Colossians 2:5

Colossians 2:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For 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.
• New International Version (NIV)For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

Context of Colossians 2:5

3Christ is the one who holds everything that makes people wise. He helps people to know the true message that God had hidden. 4I am telling you these things so that false teachers will not deceive you. They may teach ideas that seem good, but do not listen to them. My body is not there with you, but I think about you a lot. I hear that you are living and working well together. I also hear that you continue to trust Christ strongly. That makes me very happy. 6You have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. So remember that you belong to him as you live your lives. 7Get your strength from Christ himself, so that you become stronger and stronger. Continue to believe the true message that we taught you. And thank God very much for everything.

Colossians 2:5 word by word

εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ ἄπειμι, ἀλλὰ τῷ πνεύματι σὺν ὑμῖν εἰμι, χαίρων καὶ βλέπων ὑμῶν τὴν τάξιν καὶ τὸ στερέωμα τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ὑμῶν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·καίkai · andG2532
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• thoughεἰei · if: even thoughG1487
• I be absentἄπειμιapeimi · be awayG548
• in the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• yetἀλλάalla · butG235
• am Iεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• withσύνsun · withG4862
• youσύsu · youG4771
• in the spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• joyingχαίρωchairō · to rejoiceG5463
• beholdingβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• orderτάξιςtaxis · orderG5010
• the stedfastnessστερέωμαstereōma · firmnessG4733
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• inεἰςeis · towardG1519
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for Colossians 2:5

• Colossians 2:1I want you to know that I am doing a difficult work on your behalf. I am also working to help the people at Laodicea and other people who have never met me.
• 1 Corinthians 5:3My body is not there with you, but my spirit is with you. It seems like I am present with you. So I have already decided about this man. This is how you should punish him for what he has done.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:17Our friends, we have had to go away from you for a short time. But we have not stopped thinking about you. We have wanted more and more to come to see you again.
• 2 Chronicles 29:35The people brought a lot of animals for burnt offerings. There was also the fat from the friendship offerings. And there were drink offerings too. The priests offered all those with the burnt offerings. That is how they started to worship the Lord again in his temple.
• 1 Corinthians 11:34If you are hungry, you should eat at home before you come. Then, when you meet together, God will not have any reason to punish you. I will talk about the other things when I come to visit you.
• 1 Corinthians 14:40But you must do everything in a proper way that helps people.
• Ruth 1:18Then Naomi understood that Ruth would not agree to return to her own country. So she stopped saying that Ruth should leave her.
• Psalms 78:8So they would not be like their ancestors, who turned against God. Those people refused to obey God, and they did not trust him to be their guide.
• Acts 2:42These new believers listened carefully to what the apostles taught them. They joined with everyone else in the group. They prayed together and they ate meals together.
• 1 Corinthians 15:58So you must continue to be strong in your spirits, my Christian friends that I love. Do not let anything move you away from your faith. Continue to work hard as you serve the Lord. You know that whatever you do for him will not be useless.
• 1 Corinthians 16:13Watch carefully for danger. Never stop trusting God. Continue to be brave and strong.
• 1 Thessalonians 3:8Yes, we are like people who have become alive again. We know that you are strong as you trust the Lord.
• Hebrews 3:14We must continue to trust Christ very well, as we did when we first believed in him. We must continue to trust him until the end of our lives. Then we will share in everything that is his.
• Hebrews 6:19We can be completely sure about those good things that we hope to receive. That keeps our thoughts strong, because we know that our life is safe with God. It is like an anchor that keeps a ship safe. When we hope like that, we know that we will one day arrive in God's special place in heaven. That is like the special place behind the curtain in the tabernacle.
• 1 Peter 5:9But you must be strong to fight against him. Trust God completely. Remember this: Believers all over the world are having the same kind of trouble.
• 2 Peter 3:17My friends, you already know about these false teachers. So be very careful that you do not believe those bad people. Do not let them lead you away from God. You know what is true, so do not leave that safe place.

Commentaries on Colossians 2:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5For though I be absent in the flesh - It is hardly possible that such words as these in this verse could have been used to perfect strangers; they argue a considerable knowledge of the people, and a knowledge founded on personal acquaintance. The original is exceedingly soft and musical: - ,<-144 ͅ ̔ ,<-144 ̔ , ... The whole verse shows that this Church was sound in doctrine, and strict in discipline. They had steadfast faith in Christ, and regular order…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit - That is, I seem to see you; I feel as if I were there, and were looking upon you; and I have the same solicitude as if I were there, and saw all the danger which exists that your beautiful order and harmony should be disturbed by the influence of false philosophy; see the notes at 1 Corinthians 5:3. The word “spirit,” here, does not refer to the Holy Spirit, or to any inspiration by…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-5Paul wants to build a stronger relationship with the Colossians, even though he has not met them. He also aims to correct false teachings that threaten their Christian community. Laodicea was 10 miles northwest of Colossae.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. For--argument against their suffering themselves to be beguiled, drawn from a regard to his personal authority as though he were present. joying and beholding--beholding with joy. order--your good order; answering to "knit together" (Col 2:2) as a well-organized body; the same Greek as that for knit together, is used of the body" of the Church compacted," in Ep 4:16. Compare 1Co 14:33, 40. steadfastness--Greek, "the firm (or 'solid') foundation." As…Read the comment

Topics related to Colossians 2:5

• Character
• Decision
• Love

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Complete
• Conflict
• Subject
• Treasure
• Trespass
• Army
• Assurance
• Astrology

Commentaries on Colossians 2

• 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
• 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