powers that be

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After Romans 13:1 in the Tyndale Bible and the King James Version. The phrase is a translation of the Ancient Greek αἱ οὖσαι ἐξουσίαι (hai oûsai exousíai, “the existing authorities”). The verb be is the archaic third-person plural present indicative form, equivalent to the modern are, and not a subjunctive.

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Chinese Mandarin: 當權者 /当权者 (dāngquán zhě) — holders of power
• Cornish: an awtoritas — holders of power
• Dutch: gevestigde orde — holders of power
• Dutch: hoge heren — holders of power
• Dutch: hogerhand — holders of power
• Finnish: esivalta — holders of power
• French: autorités constituées — holders of power
• German: die zuständigen Stellen — holders of power
• German: die da oben — holders of power
• Greek: αρμόδιοι (armódioi) — holders of power
• Hungarian: a mindenkori hatalom/rendszer (fennálló) — holders of power
• Italian: poteri forti — holders of power
• Polish: grupa trzymająca władzę — holders of power
• Russian: власть имущие (vlastʹ imuščije) — holders of power
• Russian: сильные мира сего (silʹnyje mira sevo) — holders of power
• Russian: власти предержащие (vlasti prederžaščije) — holders of power
• Spanish: poderes establecidos — holders of power
• Spanish: poderes que están — holders of power
• Spanish: poderíos existentes — holders of power
• Spanish: potestades que son — holders of power
• Spanish: potestades que hay — holders of power
• Spanish: poder fáctico — holders of power
• Swedish: makthavare — holders of power
• Swedish: överhet — holders of power