Colossians / Chapter 1

Colossians 1

29 verses • SBL Greek New Testament

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

Paul writes to the Colossian church, which he has never visited, expressing gratitude for their faith and love and praying for their spiritual growth. The chapter builds to the magnificent Christ Hymn (1:15-20), which declares Christ as the image of the invisible God, firstborn over all creation, the agent and goal of creation, the head of the church, and the one through whom God reconciles all things. Paul then describes his own suffering as completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of the church, and his commission to make known the mystery hidden for ages — 'Christ in you, the hope of glory.'

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

The Christ Hymn (1:15-20) is among the highest christological statements in Scripture. It makes claims about Christ that the Old Testament reserves for God alone: creating all things, sustaining all things, being before all things. The phrase 'image of the invisible God' (eikōn tou theou tou aoratou) does not mean a mere representation but the visible manifestation of the invisible deity — Christ makes God seeable. The dual declaration that 'all things were created through him and for him' (v. 16) and 'in him all things hold together' (v. 17) gives Christ a cosmic role that extends far beyond salvation history. The reconciliation of 'all things' through the blood of the cross (v. 20) is one of the broadest soteriological claims in the New Testament.

Translation Friction

The phrase 'firstborn of all creation' (prōtotokos pasēs ktiseōs, v. 15) has been debated since the Arian controversy. It does not mean Christ was created first but designates his supremacy and preeminence over creation, as the following verses make clear ('all things were created through him'). Paul's statement about 'completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions' (v. 24) is notoriously difficult — it cannot mean Christ's atoning work was insufficient. We render the Greek without resolving the systematic theology, noting the options in the translator notes.

Connections

The Christ Hymn echoes Proverbs 8:22-31 (Wisdom as agent of creation), Genesis 1:1 (the beginning), and John 1:1-18 (the Logos hymn). The 'image of God' language connects to Genesis 1:26-27 and 2 Corinthians 4:4. The 'mystery' (mystērion) language anticipates Ephesians 3:3-9. The reconciliation theme extends Romans 5:10-11 and 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 to cosmic scope.

Colossians 1:1

Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφὸς

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

KJV Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Unlike Philippians, Paul leads with his apostolic title — necessary when writing to a church he has not personally founded or visited. The phrase 'by the will of God' (dia thelēmatos theou) grounds Paul's authority not in personal ambition but in divine appointment.
Colossians 1:2

τοῖς ἐν Κολοσσαῖς ἁγίοις καὶ πιστοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ, χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν.

To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

KJV To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Colossae was a small city in the Lycus Valley of Phrygia (modern Turkey), overshadowed by neighboring Laodicea and Hierapolis. The church was likely founded by Epaphras (v. 7), not Paul. The SBLGNT omits 'and the Lord Jesus Christ' found in the KJV's Textus Receptus, ending the greeting with 'from God our Father' alone.
Colossians 1:3

Εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ θεῷ πατρὶ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι,

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

KJV We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The plural 'we' includes Timothy (v. 1). Paul identifies God specifically as 'the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ' — God's identity is defined in relation to Christ. The adverb pantote ('always') modifies their thanksgiving, indicating habitual prayer for a church they have never visited.
Colossians 1:4

ἀκούσαντες τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην ἣν ἔχετε εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους

And of the love which you have to all the saints,, and since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus.

KJV Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Paul has 'heard' about them — confirming he has not visited Colossae. The twin report of faith and love forms the classic Pauline triad when combined with hope in verse 5. Their love extends to 'all the saints' — not a clique but the entire body of believers.
Colossians 1:5

διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τὴν ἀποκειμένην ὑμῖν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἣν προηκούσατε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας τοῦ εὐαγγελίου

For the hope which is placed up for you in heaven, whereof you listened to before in the word of the truth of the gospel.

KJV For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Hope here is not a feeling but an objective reality — something 'laid up' (apokeimenēn, 'stored, reserved') in heaven, waiting to be received. The Colossians first heard about this hope through 'the word of the truth of the gospel' — a threefold description emphasizing the reliability and saving content of the message.
Colossians 1:6

τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς, καθὼς καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ ἐστὶν καρποφορούμενον καὶ αὐξανόμενον, καθὼς καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀφ' ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσατε καὶ ἐπέγνωτε τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ·

Which is come to you, as it is in every one of the world. And brings forth fruit, as it does also in you, since the day you listened to of it, and recognized the grace of God in truth:.

