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 may make the mystery clear, as I ought to speak. 5Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, to know how you ought to answer everyone. 7Tychicus—a dearly loved brother and trustworthy servant and fellow slave to the Lord—will tell you all the news about me. 8I sent him to you for this very purpose, so you may know about us and 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 word of Messiah dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratitude in your hearts to God.
• Deuteronomy 6:6These words, which I am commanding you today, are to be on your heart.
• Deuteronomy 11:19You are to teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up.
• 1 Chronicles 16:24Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderous works among all the peoples.
• Psalms 37:30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom and his tongue speaks justice.
• Psalms 40:9I delight to do Your will, O my God. Yes, Your Torah is within my being.”
• Psalms 45:2My heart is stirred with a good word. I speak my verses to the king. My tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
• Psalms 66:16Come and listen, all you who fear God. I will tell what He has done for my soul.
• Psalms 71:15My mouth will recount Your justice and Your salvation all day, though I do not know the sum of them.
• Psalms 78:3which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
• Psalms 105:2Sing to Him, sing praises to Him— tell about all His wonders!
• Psalms 119:13With my lips I rehearse all the rulings of Your mouth.
• Proverbs 10:21The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of understanding.
• Proverbs 15:4A healing tongue is a tree of life, but a deceitful one crushes the spirit.
• Proverbs 16:21The wise in heart is called discerning, and sweetness of lips increases persuasiveness.
• Proverbs 22:17Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge.

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