New International Version
Colossians 1:23
23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Colossians 1:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
- English Standard Version (ESV)if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
- New King James Version (NKJV)if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.
Context of Colossians 1:23
21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. 24Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—
Read all of Colossians 1Colossians 1:23 word by word
Εἴ γε ἐπιμένετε τῇ πίστει τεθεμελιωμένοι καὶ ἑδραῖοι καὶ μὴ μετακινούμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ εὐαγγελίου οὗ ἠκούσατε, τοῦ κηρυχθέντος ἐν πάσῃ κτίσει τῇ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν, οὗ ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ Παῦλος διάκονος.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Ifεἴγεeige · if indeedG1489
- ye continue inἐπιμένωepimenō · to remain/keep onG1961
- the faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
- groundedθεμελιόωthemelioō · to foundG2311
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- settledἑδραῖοςhedraios · steadfastG1476
- notμήmē · notG3361
- moved awayμετακινέωmetakineō · to shiftG3334
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the hopeἐλπίςelpis · hopeG1680
- of the gospelεὐαγγέλιονeuaggelion · gospelG2098
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- ye have heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- which was preachedκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784
- toἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
- creatureκτίσιςktisis · creationG2937
- underὑπόhupo · by/under: underG5259
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
- am madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- a ministerδιάκονοςdiakonos · servantG1249
Cross-references for Colossians 1:23
- Psalms 92:13planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
- Psalms 125:5But those who turn to crooked ways the Lord will banish with the evildoers. Peace be on Israel.
- Ezekiel 18:26If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die.
- Hosea 6:3Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
- Zephaniah 1:6those who turn back from following the Lord and neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him.”
- Matthew 24:13but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
- Luke 8:13Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
- Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
- John 8:30Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
- John 15:9“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
- Acts 11:23When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.
- Acts 14:22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
- Romans 2:7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.
- Galatians 4:11I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
- Galatians 5:7You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
- Galatians 6:9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Commentaries on Colossians 1:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23If ye continue in the faith - This will be the case if you, who have already believed in Christ Jesus, continue in that faith, grounded in the knowledge and love of God, and settled - made firm and perseveringly steadfast, in that state of salvation. And be not moved away - Not permitting yourselves to be seduced by false teachers. The hope of the Gospel - The resurrection of the body, and the glorification of it and the soul together, in the realms of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23If ye continue in the faith - In the belief of the gospel, and in holy living. If this were done, they would be presented unblameable be fore God; if not, they would not be. The meaning is, that it will be impossible to be saved unless we continue to lead lives becoming the gospel. Grounded - On a firm foundation; see the notes at Ephesians 3:17, where the same word occurs. And settled - Greek, “firm;” as a building is that is founded on a rock; compare…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-23Verses 15-23 Christ in his human nature, is the visible discovery of the invisible God, and he that hath seen Him hath seen the Father. Let us adore these mysteries in humble faith, and behold the glory of the Lord in Christ Jesus. He was born or begotten before all the creation, before any creature was made; which is the Scripture way of representing eternity, and by which the eternity of God is represented to us. All things being created by Him, were…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23proclaimed to every creature under heaven: Paul used hyperbole (exaggeration for emphasis) when he said the gospel has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. He meant that key cities in the Roman world had established centers for spreading the good news about Jesus (see also 1:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. If--"Assuming that," &c.: not otherwise shall ye be so presented at His appearing (Col 1:22). grounded--Greek, "founded," "fixed on the foundation" (compare Note, see on Ep 3:17; Lu 6:48, 49). settled--"steadfast." "Grounded" respects the foundation on which believers rest; "settled," their own steadfastness (1Pe 5:10). 1Co 15:58 has the same Greek. not moved away--by the false teachers. the hope of the gospel--(Ep 1:18). which ye have heard ... which…Read the comment
Topics related to Colossians 1:23
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
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