 1, 1987. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ Biblos.com. Chain Link Bible. Romans 13:1.
- ^ Watrous, Peter (April 22, 1990). "RECORDINGS; Public Enemy Makes Waves - and Compelling Music". The New York Times. New York. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
- ^ "Puscifer Lyrics".
External links edit
The dictionary definition of powers that be at Wiktionary
