Focused Passage

Colossians 2:1-5

Fullness in Christ and Freedom from Christ-Plus Religion

Paul moves from his pastoral struggle for the churches, to the command to continue rooted in Christ, to the declaration that all fullness is in Christ, to the warning against deceptive captivity, and finally to the exposure of legalistic, mystical, and ascetic substitutes as shadows without true spiritual power.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me face to face,

2 that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ,

3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 I say this so that no one will deceive you by smooth rhetoric.

5 For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Revelation 3:14 BSB references Colossians 1:29 Classic cross-references Philippians 1:30 Classic cross-references Colossians 4:12 Classic cross-references Galatians 4:19 Classic cross-references

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction I want Θέλω G2309 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural to know εἰδέναι G1492 Verb - Perfect Infinitive Active how much ἡλίκον G2245 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular vvv ἀγῶνα G73 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular I am struggling ἔχω G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular for ὑπὲρ G5228 Preposition you ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction [for] those τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural at ἐν G1722 Preposition Laodicea Λαοδικείᾳ G2993 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction for all who ὅσοι G3745 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural vvv οὐχ G3756 Adverb have not met ἑόρακαν G3708 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural me μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular face to face πρόσωπόν G4383 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular . . . ἐν G1722 Preposition . . . σαρκί G4561 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

Romans 11:33 Classic cross-references Ephesians 1:17 Classic cross-references Colossians 2:9 Classic cross-references Ephesians 4:16 Classic cross-references Philippians 3:8 Classic cross-references

Original words

that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction they may be encouraged παρακληθῶσιν G3870 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Plural - αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural - αἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Plural in heart καρδίαι G2588 Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural knit together συμβιβασθέντες G4822 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition love ἀγάπῃ G26 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction filled with εἰς G1519 Preposition vvv πᾶν G3956 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular [the] full riches πλοῦτος G4149 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular of complete πληροφορίας G4136 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular understanding συνέσεως G4907 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular so that εἰς G1519 Preposition they may know ἐπίγνωσιν G1922 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular mystery μυστηρίου G3466 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular [namely] Christ Χριστοῦ G5547 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

Literally the mystery of God: Christ

Verse 3

Cross-references

Matthew 13:44 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 4:7 Classic cross-references Colossians 1:27 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 1:24 Classic cross-references Isaiah 9:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

in ἐν G1722 Preposition whom ᾧ G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular are εἰσιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural hidden ἀπόκρυφοι G614 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural all πάντες G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural treasures θησαυροὶ G2344 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular of wisdom σοφίας G4678 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction knowledge γνώσεως G1108 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

2 Corinthians 11:3 Classic cross-references Romans 16:18 Classic cross-references Ephesians 4:14 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 2:4 Classic cross-references 1 John 4:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

I say λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular this Τοῦτο G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular so that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction no one μηδεὶς G3367 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular will deceive παραλογίζηται G3884 Verb - Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural by ἐν G1722 Preposition smooth rhetoric πιθανολογίᾳ G4086 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 15:58 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 14:40 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 5:3 Classic cross-references 1 Thessalonians 2:17 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 5:26 Classic cross-references

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction although καὶ G2532 Conjunction . . . εἰ G1487 Conjunction I am absent from you ἄπειμι G548 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular in τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular body σαρκὶ G4561 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular - ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction I am present εἰμι G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular with σὺν G4862 Preposition you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular in spirit πνεύματι G4151 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular [and] I delight χαίρων G5463 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction to see βλέπων G991 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular your ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular orderly condition τάξιν G5010 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular firm στερέωμα G4733 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular faith πίστεως G4102 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular in εἰς G1519 Preposition Christ Χριστὸν G5547 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular

Read full chapter context All Colossians chapters

<- Colossians 1 Colossians 2 Colossians 3 ->