¹tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter
²tn Grk “and faithful.” The construction in Greek (as well as Paul’s style) suggests that the saints are identical to the faithful; hence, the kaiv (kai) is best left untranslated (cf. Eph 1:1). See ExSyn 281-82.
³tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ajdelfov" 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ajdelfoiv [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
⁴tn Or “Grace to you and peace.”
⁵tc Most witnesses, including some important ones (Í A C F G I [P] 075 Ï it bo), read “and the Lord Jesus Christ” at the end of this verse, no doubt to conform the wording to the typical Pauline salutation. However, excellent and early witnesses (B D K L Y 33 81 1175 1505 1739 1881 al sa) lack this phrase. Since the omission is inexplicable as arising from the longer reading (otherwise, these mss would surely have deleted the phrase in the rest of the corpus Paulinum), it is surely authentic.
⁶tn The adverb pavntote (pantote) is understood to modify the indicative eujcaristou'men (eucaristoumen) because it precedes periV uJmw'n (peri Jumwn) which probably modifies the indicative and not the participle proseucovmenoi (proseucomenoi). But see 1:9 where the same expression occurs and periV uJmw'n modifies the participle “praying” (proseucovmenoi).
⁷tn The adverbial participle ajkouvsante" (akousante") is understood to be temporal and translated with “since.” A causal idea may also be in the apostle’s mind, but the context emphasizes temporal ideas, e.g., “from the day” (v. 6).
⁸tn Col 1:3-8 form one long sentence in the Greek text and have been divided at the end of v. 4 and v. 6 and within v. 6 for clarity, in keeping with the tendency in contemporary English toward shorter sentences. Thus the phrase “Your faith and love have arisen from the hope” is literally “because of the hope.” The perfect tense “have arisen” was chosen in the English to reflect the fact that the recipients of the letter had acquired this hope at conversion in the past, but that it still remains and motivates them to trust in Christ and to love one another.
⁹tn BDAG 113 s.v. ajpovkeimai 2 renders ajpokeimevnhn (apokeimenhn) with the expression “reserved” in this verse.
¹⁰tn The term “the gospel” (tou' eujaggelivou, tou euangeliou) is in apposition to “the word of truth” (tw/' lovgw/ th'" ajlhqeiva", tw logw th" alhqeia") as indicated in the translation.
¹¹tn Grk “just as in the entire world it is bearing fruit.” The antecedent (“the gospel”) of the implied subject (“it”) of ejstin (estin) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
¹²tn Though the participles are periphrastic with the present tense verb ejstivn (estin), the presence of the temporal indicator “from the day” in the next clause indicates that this is a present tense that reaches into the past and should be translated as “has been bearing fruit and growing.” For a discussion of this use of the present tense, see ExSyn 519-20.
¹³tn Or “learned it.” The Greek text simply has “you learned” without the reference to “the gospel,” but “the gospel” is supplied to clarify the sense of the clause. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
¹⁴tn The Greek word translated “fellow slave” is suvndoulo" (sundoulo"); the suvn- prefix here denotes association. Though dou'lo" is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for dou'lo"), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
¹⁵tn The Greek text has “who (o{", Jos) is a faithful minister.” The above translation conveys the antecedent of the relative pronoun quite well and avoids the redundancy with the following substantival participle of v. 8, namely, “who told” (oJ dhlwvsa", Jo dhlwsa").
