Colossians
Colossians 1:21-23
We, who once were God's enemies, have been reconciled to Him by Christ's death on our behalf.
#Christ
#Reconciliation
Published December 17th, 2016; Updated February 10th, 2018
Main point summary
Notes
Col 1.21-23
notes
Main point summary
Even though you once were alienated from God and hostile toward Him, now, by Christ dying on your behalf, you now have been reconciled, so that He can present you holy, faultless, and blameless before God.
Notes
The Main Point is drawn from the logically prominent statements in the passage: the concession in 21a, the result in 22a, and the purpose in 22c. Note the custom relationship, Item-Description in 23a-b: the Description (23b) comments on a single concept, the Item, which in this case is "the Gospel" (near the end of 23a)
Col 1.21-23
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Colossians 1:21-23
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And you were at one time strangers and enemies in your 39 minds 40
Καὶ ὑμᾶς ποτε ὄντας ἀπηλλοτριωμένους καὶ ἐχθροὺς τῇ διανοίᾳ
z And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, a doing evil deeds,
Even though...
Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds
as expressed through 41 your evil deeds,
ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς,
because of your evil actions.
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but now he has reconciled you 42
νυνὶ δὲ ἀποκατήλλαξεν
he has now reconciled b in his body of flesh by his death, c in order
But now He has reconciled you
by his physical body through death
ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου
by His physical body through His death,
to present you holy, without blemish, and blameless before him -
παραστῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους καὶ ἀνεγκλήτους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ,
to present you holy and blameless and d above reproach before him,
"present" goes with "reconciled"
to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him —
if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm, 43 without shifting 44 from the hope of the gospel that you heard.
εἴ γε ἐπιμένετε τῇ πίστει τεθεμελιωμένοι καὶ ἑδραῖοι καὶ μὴ μετακινούμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ εὐαγγελίου οὗ ἠκούσατε,
e if indeed you continue in the faith, f stable and steadfast, not shifting from g the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed h in all creation 1 under heaven, i and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Does this condition go with "reconciled" or with "present"? Leedy links it to "present". John Callow (WBT consultant) does also. I'm inclined to agree with them; so I arc'd accordingly.
if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard.
This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.
τοῦ κηρυχθέντος ἐν πάσῃ κτίσει τῇ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν, οὗ ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ Παῦλος διάκονος.
This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.
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