KJV Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The gospel is described as a living, growing organism — 'bearing fruit and increasing' (karpophoroumenon kai auxanomenon) echoes the creation mandate of Genesis 1:28 and the parable of the sower (Mark 4). The phrase 'understood the grace of God in truth' (epegnōte tēn charin tou theou en alētheia) implies genuine, deep knowledge (epignōsis) as opposed to the false 'knowledge' the Colossian heresy may have been promoting.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Genesis 1:28. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
Colossians 1:7

καθὼς ἐμάθετε ἀπὸ Ἐπαφρᾶ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ συνδούλου ἡμῶν, ὅς ἐστιν πιστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν διάκονος τοῦ Χριστοῦ,

You learned the gospel from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf.

KJV As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Epaphras is the likely founder of the Colossian church (cf. 4:12-13). Paul calls him syndoulos ('fellow slave') — placing Epaphras on equal footing with himself under Christ's lordship. The SBLGNT reads 'on your behalf' (hyper hēmōn has the variant hyper hymōn, 'on your behalf'), indicating Epaphras served the Colossians as Christ's representative.
Colossians 1:8

ὁ καὶ δηλώσας ἡμῖν τὴν ὑμῶν ἀγάπην ἐν πνεύματι.

Indeed, who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

KJV Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Epaphras serves as the communication bridge between Paul and the Colossians. Their 'love in the Spirit' (agapēn en pneumati) is love produced by the Holy Spirit — the fruit of the Spirit that Paul describes in Galatians 5:22. This is the only explicit reference to the Holy Spirit in Colossians.
Colossians 1:9

Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἀφ' ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσαμεν, οὐ παυόμεθα ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι καὶ αἰτούμενοι, ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει πνευματικῇ,

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

KJV For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Paul's prayer is for epignōsis ('full knowledge, deep understanding') of God's will — a pointed term in a letter that will combat a rival 'knowledge' system (the Colossian heresy). The adjective pneumatikē ('spiritual') modifies both wisdom (sophia) and understanding (synesis), indicating that this knowledge comes from the Spirit, not from human speculation or esoteric tradition.
Colossians 1:10

περιπατῆσαι ἀξίως τοῦ κυρίου εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρεσκείαν, ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ καρποφοροῦντες καὶ αὐξανόμενοι τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ θεοῦ,

so that you may live in a way that is worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every respect: producing fruit through every kind of good work and growing in the knowledge of God.

KJV That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The verb peripatēsai ('to walk') is the standard Pauline metaphor for daily conduct (Hebrew halakh). The purpose of knowledge is ethical living, not intellectual attainment alone. 'Bearing fruit and increasing' (karpophorountes kai auxanomenoi) echoes verse 6, creating a parallel: as the gospel bears fruit in the world, so believers bear fruit in good works.
Colossians 1:11

ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν,

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, to all patience and patience with joyfulness;.

KJV Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The accumulation of power language — dynamei, dynamoumenoi, kratos — emphasizes divine empowerment. But the goal of this power is surprising: not miraculous feats but 'endurance' (hypomonē, 'steadfast perseverance') and 'patience' (makrothymia, 'long-temperedness'). God's power enables believers to hold firm under pressure rather than escape it.
Colossians 1:12

μετὰ χαρᾶς εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ πατρὶ τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί·

Give thanks with joy to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints who live in the light.

KJV Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The verb hikanōsanti ('who qualified, who made sufficient') emphasizes that believers' share in the inheritance is God's doing, not their achievement. The 'inheritance' (klērou, 'lot, portion, allotment') echoes the land inheritance of Israel in Joshua — believers receive a spiritual allotment in the realm of light. The contrast between light and the 'domain of darkness' in verse 13 reflects the dualistic language common in Second Temple Judaism (cf. the Dead Sea Scrolls' 'sons of light' vs. 'sons of darkness').
Colossians 1:13

ὃς ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους καὶ μετέστησεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ,

He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,

KJV Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The verb errysato ('he rescued, he delivered') is the language of military liberation — God has extracted believers from enemy territory. The verb metestēsen ('he transferred, he removed') was used for the deportation of conquered populations; here God 'deports' believers out of darkness and into Christ's kingdom. The phrase 'the Son of his love' (tou huiou tēs agapēs autou) is an unusual construction meaning 'his beloved Son' — the Son who is the object of the Father's love.
Colossians 1:14

ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν·

In whom we have redemption by way of his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:.

KJV In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The word apolytrōsis ('redemption, release through ransom payment') is a slave-market term — the price paid to free a captive. Paul defines this redemption as 'the forgiveness of sins' (tēn aphesin tōn hamartiōn). The SBLGNT omits 'through his blood' (dia tou haimatos autou) found in the parallel passage in Ephesians 1:7 and in some Colossians manuscripts. This verse serves as the transition into the Christ Hymn.
Colossians 1:15

ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως,

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

KJV Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Notes & Key Terms 2 terms

Key Terms

εἰκών eikōn
"image" — image, likeness, representation, manifestation

More than a picture or copy — eikōn denotes a manifestation that shares in the reality it represents. Christ does not merely resemble God; he makes the invisible God visible.

πρωτότοκος prōtotokos
"firstborn" — firstborn, preeminent, supreme, heir

A title of rank and supremacy, not chronological sequence. The following verse ('all things were created through him') makes clear that Christ is not part of creation but its source.

Translator Notes

  1. The Christ Hymn begins. The word eikōn ('image') in Greek means not a mere picture but a manifestation that participates in the reality it represents — Christ is the visible expression of the invisible God. The term prōtotokos ('firstborn') does not mean 'first created' but denotes supremacy and rank — the firstborn son held preeminence and the right of inheritance. Psalm 89:27 uses 'firstborn' for David's royal status: 'I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.' Christ holds that rank over all creation.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Genesis 1:1 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.
  3. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Psalm 89:27 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.
Colossians 1:16

ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται·

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him.

KJV For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Three prepositions define Christ's relation to creation: en autō ('in him,' the sphere), di' autou ('through him,' the agent), eis auton ('for him,' the goal). Creation exists in Christ, was made through Christ, and aims toward Christ. The four terms for spiritual powers — thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities — may address the Colossian heresy's preoccupation with angelic hierarchies. Whatever powers exist, Christ created them and outranks them all.
Colossians 1:17

καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν,

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

KJV And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The phrase pro pantōn ('before all things') asserts both temporal priority (he existed before creation) and positional supremacy (he ranks above all things). The verb synestēken ('hold together, cohere, are sustained') is a perfect tense indicating ongoing reality — the universe's coherence at this moment depends on Christ's sustaining power. Without him, creation would disintegrate. This is one of the strongest statements of Christ's cosmic significance in the New Testament.
Colossians 1:18

καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας· ὅς ἐστιν ἀρχή, πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων,

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

KJV And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The hymn pivots from creation (vv. 15-17) to new creation (vv. 18-20). Christ's headship (kephalē, 'head') of the church parallels his supremacy over creation. The word archē ('beginning, origin, first principle') echoes Genesis 1:1. As 'firstborn from the dead' (prōtotokos ek tōn nekrōn), Christ holds the same rank over the new creation that he holds over the original creation. The purpose clause — 'that in everything he might be preeminent' (prōteuōn) — states the hymn's thesis: Christ holds first place in absolutely everything.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Genesis 1:1 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
Colossians 1:19

ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησεν πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι

For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,

KJV For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

πλήρωμα plērōma
"fullness" — fullness, completeness, totality, that which fills

A term that may have been co-opted by the Colossian heresy to describe the full array of spiritual powers. Paul insists that all divine fullness resides in Christ alone — no supplementary spiritual powers are needed.

Translator Notes

  1. The word plērōma ('fullness, completeness') is a key term in Colossians. It may have been a term used by the false teachers to describe the totality of divine powers; Paul claims it entirely for Christ. 'All the fullness' of God — not a fraction, not a partial manifestation, but the complete divine reality — permanently resides in Christ. The verb katoikēsai ('to dwell, to take up permanent residence') indicates not a temporary visit but an abiding presence.
Colossians 1:20

καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν, εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ, [δι' αὐτοῦ] εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.

And, possessing fashioned wholeness by way of the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself. By him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

KJV And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The verb apokatallaxai ('to reconcile fully') is an intensified form found only in Colossians and Ephesians. The scope is staggering: 'all things' (ta panta) — the same phrase used for creation in verse 16 — are reconciled through Christ. The means is specified: 'the blood of his cross' (tou haimatos tou staurou autou), anchoring this cosmic vision in a brutal historical event. The hymn that began with creation's origin in Christ ends with creation's restoration through Christ.
Colossians 1:21

Καὶ ὑμᾶς ποτε ὄντας ἀπηλλοτριωμένους καὶ ἐχθροὺς τῇ διανοίᾳ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς,

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,

KJV And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Paul applies the cosmic reconciliation of verse 20 to the Colossians' personal experience. They were 'alienated' (apēllotriōmenous, 'estranged, made foreign') and 'hostile' (echthrous) — their minds were actively opposed to God, expressed through evil deeds. The transition from 'once' (pote) to 'now' (nyni, v. 22) marks the before-and-after of redemption.
Colossians 1:22

νυνὶ δὲ ἀποκατήλλαξεν ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου, παραστῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους καὶ ἀνεγκλήτους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ,

Indeed, in the body of his flesh by way of death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:.

KJV In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The phrase 'in his body of flesh through death' (en tō sōmati tēs sarkos autou dia tou thanatou) emphasizes the physicality of Christ's atoning work — against any tendency to spiritualize or mythologize the cross. Three adjectives describe the intended result: 'holy' (hagious), 'blameless' (amōmous, a sacrificial term for animals without defect), and 'above reproach' (anengklētous, a legal term meaning no charge can be brought). The language spans temple, courtroom, and daily life.
Colossians 1:23

εἴ γε ἐπιμένετε τῇ πίστει τεθεμελιωμένοι καὶ ἑδραῖοι καὶ μὴ μετακινούμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ εὐαγγελίου οὗ ἠκούσατε, τοῦ κηρυχθέντος ἐν πάσῃ κτίσει τῇ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν, οὗ ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ Παῦλος διάκονος.

If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have listened to, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven. Whereof I Paul am made a minister;.

KJV If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The conditional 'if indeed' (ei ge) is not expressing doubt but emphasizing the necessity of perseverance. Three architectural metaphors reinforce stability: 'grounded' (tethemeliōmenoi, 'having a foundation laid'), 'steadfast' (hedraioi, 'firmly seated, immovable'), and 'not shifting' (mē metakinoumenoi). The claim that the gospel 'has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven' is hyperbolic, expressing the gospel's universal scope and unstoppable advance.
Colossians 1:24

Νῦν χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, καὶ ἀνταναπληρῶ τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ὑπὲρ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία,

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,

KJV Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. This is one of Paul's most debated statements. The verb antanaplēroō ('I fill up in turn, I complete in response') is found only here in the New Testament. Paul does not mean Christ's atoning death was insufficient — that would contradict verse 20. Rather, the Messianic afflictions that must precede the end times (a Jewish eschatological concept) still have a 'quota' to be filled, and Paul's sufferings contribute to completing that quota. His suffering is vicarious ('for your sake') and ecclesial ('for the sake of his body').
Colossians 1:25

ἧς ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ διάκονος κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ,

Whereof I am appointed a minister, in keeping with to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;.

KJV Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The word oikonomia ('stewardship, administration, management of a household') frames Paul's apostleship as a trust — he has been given responsibility for God's household, specifically to bring the gospel to the Gentiles (including the Colossians). The verb plērōsai ('to fulfill, to make fully known') means Paul's task is to ensure the complete proclamation of God's word.
Colossians 1:26

τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν — νῦν δὲ ἐφανερώθη τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ,

Indeed the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is appointed manifest to his saints:.

KJV Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

μυστήριον mystērion
"mystery" — mystery, secret, hidden purpose, divine plan now revealed

Not a puzzle to be solved but a plan to be revealed. The mystery was always part of God's purpose but was disclosed only in the proper time — through the gospel.

Translator Notes

  1. The word mystērion ('mystery') in Paul does not mean something mysterious or unknowable but a divine secret that was hidden and has now been disclosed. The temporal contrast is dramatic: 'hidden from ages and generations' versus 'now revealed' (nyn ephanerōthē). The long concealment heightens the significance of the revelation — what God planned from eternity is now made known.
Colossians 1:27

οἷς ἠθέλησεν ὁ θεὸς γνωρίσαι τί τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὅ ἐστιν Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης·

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

KJV To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The mystery is now named: 'Christ in you, the hope of glory' (Christos en hymin, hē elpis tēs doxēs). The pronoun 'you' (hymin) is plural and addressed to Gentiles — the shocking content of the mystery is that Christ now dwells among and within Gentile believers, making them heirs of eschatological glory. This was the great scandal of Paul's gospel — that God's Messiah would take up residence in non-Jewish communities.
Colossians 1:28

ὃν ἡμεῖς καταγγέλλομεν νουθετοῦντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον καὶ διδάσκοντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ, ἵνα παραστήσωμεν πάντα ἄνθρωπον τέλειον ἐν Χριστῷ·

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

KJV Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The threefold repetition of panta anthrōpon ('every person') emphasizes the universal scope of the gospel against any elitist tendency in the Colossian heresy that offered 'advanced' knowledge to a select few. Paul's goal — presenting everyone 'mature' (teleion) in Christ — is available to all, not a spiritual aristocracy. The word teleion means 'mature, complete, fully developed,' not sinlessly perfect.
Colossians 1:29

εἰς ὃ καὶ κοπιῶ ἀγωνιζόμενος κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐν δυνάμει.

For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

KJV Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The verb kopiaō ('I toil, I labor to exhaustion') and agōnizomai ('I struggle, I contend') describe intense effort — Paul does not coast on grace. Yet the energy (energeia) behind his effort is not his own but God's, 'powerfully working' (energoumenēn en dynamei) within him. The paradox of divine empowerment and human exertion — identical to Philippians 2:12-13 — closes the chapter.
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