¹⁶tc ‡ Judging by the superior witnesses for the first person pronoun hJmw'n (Jhmwn, “us”; Ì⁴⁶ Í* A B D* F G 326* 1505 al) vs. the second person pronoun uJmw'n (Jumwn, “you”; found in Ͳ C D¹ Y 075 33 1739 1881 Ï lat sy co), hJmw'n should be regarded as original. Although it is possible that hJmw'n was an early alteration of uJmw'n (either unintentionally, as dittography, since it comes seventeen letters after the previous hJmw'n; or intentionally, to conform to the surrounding first person pronouns), this supposition is difficult to maintain in light of the varied and valuable witnesses for this reading. Further, the second person is both embedded in the verb ejmavqete (emaqete) and is explicit in v. 8 (uJmw'n). Hence, the motivation to change to the first person pronoun is counterbalanced by such evidence. The second person pronoun may have been introduced unintentionally via homoioarcton with the uJpevr (Juper) that immediately precedes it. As well, the second person reading is somewhat harder for it seems to address Epaphras’ role only in relation to Paul and his colleagues, rather than in relation to the Colossians. Nevertheless, the decision must be based ultimately on external evidence (because the internal evidence can be variously interpreted), and this strongly supports hJmw'n.
¹⁷tn Or “heard about it”; Grk “heard.” There is no direct object stated in the Greek (direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context). A direct object is expected by an English reader, however, so most translations supply one. Here, however, it is not entirely clear what the author “heard”: a number of translations supply “it” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV; NAB “this”), but this could refer back either to (1) “your love in the Spirit” at the end of v. 8, or (2) “your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints” (v. 4). In light of this uncertainty, other translations supply “about you” (TEV, NIV, CEV, NLT). This is preferred by the present translation since, while it does not resolve the ambiguity entirely, it does make it less easy for the English reader to limit the reference only to “your love in the Spirit” at the end of v. 8.
¹⁸tn The term “God” does not appear in the Greek text, but the following reference to “the knowledge of his will” makes it clear that “God” is in view as the object of the “praying and asking,” and should therefore be included in the English translation for clarity.
¹⁹tn The i{na (Jina) clause has been translated as substantival, indicating the content of the prayer and asking. The idea of purpose may also be present in this clause.
²⁰tn The infinitive peripath'sai (peripathsai, “to walk, to live, to live one’s life”) is best taken as an infinitive of purpose related to “praying” (proseucovmenoi, proseucomenoi) and “asking” (aijtouvmenoi, aitoumenoi) in v. 9 and is thus translated as “that you may live.”
²¹tn BDAG 129 s.v. ajreskeiva states that ajreskeivan (areskeian) refers to a “desire to please eij" pa'san aj. to please (the Lord) in all respects Col 1:10.”
²²tn The expression “for the display of” is an attempt to convey in English the force of the Greek preposition eij" (eis) in this context.
²³tn BDAG 473 s.v. iJkanovw states, “tinaV ei[" ti someone for someth. Col 1:12.” The point of the text is that God has qualified the saints for a “share” or “portion” in the inheritance of the saints.
²⁴tn Grk “the inheritance of the saints.” The genitive noun tw'n aJgivwn (twn Jagiwn) is a possessive genitive: “the saints’ inheritance.”
²⁵tn Here aujtou' (autou) has been translated as a subjective genitive (“he loves”).
²⁶tc diaV tou' ai{mato" aujtou' (dia tou {aimato" autou, “through his blood”) is read at this juncture by several minuscule mss (614 630 1505 2464 al) as well as a few, mostly secondary, versional and patristic witnesses. But the reading was prompted by the parallel in Eph 1:7 where the wording is solid. If these words had been in the original of Colossians, why would scribes omit them here but not in Eph 1:7? Further, the testimony on behalf of the shorter reading is quite overwhelming: {Í A B C D F G Y 075 0150 6 33 1739 1881 Ï latt co as well as several other versions and fathers}. The conviction that “through his blood” is not authentic in Col 1:14 is as strong as the conviction that these words are authentic in Eph 1:7.
²⁷sn This passage has been typeset as poetry because many scholars regard this passage as poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 188-89). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage, so the decision to typeset it as poetry should be viewed as a tentative decision about its genre.
