Colossians 2

Colossians · Chapter 2

Colossians 2:14

1For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;2That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.4And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.5For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.6As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:7Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:11In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:12Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.16Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:17Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.18Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,19And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,21(Touch not; taste not; handle not;22Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?23Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Colossians 2:8-15Complete in him

About Colossians 2Paul wants their hearts knit together in love and full of understanding of Christ, "In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," and urges, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." He warns, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit... and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," and they are "complete in him," forgiven, with the handwriting of ordinances nailed "to his cross." So no one is to judge them over meat, drink or holy days, which are "a shadow of things to come," or bind them with rules like "Touch not; taste not; handle not." Colossians 2:2Colossians 2:3Colossians 2:6Colossians 2:8Colossians 2:9Colossians 2:10Colossians 2:13Colossians 2:14Colossians 2:16Colossians 2:17Colossians 2:21Colossians overview

Why this verse matters hereGod blotted out "the handwriting of ordinances that was against us... nailing it to his cross," having forgiven "all trespasses." Colossians 2:13Colossians 2:14

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
having blotted outἐξαλείψαςexaleipsasG1813
to blot out

ἐξαλείφω (exaleiphō) ἐξ-αλείφω [in LXX for טוּחַ, Lev.14:42, al.; metaphorically, מָחָה, שָׁחַת, etc. ;] 1. to plaster, wash over (LXX). 2. to wipe off, wipe out: δάκρυον, Rev.7:17 21:4; metaphorically, χειρόγραφον, Col.2:14; τ. ὄνομα, before ἐκ, Rev.3:5 (MM, Exp., xiii); pass., ἀμαρτίαι (ἐξαλιφθῆναι, WH), Act.3:19 (cf. Psa.51:11 Psa.109:13, Isa.43:25, Sir.46:20 (ἁμ. ἀπαλ-), 3Ma.2:19).† (AS)

againstκαθ᾽kath᾽G2596
according to

κατά (kata) κατά (bef. a vowel κατ᾽, καθ᾽; on the frequently neglect of elision, see Tdf., Pr., 95; WH, App., 146a), prep. with genitive, accusative, down, downwards. I. C. genitive (WM, §47, k; Bl., §42, 2). 1. C. genitive of thing(s), in local sense; (a) down, down from: Mat.8:32, Mrk.5:13, Luk.8:33, 1Co.11:4; (b) throughout (late usage; Bl, l.with): κ. ὅλης κ.τ.λ., Luk.4:14 23:5, Act.9:31 10:37; (with) in a peculiar adjectival phrase: ἡ κ. βάθους, deep or extreme poverty, 2Co.8:2. 2. C. genitive of person(s), usually in hostile sense; …

usἡμῶνhēmōnG3165
me

μέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML)

handwritingχειρόγραφονcheirographonG5498
writen record

χειρόγραφος (cheirographos) χειρόγραφος, -ον (χείρ, γράφω), [in LXX: Tob.5:3 9:2, 5 * ;] written with the hand. As subst., τὸ χ., a handwriting (Inscr., Polyb., al.): metaphorically, Col.2:14.† (AS)

decreesδόγμασινdogmasinG1378
decree

δόγμα (dogma) δόγμα, -τος, τό (δοκέω), [in LXX chiefly for דָּת, טְעֵם ;] 1. an opinion. 2. A public decree, ordinance: of Roman rulers, Luk.2:1, Act.17:7; of the Jewish law, Eph.2:15, Col.2:14; of the Apostles, Act.16:4 (Cremer, 205).† (AS)

whichὃhoG3739
which

ὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. …

wasἦνēnG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

adverseὑπεναντίονhupenantionG5227
opposed

ὑπεναντίος (hupenantios) ὑπ-εναντίος, -α, -ον [in LXX for אָיַב, צַר, etc. ;] set over against, opposite. Metaphorical (Plat., Arist., al.), opposed to, contrary to: with dative of person(s), Col.2:14; absol., as subst., ὁ ὑ., Heb.10:27 (cf. Isa.26:11).† (AS)

to us,ἡμῖν,hēminG3165
me

μέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML)

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

itαὐτὸautoG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

He has takenἦρκενērkenG0142
to take up

αἴρω (airō) αἴρω, [in LXX chiefly for נשׂא, also for לקח, etc. ;] 1. to raise, take up, lift or draw up: Jhn.8:59 11:41, Act.27:17, al. 2. to bear, carry: Mat.4:6 16:24, al. 3. to bear or take away, carry off, remove: Mat.21:21, Jhn.19:31, 1Co.5:12 6:15 (see Lft., Notes, 216), al.; of the taking away sin by Christ, Jhn.1:29, 1Jn.3:5. (Cf. ἀπ᾽, ἐξ-, ἐπ-, μετ-, συν-, ὑπερ-αίρω). For exx. from π., see MM, VGT, see word) (AS)

out ofἐκekG1537
out from

ἐκ (ek) ἐκ (ἐξ), prep. with genitive, from out of, from (see Addendum, p. 492). This entry is included here, but in the print version the entry is found on p. 492. ἐκ, before a vowel ἐξ, prep. with genitive, of motion outwards, separation from (opposite to εἰς; = Lat. e, ex), from out of, from among, from. I. Of Place, …

wayμέσουmesouG3319
midst

μέσος (mesos) μέσος, -η, -ον [in LXX chiefly for תָּוֶךְ ;] middle, in the middle or midst; 1. prop., as an adj.: Luk.23:45, Jhn.19:18, Act.1:18; with genitive pl., Luk.22:55, Jhn.1:26; genitive temp. (Bl., § 36, 13), μέσης νυκτός, Mat.25:6; μ. ἡμέρας, Act.26:13. …

having nailedπροσηλώσαςprosēlōsasG4338
to nail

προσηλόω (prosēloō) προσ-ηλόω -ῶ [in LXX: 3Ma.4:9 * ;] to nail to: with accusative and dative, figuratively, Col.2:14.† (AS)

itαὐτὸautoG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

cross;σταυρῷ·staurōG4716
cross

σταυρός (stauros) σταυρός, -oῦ, ὁ 1. an upright pale or stake (Hom., Hdt., Thuc., al.) 2. In late writers (Diod., Plut., al.) of the Roman instrument of crucifixion, the Cross: of the Cross on which Christ suffered, Mat.27:32, 40 27:42, Mrk.15:21, 30 15:32, Luk.23:26, Jhn.19:17, 19 19:25, 31, Col.2:14, Heb.12:2; θάνατος σταυροῦ, Php.2:8; τ. αἷμα τοῦ σ., Col.1:20. Metaphorical, in proverbial sayings: αἴρειν (λαμβάνειν, βαστάζειν) τὸν σ., Mat.10:38 16:24, Mrk.8:34 10:21, 15:21, Luk.9:23 14:27 (for an interesting ex. of metaphorically use in π., see MM, xxiii) By meton., for Christ's death on the Cross: 1Co.1:17 …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.