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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

Context of Colossians 4:6

4Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. 7Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.

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 the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
• Deuteronomy 6:6These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
• Deuteronomy 11:19Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
• 1 Chronicles 16:24Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
• Psalms 37:30The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.
• Psalms 40:9I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know.
• Psalms 45:2You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.
• Psalms 66:16Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.
• Psalms 71:15My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all.
• Psalms 78:3things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.
• Psalms 105:2Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.
• Psalms 119:13With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
• Proverbs 10:21The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense.
• Proverbs 15:4The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
• Proverbs 16:21The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction.
• Proverbs 22:17Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach,

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