²⁸tn The Greek term prwtovtoko" (prwtotokos) could refer either to first in order of time, such as a first born child, or it could refer to one who is preeminent in rank. M. J. Harris, Colossians and Philemon (EGGNT), 43, expresses the meaning of the word well: “The ‘firstborn’ was either the eldest child in a family or a person of preeminent rank. The use of this term to describe the Davidic king in Ps 88:28 LXX (=Ps 89:27 EVV), ‘I will also appoint him my firstborn (prwtovtokon), the most exalted of the kings of the earth,’ indicates that it can denote supremacy in rank as well as priority in time. But whether the prwtov- element in the word denotes time, rank, or both, the significance of the -toko" element as indicating birth or origin (from tivktw, give birth to) has been virtually lost except in ref. to lit. birth.” In Col 1:15 the emphasis is on the priority of Jesus’ rank as over and above creation (cf. 1:16 and the “for” clause referring to Jesus as Creator).
²⁹tn The genitive construction pavsh" ktivsew" (pash" ktisew") is a genitive of subordination and is therefore translated as “over all creation.” See ExSyn 103-4.
³⁰tn BDAG 579 s.v. kuriovth" 3 suggests “bearers of the ruling powers, dominions” here.
³¹tn BDAG 973 s.v. sunivsthmi B.3 suggests “continue, endure, exist, hold together” here.
³²tn See the note on the term “firstborn” in 1:15. Here the reference to Jesus as the “firstborn from among the dead” seems to be arguing for a chronological priority, i.e., Jesus was the first to rise from the dead.
³³tn Grk “in order that he may become in all things, himself, first.”
³⁴tn The noun “God” does not appear in the Greek text, but since God is the one who reconciles the world to himself (cf. 2 Cor 5:19), he is clearly the subject of eujdovkhsen (eudokhsen).
³⁵tn The Greek article tov (to), insofar as it relates to God, may be translated as a possessive pronoun, i.e., “his.” BDAG 404 s.v. eujdokevw 1 translates the phrase as “all the fullness willed to dwell in him” thus leaving the referent as impersonal. Insofar as Paul is alluding to the so-called emanations from God this is acceptable. But the fact that “the fullness” dwells in a person (i.e., “in him”) seems to argue for the translation “his fullness” where “his” refers to God.
³⁶tn The aorist verb katoikh'sai (katoikhsai) could be taken as an ingressive, in which case it refers to the incarnation and may be translated as “begin to dwell, to take up residence.” It is perhaps better, though, to take it as a constative aorist and simply a reference to the fact that the fullness of God dwells in Jesus Christ. This is a permanent dwelling, though, not a temporary one, as the present tense in 2:9 makes clear.
³⁷tn Grk “him”; the referent (the Son; see v. 13) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
³⁸tc The presence or absence of the second occurrence of the phrase di* aujtou' (di’ autou, “through him”) is a difficult textual problem to solve. External evidence is fairly evenly divided. Many ancient and excellent witnesses lack the phrase (B D* F G I 0278 81 1175 1739 1881 2464 al latt sa), but equally important witnesses have it (Ì46 Í A C D1 Y 048^vid 33 Ï). Both readings have strong Alexandrian support, which makes the problem difficult to decide on external evidence alone. Internal evidence points to the inclusion of the phrase as original. The word immediately preceding the phrase is the masculine pronoun aujtou' (autou); thus the possibility of omission through homoioteleuton in various witnesses is likely. Scribes might have deleted the phrase because of perceived redundancy or awkwardness in the sense: The shorter reading is smoother and more elegant, so scribes would be prone to correct the text in that direction. As far as style is concerned, repetition of key words and phrases for emphasis is not foreign to the corpus Paulinum (see, e.g., Rom 8:23, Eph 1:13, 2 Cor 12:7). In short, it is easier to account for the shorter reading arising from the longer reading than vice versa, so the longer reading is more likely original.
³⁹tn The article th/' (th) has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
⁴⁰tn Although dianoiva (dianoia) is singular in Greek, the previous plural noun ejcqrouv" (ecqrous) indicates that all those from Colossae are in view here.
⁴¹tn The dative ejn toi'" e[rgoi" toi'" ponhroi'" (en toi" ergoi" toi" ponhroi") is taken as means, indicating the avenue through which hostility in the mind is revealed and made known.
⁴²tc Some of the better representatives of the Alexandrian and Western texts have a passive verb here instead of the active ajpokathvllaxen (apokathllaxen, “he has reconciled”): ajpokathllavghte (apokathllaghte) in (Ì46) B, ajpokathvllaktai [sic] (apokathllaktai) in 33, and ajpokatallagevnte" (apokatallagente") in D* F G. Yet the active verb is strongly supported by Í A C D2 Y 048 075 [0278] 1739 1881 Ï lat sy. Internally, the passive creates an anacoluthon in that it looks back to the accusative uJma'" (Juma", “you”) of v. 21 and leaves the following parasth'sai (parasthsai) dangling (“you were reconciled…to present you”). The passive reading is certainly the harder reading. As such, it may well explain the rise of the other readings. At the same time, it is possible that the passive was produced by scribes who wanted some symmetry between the pote (pote, “at one time”) of v. 21 and the nuniV dev (nuni de, “but now”) of v. 22: Since a passive periphrastic participle is used in v. 21, there may have a temptation to produce a corresponding passive form in v. 22, handling the uJma'" of v. 21 by way of constructio ad sensum. Since parasth'sai occurs ten words later, it may not have been considered in this scribal modification. Further, the Western reading (ajpokatallagevnte") hardly seems to have arisen from ajpokathllavghte (contra TCGNT 555). As difficult as this decision is, the preferred reading is the active form because it is superior externally and seems to explain the rise of all forms of the passive readings.
tn The direct object is omitted in the Greek text, but it is clear from context that “you” (uJma'", Jumas) is implied.
⁴³tn BDAG 276 s.v. eJdrai'o" suggests “firm, steadfast.”
⁴⁴tn BDAG 639 s.v. metakinevw suggests “without shifting from the hope” here.
⁴⁵tn BDAG 697 s.v. oijkonomiva 1.b renders the term here as “divine office.”
⁴⁶tn See BDAG 828 s.v. plhrovw 3. The idea here seems to be that the apostle wants to “complete the word of God” in that he wants to preach it to every person in the known world (cf. Rom 15:19). See P. T. O’Brien, Colossians, Philemon (WBC), 82.
⁴⁷tn The genitive noun th'" dovxh" (ths doxhs) is an attributive genitive and has therefore been translated as “glorious riches.”
⁴⁸tn Or “admonishing,” or “warning.” BDAG 679 s.v. nouqetevw states, “to counsel about avoidance or cessation of an improper course of conduct,, admonish, warn, instruct.” After the participle nouqetou'nte" (nouqetounte", “instructing”) the words pavnta a[nqrwpon (panta anqrwpon, “all men”) occur in the Greek text, but since the same phrase appears again after didavskonte" (didaskontes) it was omitted in translation to avoid redundancy in English.
⁴⁹tn The two participles “instructing” (nouqetou'nte", nouqetounte") and “teaching” (didavskonte", didaskonte") are translated as participles of means (“by”) related to the finite verb “we proclaim” (kataggevllomen, katangellomen).
⁵⁰tn Here a[nqrwpon (anqrwpon) is twice translated as a generic (“people” and “person”) since both men and women are clearly intended in this context.
⁵¹tn Since Paul’s focus is on the present experience of the Colossians, “mature” is a better translation of tevleion (teleion) than “perfect,” since the latter implies a future, eschatological focus.
⁵²tn The Greek phrase ei[" o{ (eis Jo, “toward which”) implies “movement toward a goal” and has been rendered by the English phrase “Toward this goal.”
⁵³tn The prepositional phrase ejn dunavmei (en dunamei) seems to be functioning adverbially, related to the participle, and has therefore been translated “powerfully.”