Colossians 4:6

Colossians 4:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
• New International Version (NIV)Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Context of Colossians 4:6

4Pray that I will be able to tell people this message clearly. That is what I should do. 5When you are with people who do not believe in Christ, be careful how you live. Use every chance to do good things. When you speak to people, always speak kind words. Say things that will help them. Then, when someone asks you a question, you will know how to reply. 7Our Christian friend, Tychicus, will tell you all the news about me. He works hard to serve the Lord. Like me, he is the Lord's servant. 8I want him to tell you what is happening to us, so that you will feel stronger. That is the reason why I am sending him to you.

Colossians 4:6 word by word

ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Letἀρτύωartuō · to seasonG741
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• speechὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• speechλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• alwayπάντοτεpantote · alwaysG3842
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
• with saltἅλαςhalas · saltG217
• that ye may knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• oughtδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• to answerἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• everyἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
• manεἷςheis · oneG1520

Cross-references for Colossians 4:6

• Colossians 3:16Let Christ's message always be in your thoughts, with all the good things that it brings. Use that message to teach and to warn each other. Be very wise as you do that. And also sing all kinds of spiritual songs to praise God. Sing psalms and Christian songs. As you sing, thank God from inside yourselves.
• Deuteronomy 6:6Always think about these commands that I am giving you today.
• Deuteronomy 11:19Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you sit together at home. Talk about them as you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
• 1 Chronicles 16:24Tell the other nations that he is very great. Tell all of them about the great things that he has done.
• Psalms 37:30Righteous people speak wise words. What they say brings justice.
• Psalms 40:9In the great meeting of your people, I have told them about your justice. I cannot keep quiet! You know that this is true, Lord.
• Psalms 45:2You are the most handsome man that there is. You speak kind words in a beautiful way. And so God will continue to bless you for ever.
• Psalms 66:16Come and listen, all you people who serve God. I will tell you about the things that God has done for me.
• Psalms 71:15I will tell people that you always do what is right. I will always speak about your power to save people. But you have done more than I will ever know about!
• Psalms 78:3We have heard about these things and we know them. Our ancestors have told them to us,
• Psalms 105:2Sing songs and make music to praise him! Tell people about the miracles that he has done.
• Psalms 119:13You have taught us your rules. I want to speak them aloud for others to hear.
• Proverbs 10:21The teaching of righteous people will help many people. But foolish people die because they are so stupid.
• Proverbs 15:4Kind words are like the fruit of a tree that gives life. But words that are not honest make people sad and weak.
• Proverbs 16:21If you have wise thoughts, people will say that you know what is right. If you speak kind words, people will accept your teaching.
• Proverbs 22:17Listen carefully. I will teach you what wise people have said. Think about the things that I am teaching you.

Commentaries on Colossians 4:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt - Let it be such as has a tendency to oppose and preserve from the corruption of sin. The rabbins say: "He who, in prayer, omits any word, should begin again at the beginning; for he who does not is like boiled pottage, in which there is no salt." Berachoth, fol. 34, 1. Let all your conversation be such as may tend to exemplify and recommend Christianity; let it not only be holy, but wise, gracious…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Let your speech - Your conversation. In the previous verse the apostle had given a general direction that our conduct toward those who are not professing Christians should be wise and prudent; he here gives a particular direction in regard to our conversation. Be alway with grace - Imbued with the spirit of religion. It should be such as religion is fitted to produce; such as to show that the grace of God is in our hearts. Bloomfield supposes that this…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 2-6Verses 2-6 No duties can be done aright, unless we persevere in fervent prayer, and watch therein with thanksgiving. The people are to pray particularly for their ministers. Believers are exhorted to right conduct towards unbelievers. Be careful in all converse with them, to do them good, and recommend religion by all fit means. Diligence in redeeming time, commends religion to the good opinion of others. Even what is only carelessness may cause a lasting…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6seasoned with salt: Salt is both a seasoning and a preservative (see Matthew 5:13). Paul might be encouraging Christians to speak to non-believers with well-chosen and appealing words. The Jewish rabbis sometimes referred to wisdom as salt, so Paul might also be urging Christians to speak wisely.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. with grace--Greek, "IN grace" as its element (Col 3:16; Ep 4:29). Contrast the case of those "of the world" who "therefore speak of the world" (1Jo 4:5). Even the smallest leaf of the believer should be full of the sap of the Holy Spirit (Jr 17:7, 8). His conversation should be cheerful without levity, serious without gloom. Compare Lu 4:22; Joh 7:46, as to Jesus' speech. seasoned with salt--that is, the savor of fresh and lively spiritual wisdom and…Read the comment

Topics related to Colossians 4:6

• Conversation
• Salt
• Speaking
• Symbols and Similitudes

In the dictionaries

• Fervently
• Greet
• Luke, Gospel according to
• Colossians, Epistle to the
• Grace
• grace, gracious

Commentaries on Colossians 4

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings