God’s Word Translation
Colossians 1:26
26In the past God hid this mystery, but now he has revealed it to his people.
Colossians 1:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
- New International Version (NIV)the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.
- English Standard Version (ESV)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.
- New King James Version (NKJV)the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.
Context of Colossians 1:26
24I am happy to suffer for you now. In my body I am completing whatever remains of Christ’s sufferings. I am doing this on behalf of his body, the church. 25I became a servant of the church when God gave me the work of telling you his entire message. In the past God hid this mystery, but now he has revealed it to his people. 27God wanted his people throughout the world to know the glorious riches of this mystery—which is Christ living in you, giving you the hope of glory. 28We spread the message about Christ as we instruct and teach everyone with all the wisdom there is. We want to present everyone as mature Christian people.
Read all of Colossians 1Colossians 1:26 word by word
τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν, νῦν δὲ ἐφανερώθη τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the mysteryμυστήριονmustērion · mysteryG3466
- which hath been hidἀποκρύπτωapokruptō · to concealG613
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- agesαἰώνaiōn · an age: ageG165
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- generationsγενεάgenea · generationG1074
- butδέde · thenG1161
- nowνυνίnuni · nowG3570
- is made manifestφανερόωphaneroō · to revealG5319
- toἅγιοςhagios · holy: saintG40
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- saintsἅγιοςhagios · holy: saintG40
Cross-references for Colossians 1:26
- Romans 16:25God can strengthen you by the Good News and the message I tell about Jesus Christ. He can strengthen you by revealing the mystery that was kept in silence for a very long time
- 1 Corinthians 2:7We speak about the mystery of God’s wisdom. It is a wisdom that has been hidden, which God had planned for our glory before the world began.
- Ephesians 3:3You have heard that he let me know this mystery through a revelation. I’ve already written to you about this briefly.
- Psalms 25:14The Lord advises those who fear him. He reveals to them the intent of his promise.
- Matthew 13:11Jesus answered, “Knowledge about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you. But it has not been given to the crowd.
- Mark 4:11Jesus replied to them, “The mystery about God’s kingdom has been given ⌞directly⌟ to you. To those on the outside, it is given in stories:
- Luke 8:10Jesus answered, “Knowledge about the mysteries of God’s kingdom has been given ⌞directly⌟ to you. But it is given to others in stories. When they look, they don’t see, and when they hear, they don’t understand.
- 2 Timothy 1:10Now with the coming of our Savior Christ Jesus, he has revealed it. Christ has destroyed death, and through the Good News he has brought eternal life into full view.
Commentaries on Colossians 1:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26The mystery which hath been hid - The mystery is this: that God had designed to grant the Gentiles the same privileges with the Jews, and make them his people who were not his people. That this is what St. Paul means by the mystery, see Ephesians 3:3, etc. Made manifest to his saints - It is fully known to all who have embraced the doctrine of Christ crucified; to all Christians.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26Even the mystery - To make that mystery fully known. See this explained in the notes at Ephesians 3:2-9. The great doctrine that salvation was to be proclaimed to all mankind, Paul says, had been concealed for many generations. Hence, it was called a mystery, or a hidden truth. But now is made manifest to his saints - It was communicated especially to the apostles who were appointed to proclaim it, and through them to all the saints. Paul says that he…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. 26The idea of a hidden mystery… now revealed comes from Jewish apocalyptic beliefs. Jewish thinkers believed God's entire plan already existed in heaven. It remained hidden until God chose to reveal it. The good news, especially for non-Jews, remained secret until Christ revealed it.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. the mystery--(See on Ep 1:9, 10; Ep 3:5-9). The mystery, once hidden, now revealed, is redemption for the whole Gentile world, as well as for the Jews, "Christ in you (Gentiles) the hope of glory" (Col 1:27). from ages--"from," according to Alford, refers to time, not "hidden from": from the time of the ages; still what is meant is that the mystery was hidden from the beings living in those "ages." The "ages" are the vast successive periods marked by…Read the comment
Topics related to Colossians 1:26
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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