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The BibleTexts.com Bible Commentary

LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS

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Letter to the Colossians
- Bible dictionary explanations of this book of the Bible at http://www.bibletexts.com/glossary/col.htm.
- Topical index of other resources for this book of the Bible at http://www.bibletexts.com/topical.htm#col.

Chapter 1

Other resources

Col 1:2 - omit KJV wording: and the Lord Jesus Christ - (based on a needed correction of the KJV's Greek text)
Col 1:3 (after God) - omit KJV wording: and <2532> - (based on a needed correction of the KJV's Greek text)
Col 1:4 - [WHICH <-> ye have <->] <no supporting Greek words> - corrected wording: that <3739> you have <2192> [literally in KJV add: that <3739> you have <2192>] - (based on a needed correction of the KJV's Greek text)
Col 1:5

1Pe 1:3,4

Col 1:7 - KJV wording: OF - corrected wording: from
Col 1:9

Eph 1:15-17

Col 1:10 - KJV wording: UNTO ALL PLEASING - corrected wording: unto all that is pleasing
Col 1:10

Eph 4:1
Phi 1:27
S&H 600:-6

Col 1:12

Eph 1:11
1Pe 1:4
My 206:26

Col 1:13 - KJV wording: TRANSLATED - modern translation: transferred
Col 1:13

Col 2:15
My 206:28

Col 1:24 - KJV wording: BEHIND: lacking

Chapter 2

Other resources

Col 2:2 - omit KJV wording: and of the Father, and - (based on a needed correction of the KJV's Greek text)
Col 2:6,7 - live in Christ

For additional references to "WALK/LIVE IN CHRIST & WALK/LIVE IN THE SPIRIT," browse http://www.bibletexts.com/topics/w.htm#walk-in-christ.

Col 2:9, TEV - "For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity."

S&H 25:31

Col 2:16 - KJV wording: meat <1035> - modern translation: eating, consuming, the act of eating; meal, food, meat <1035, dative singular feminine noun>

The NRSV and most other modern translations consistently translate the Greek word brosis <1035> as "food" (see Mat 6:19,20; Joh 4:32; 6:27,55; Rom 14:17; 1Co 8:4; 2Co 9:10; and Col 2:16) except in Heb 12:16, where they translates it as "meal."
Biblical Greek lexicons translate brosis as both "eating" and "food." See:

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, based upon Semantic Domains, Volumes 1 & 2, by Johannes P. Louw & Eugene A. Nida (New York: United Bible Societies, 1989, Volume 1, page 48; Volume 2, page 253, 23:34) - specifically refers to Col 2:16, where it translates: "let no man judge you about eating or drinking."
The New Analytical Greek Lexicon (edited by Wesley J. Perschbacher, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1990, page 74)
The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Volume 2 (edited by Colin Brown, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1975, 1986, pages 268-269)
Theological Dictionary of the New Testatment, Volume 1 (edited by Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman's, 1964-1976, page 643, footnote 2) - specifically refers to Col 2:16 use of brosis as "eating"

Eduard Lohse (Hermeneia: Colossians and Philemon, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1971, page 114) translates this verse as follows: "Therefore, let no one pass judgment on you in matters of eating and drinking or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath."
BibleTexts.com's current conclusion on the use of brosis in Col 2:16 is that it would be best translated as "eating."

Chapter 3

Other resources

Col 3:1

Mat 6:33
Col 2:12
Mis 178:10-24

Col 3:2 - KJV wording: set your affection on things above - modern translation: think on the things above (or: mind the things above)

The single Greek verb, phroneite <5426>, translated "set your affection on" or "think", is exactly the same Greek verb that is translated as the two words "Let...mind" in Phi 2:5. The full sentence in the KJV of Phi 2:5 reads, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Phi 2:5 is literally translated from the Greek, "Think <5426> within you this which also was within Christ Jesus."

Col 3:3

Rom 6:2
S&H 325:13
S&H 445:13

Col 3:4

KJV wording:

"When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

Corrected wording that appears in other Bible versions owned and used by Mary Baker Eddy

Fenton: "So when Christ our life is manifested, then also you will be manifested in rectification with him."
Rotherham: "As soon as ||the Christ|| shall be made manifest -- ||Our life||> ||Then|| ||ye also|| |together with him| shall be made manifest in glory;"
RV, ASV, Weymouth: "When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory."

The same corrected wording that appears in the writings of Mary Baker Eddy

S&H: "In Colossians (iii. 4) Paul writes: "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear [be manifested], then shall ye also appear [be manifested] with him in glory." " (S&H 325:10-12.)
For some of Mary Baker Eddy's other quotes and paraphrases from non-KJV translations of the Bible, see Section 3 of http://www.bibletexts.com/bl-ver.htm#3.

Original Greek New Testament (upon which the above corrections are based)

phanerothe <5319> .. phanerothesesthe <5319>

Col 3:4

1Co 15:42,43
S&H 325:10
Mis 76:27

Col 3:5

Exo 18:21
Psa 119:36
Pro 28:16
Mar 7:22
Luk 12:15
Rom 1:29
Eph 5:3
1Th 2:5
Heb 13:5
2Pe 2:3
Mis 19:2

Col 3:6 - Gr: [epi tous huious tes appeitheias] - See TCGNT p. 557. {C}
- The strength of manuscript evidence is about equally balanced as to whether this wording [English: on those who are disobedient] was or was not in the original text. The NRSV retains the wording, and the ESV omits it. Both positions have strong support from early ancient manuscripts. Below is a comparison of the ESV with the NRSV [book review] (which rarely uses brackets, even when it retains the UBS4's bracketed wording) and the NAB [book review] (which consistently retains all of the UBS4's bracketed wording within parentheses):
  - ESV - 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
  - NRSV - 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.
  - NAB - 6 Because of these the wrath of God is coming (upon the disobedient).
- Bruce Metzger (TCGNT p. 557) writes:
  
  It is exceedingly difficult to decide whether the words epi … apeitheias were added in most witnesses by copyists who recollected Eph 5.6 (where no manuscript omits the words), or whether they are absent from P46 B cop-sa eth-ro and several Fathers (Clement Cyprian Macrobius Ambrosiaster Ephraem Jerome) because of an accident in transmission... A majority of the Committee decided to retain the words in the text but to enclose them within square brackets in order to indicate a measure of doubt as to their genuineness in Colossians.
Col 3:9-10 - putting off the old self, putting on the new self

To explore "putting on the new self," in context of the Lord's Prayer, browse http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/prayer2.htm and see "(2.d.2.) REPENT: - 'Deny .. self' / 'Get rid of your old self ..,.. put on the new self, which is created in God's likeness'" This is part of the section on "May your Kingdom come" in the Lord's Prayer.

To explore additional references and explanations, browse: http://www.bibletexts.com/topics/o.htm.

Col 3:11 - Scythian
- According to all the writings of that period, the Scythians were a group of people from the Black Sea area considered to be THE epitome of extreme savagery and barbarism. They had a reputation for being the wildest, most uncivilized people living.
- See also http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/paul-from-terror-to-ministry.htm#scythian.
Col 3:11
- Gal 3:28
Col 3:12 - KJV wording: the elect of God - modern translation: God's chosen ones
Col 3:12 - KJV wording: mercies <3628, plural> - corrected wording: compassion <3628, singular> - (based on a needed correction of the KJV's Greek text)
Col 3:13 - KJV wording: Christ <5547> - corrected wording: the Lord <2962> - (based on a needed correction of the KJV's Greek text)
Col 3:13

Mat 6:14
Eph 4:2,32

Col 3:14 - KJV wording: charity, which is the bond of perfectness - modern translation: love, which binds everything together in perfect unity
Col 3:14

Rom 13:8,10

Col 3:15 - KJV wording: peace of God <2316> - corrected wording: peace of Christ <5547> - (based on a needed correction of the KJV's Greek text)
Col 3:15 - KJV wording: are called - correct translation: were called
Col 3:15

1Co 12:13,27
Eph 4:3,4
Phi 4:7

Col 3:16 - KJV wording: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord <2962> - corrected translation, including corrected punctuation: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly [;] in all wisdom ; [,] teaching and admonishing one another [;] in psalms ~~and~~ [,] hymns [,] ~~and~~ spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to ~~the Lord~~ [God] <2316> - (based on a needed correction of the KJV's Greek text)
Col 3:16

Eph 5:19

Col 3:17 (immediately preceding "the Father") - in KJV omit: and <2532> - (based on a needed correction of the KJV's Greek text)
Col 3:17 - KJV wording: by him - corrected translation: through him
Col 3:17

1Co 10:31

Chapter 4

Other resources

Col 4:6

To explore "Cursing and using bad words: What does the Bible teach?" browse http://www.bibletexts.com/qa/qa075.htm.

Col 4:15 - KJV wording: Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. - corrected wording: Nympha and the church in her house - (based on a needed correction of the KJV's Greek text)
- To explore how the Textus Receptus and the KJV reflect Western-text errors that minimize the historically important roles of early Christian women, browse "The influence on the Textus Receptus of the 'Anti-feminist bias' of the Western Text of the New Testament" at http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/tr-wtext.htm.

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Copyright 1996-2004 Robert Nguyen Cramer
Bibliography

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Abbreviations	Copyright 1996-2004 Robert Nguyen Cramer	Bibliography
www.bibletexts.com	Copyright 1996-2004 Robert Nguyen Cramer	editor@bibletexts.com