Colossians 1:13

Colossians 1:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
• New International Version (NIV)For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
• English Standard Version (ESV)He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
• New King James Version (NKJV)He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

Context of Colossians 1:13

11[we pray that you may be] strengthened and invigorated with all power, according to His glorious might, to attain every kind of endurance and patience with joy; 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints (God’s people) in the Light. For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins’ penalty]. 15He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.

Colossians 1:13 word by word

ὃς ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους καὶ μετέστησεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• hath deliveredῥύομαιrhuomai · to rescueG4506
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the powerὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the powerἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• of darknessσκότοςskotos · darknessG4655
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• hath translatedμεθίστημιmethistēmi methistanō · to moveG3179
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• of hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• dearἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
• Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207

Cross-references for Colossians 1:13

• Isaiah 49:24“Can the spoils of war be taken from the mighty man, Or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?”
• Isaiah 53:12Therefore, I will divide and give Him a portion with the great [kings and rulers], And He shall divide the spoils with the mighty, Because He [willingly] poured out His life to death, And was counted among the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore and took away the sin of many, And interceded [with the Father] for the transgressors.
• Matthew 12:29Or how can anyone go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man? Then he will ransack and rob his house.
• Acts 26:18to open their [spiritual] eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness and release from their sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified (set apart, made holy) by faith in Me.’
• Hebrews 2:14Therefore, since [these His] children share in flesh and blood [the physical nature of mankind], He Himself in a similar manner also shared in the same [physical nature, but without sin], so that through [experiencing] death He might make powerless (ineffective, impotent) him who had the power of death—that is, the devil—
• Luke 22:53Day after day when I was with you in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power and authority of darkness are yours.”
• John 12:31Now judgment is upon this world [the sentence is being passed]. Now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out.
• 2 Corinthians 4:4among them the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
• Ephesians 4:18for their [moral] understanding is darkened and their reasoning is clouded; [they are] alienated and self-banished from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the [willful] ignorance and spiritual blindness that is [deep-seated] within them, because of the hardness and insensitivity of their heart.
• Ephesians 5:8For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [live as those who are native-born to the Light]
• Ephesians 6:12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
• 1 John 2:8On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true and realized in Christ and in you, because the darkness [of moral blindness] is clearing away and the true Light [the revelation of God in Christ] is already shining.
• 1 John 3:8The one who practices sin [separating himself from God, and offending Him by acts of disobedience, indifference, or rebellion] is of the devil [and takes his inner character and moral values from him, not God]; for the devil has sinned and violated God’s law from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.
• Luke 13:24“Strive to enter through the narrow door [force aside unbelief and the attractions of sin]; for many, I tell you, will try to enter [by their own works] and will not be able.
• John 5:24“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the person who hears My word [the one who heeds My message], and believes and trusts in Him who sent Me, has (possesses now) eternal life [that is, eternal life actually begins—the believer is transformed], and does not come into judgment and condemnation, but has passed [over] from death into life.

Commentaries on Colossians 1:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Delivered us from the power of darkness - Darkness is here personified, and is represented as having , power, authority, and sway; all Jews and Gentiles, which had not embraced the Gospel, being under this authority and power. And the apostle intimates here that nothing less than the power of God can redeem a man from this darkness, or prince of darkness, who, by means of sin and unbelief, keeps men in ignorance, vice, and misery. Translated us into the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness - The power exerted over us in that dark kingdom to which we formerly belonged - the kingdom of Satan. The characteristic of this empire is darkness - the emblem of: (1)sin; (2)error; (3)misery and death. Over us, by nature, these things had uncontrollable power; but now we are delivered from them, and brought to the enjoyment of the privileges of those who are connected with the kingdom of light. Darkness…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-14Verses 9-14 The apostle was constant in prayer, that the believers might be filled with the knowledge of God's will, in all wisdom. Good words will not do without good works. He who undertakes to give strength to his people, is a God of power, and of glorious power. The blessed Spirit is the author of this. In praying for spiritual strength, we are not straitened, or confined in the promises, and should not be so in our hopes and desires. The grace of God…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13giving thanks to the Father: having humble gratitude to God for salvation gives powerful help to resist false teachings (see also 2:7; 3:17; 4:2). The inheritance is what God has promised his people (for example, see Deuteronomy 3:28; Psalm 33:12; Ezekiel 44:28). In the New Testament, the inheritance includes salvation and final rescue (see also Ephesians 1:11; Titus 3:7; Hebrews 9:15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. from--Greek, "out of the power," out of the sphere in which his power is exercised. darkness--blindness, hatred, misery [Bengel]. translated--Those thus translated as to state, are also transformed as to character. Satan has an organized dominion with various orders of powers of evil (Ep 2:2; 6:12). But the term "kingdom" is rarely applied to his usurped rule (Mt 12:26); it is generally restricted to the kingdom of God. his dear Son--rather as Greek…Read the comment

Topics related to Colossians 1:13

• Blindness
• Church
• Darkness
• Depravity of Man
• God Continued...
• Jesus Continued
• Righteous
• Righteousness
• Satan

In the dictionaries

• Consist
• Darkness
• Dominion
• Fill
• Mightily
• Reconcile
• Redemption
• Throne
• Astrology
• Authority in Religion

Commentaries on Colossians 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings