Colossians 1:29

Colossians 1:29 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
• New International Version (NIV)To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
• New King James Version (NKJV)To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

Context of Colossians 1:29

27God [in His eternal plan] chose to make known to them how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in and among you, the hope and guarantee of [realizing the] glory. 28We proclaim Him, warning and instructing everyone in all wisdom [that is, with comprehensive insight into the word and purposes of God], so that we may present every person complete in Christ [mature, fully trained, and perfect in Him—the Anointed]. For this I labor [often to the point of exhaustion], striving with His power and energy, which so greatly works within me.

Colossians 1:29 word by word

εἰς ὃ καὶ κοπιῶ ἀγωνιζόμενος κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐν δυνάμει.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Whereuntoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• Iκοπιάωkopiaō · to laborG2872
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• strivingἀγωνίζομαιagōnizomai · to struggleG75
• according toκατάkata · according toG2596
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• workingἐνέργειαenergeia · active energyG1753
• which workethἐνεργέωenergeō · be activeG1754
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• mightilyδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411

Cross-references for Colossians 1:29

• Colossians 4:12Epaphras, who is one of you and a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. [He is] always striving for you in his prayers, praying with genuine concern, [pleading] that you may [as people of character and courage] stand firm, [spiritually mature] and fully assured in all the will of God.
• 1 Corinthians 15:10But by the [remarkable] grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not without effect. In fact, I worked harder than all of the apostles, though it was not I, but the grace of God [His unmerited favor and blessing which was] with me.
• 2 Corinthians 5:9Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth] or away from home [and with Him], it is our [constant] ambition to be pleasing to Him.
• 2 Corinthians 6:5in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in sleepless nights, in hunger,
• 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they [self-proclaimed] servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if I were out of my mind—I am more so [for I exceed them]; with far more labors, with far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, and often in danger of death.
• Philippians 2:16holding out and offering to everyone the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to rejoice greatly because I did not run [my race] in vain nor labor without result.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:9For you remember, believers, our labor and hardship. We worked night and day [practicing our trade] in order not to be a [financial] burden to any of you while we proclaimed the gospel of God to you.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:8nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we worked night and day [to pay our own way] so that we would not be a financial burden on any of you [for our support];
• 2 Timothy 2:10For this reason I [am ready to] patiently endure all things for the sake of those who are the elect (God’s chosen ones), so that they too may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it the reward of eternal glory.
• Revelation 2:3and [I know that] you [who believe] are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and that you have not grown weary [of being faithful to the truth].
• Colossians 2:1For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those [believers] at Laodicea, and for all who [like yourselves] have never seen me face to face.
• 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.
• Romans 15:20Accordingly I set a goal to preach the gospel, not where Christ’s name was already known, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation;
• 1 Corinthians 9:25Now every athlete who [goes into training and] competes in the games is disciplined and exercises self-control in all things. They do it to win a crown that withers, but we [do it to receive] an imperishable [crown that cannot wither].
• Philippians 1:27Only [be sure to] lead your lives in a manner [that will be] worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I do come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit [and one purpose], with one mind striving side by side [as if in combat] for the faith of the gospel.
• Hebrews 12:4You have not yet struggled to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;

Commentaries on Colossians 1:29

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29Whereunto I also labor - In order to accomplish this end, I labor with the utmost zeal and earnestness; and with all that strength with which God has most powerfully furnished me. Whoever considers the original words, - , will find that no verbal translation can convey their sense. God worked energetically in St. Paul, and he wrought energetically with God; and all this was in reference to the salvation of mankind. The preceding chapter contains the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29Whereunto I also labour - See the notes at 1 Corinthians 15:10. Striving - Greek agonizing. He taxed all his energies to accomplish this, as the wrestlers strove for the mastery in the Grecian games. According to his working - Not by my own strength, but by the power which God alone can give; see the notes at 1 Corinthians 15:10. Remarks On Colossians 1:2-8. It should be to us a subject of unfeigned gratitude to God; when others are faithful to their high…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-29Verses 24-29 Both the sufferings of the Head and of the members are called the sufferings of Christ, and make up, as it were, one body of sufferings. But He suffered for the redemption of the church; we suffer on other accounts; for we do but slightly taste that cup of afflictions of which Christ first drank deeply. A Christian may be said to fill up that which remains of the sufferings of Christ, when he takes up his cross, and after the pattern of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24-29Paul considers his own role in the widespread preaching of the good news about Jesus (1:23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2929. Whereunto--namely, "to present every man perfect in Christ." I also labour--rather, "I labor also." I not only "proclaim" (English Version, "preach") Christ, but I labor also. striving--in "conflict" (Col 2:1) of spirit (compare Ro 8:26). The same Greek word is used of Epaphras (Col 4:12), "laboring fervently for you in prayers": literally, "agonizing," "striving as in the agony of a contest." So Jesus in Gethsemane when praying (Lu 22:44): so…Read the comment

Topics related to Colossians 1:29

• Gospel
• Love
• Minister, Christian
• Preaching
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Agony
• Consist
• Darkness
• Dominion
• Fill
• Mightily
• Reconcile
• Redemption
• Throne
• Astrology

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