These first two verses are rather straight forward. I did make some changes to my earlier translation though.
1.Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφὸς
Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God, and Timothy our brother.
- διὰ is translated "by" with used with the genetive θελήματος θεοῦ expresses agency.
- ὁ ἀδελφὸς is translated "our brother" instead of "the Brother" for a smoother English reading.
2 τοῖς ἐν Κολοσσαῖς ἁγίοις καὶ πιστοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ· χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν.
To the holy and faithful brothers (and sisters,) in Christ at Colossae. Grace to you, and peace from God our Father.
- ἁγίοις is translated as "holy" instead of "saints" to point more directly to the Greek without the detour through the Latin Sanctus.
- (and sisters,) is to convey to the modern reader that Paul is addressing the whole church when he says, "brothers" while the parenthesis themselves signal to the reader that these particular words are not in the text itself.
- ἀπὸ is with the genative is translated "from" showing "God our Father" as the source of Paul's blessing.
Colossians 1:3-4
3. Εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ θεῷ πατρὶ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι
We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, always praying for you,
- Εὐχαριστοῦμεν (εὐχαριστέω verb - to give thanks) present active indicative plural "We give thanks".
- περὶ with the genetive can be translated as "for" showing advantage/representaion.
4. ἀκούσαντες τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην ἣν ἔχετε εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους
having heard about your faith in Christ Jesus, and the love that you have for all the Holy Ones,
- ἀκούσαντες (ἀκούω verb - to listen) Aorist Active Participle Nominative Masculine Plural. "(We) having heard"
- εἰς with the accusative can be translated "for" showing reference.
Colossians 1:5 -8
5. διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τὴν ἀποκειμένην ὑμῖν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἣν προηκούσατε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας τοῦ εὐαγγελίου
because of the hope stored up for you in the heavens, which you had heard about in the True Word, The Gospel
- διὰ with the accusative case can be translated "because" showing causation.
- ἀποκειμένην (ἀπόκειμαι verb = reserved, stored up) Present Middle (Passive,) Participle Feminine Accusative singular - "stored up."
- προηκούσατε (προακούω verb = I hear beforehand) Aorist Active Indicative 2nd Person Plural - "you have heard before
- ἐν with the dative translated "in" showing content.
6. τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς, καθὼς καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ ἐστὶν καρποφορούμενον καὶ αὐξανόμενον καθὼς καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀφ’ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσατε καὶ ἐπέγνωτε τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ·
. . which came to you.
Just as it's baring fruit and increasing in the whole world, so it is also among you, since you've heard and have truly understood God's grace.
- παρόντος (πάρειμι verb = I have come). Present active Participle Genitive Neuter Singular
- καρποφορούμενον (καρποφορέω verb = I bear fruit). Present Middle Participle Nominative Neuter Singular - "it is bearing fruit"
- τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς: I think this expression belongs with the previous verse, making τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς "the Gospel which came to you" complete the previous thought.
- The two occurrences of καθὼς, I have rendered "just as," and "so also," because the author is clearly making a comparison and because of English style differences.
- ἀφ’ ἧς ἡμέρας "from the day" - has been rendered "since"
- ἐπέγνωτε - ἀληθείᾳ is rendered "truly understood" because ἀληθείᾳ , is in agreement with and clearly modifying ἐπέγνωτε. To understand something "in truth," is modern English is to truly understand.
- τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ is rendered God's grace, instead of the wooden Grace of God.
7. καθὼς ἐμάθετε ἀπὸ Ἐπαφρᾶ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ συνδούλου ἡμῶν, ὅς ἐστιν πιστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν διάκονος τοῦ Χριστοῦ
Just as you learned from our beloved, fellow bondservant, Epaphras, who is a faithful servant of Christ, on your behalf,
8. ὁ καὶ δηλώσας ἡμῖν τὴν ὑμῶν ἀγάπην ἐν πνεύματι.
having made known to us your love in the Spirit.
9. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἀφ’ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσαμεν, οὐ παυόμεθα ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι καὶ αἰτούμενοι ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει πνευματικῇ,
and because of this, ever since we heard of it, we have not stopped praying for you, asking that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will - with complete wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Διὰ with the accusative case can be translated "because" showing causation.
παυόμεθα (παύω verb = I cease) aorist active indicative first person plural. "We have ceased".
αἰτούμενοι (αἰτέω verb = I ask) present middle participle nominative masculine plural. "asking".
πληρωθῆτε (πληρόω verb = I fill) accusative passive subjuctive second person plural - "you might be filled).
συνέσει noun dative feminine singular. "understanding".
10. περιπατῆσαι ἀξίως τοῦ κυρίου εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρεσκείαν ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ καρποφοροῦντες καὶ αὐξανόμενοι τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ θεοῦ,
in order to Walk worthily of the Lord, totally delighting him: bearing fruit in every good work, and and growing in the knowledge of God.
ἀξίως adv, "worthily"
ἀρεσκείαν noun, accusative feminine singular
αὐξανόμενοι (αὐξάνω verb = I cause to increase,) present middle participle, nominative masculine plural "increasing".
11. ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν μετὰ χαρᾶς,
being powerfully strengthened, by his glorious might, for complete patience and endurance - with joy.
ἐν with dative (instrumental) = "by" or "with"
ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι = Instead of "strengthened with all power" this thought is rendered "powerfully strengthened".
12. εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ πατρὶ τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί,
giving thanks to the Father who has made us qualified for the holy one's share of inheritance in the light.
ἱκανώσαντι (ἱκανόω verb "I make sufficent," "I render fit," "I qualify," ) accusative active participle, dative masculine singular. "(He) having qualified (us)"
κλήρου noun, genetive masculine singular
13. ὃς ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους καὶ μετέστησεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ,
He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
ὃς "who" is rendered "he" reintroducing the subject in order to start a new sentence. This is for better English flow.
ἐξουσίας noun genative masclilne singlular "dominion"
μετέστησεν (μεθίστημι verb, "I transfer") aorist active indicative, third person singular "He has delivered us"
14. ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν·
in whom we have redeption the forgiveness of sins.
ἀπολύτρωσιν noun accusative feminine singular "redemption"
ἄφεσιν noun accusative feminie singular "forgiveness"
15 ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως,
(Jesus Christ) who is the image of the unseen God,
firstborn of all creation.
- Jesus Christ is the subject. I believe it is clearer in English to add this at the beginning of a new sentence, this allows us to retain the original pronoun "who" instead of changing the first word to "He".
- ἀοράτου (ἀόρατος, ον: adjective = invisible, unseen) genitive masculine singular.
16 ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται·
since all things were created by him -
in the heavens and on the earth,
the seen and the unseen,
whether thrones or dominions,
whether rulers or authorities,
All things were created by him and for him.
- ἐν with dative, can be translated "by" as in instrumental dative.
- ἐκτίσθη (κτίζω v. "I create, form, shape, make.") Aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular. "He Created"
17 καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν,
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
18 καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας· ὅς ἐστιν ἀρχή, πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων,
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning,
Firstborn from among the dead,
so that he might hold pre-eminance in all things.
- ἀρχή, ῆς, ἡ – properly, from the beginning (temporal sense), i.e. "the initial (starting) point"; (figuratively) what comes first and therefore is chief (foremost), i.e. has the priority because ahead of the rest ("preeminent"). Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular.
- πρωτότοκος, ον - prōtótokos (from prṓtos, "first, pre-eminent" and tíktō, "bring forth") – properly, first in time (Mt 1:25; Lk 2:7); hence, pre-eminent (Col 1:15; Rev 1:5).Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular.
- πρωτεύων (πρωτεύω verb = I have preeminence, am chief). Present active participle, nominative masculine singular.
19 ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησεν πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι
because in him, God was pleased in all His fullness to dwell.
- εὐδόκησεν (εὐδοκέω v. = I am resolved, well pleased). Aorist Active Indicative, 3rd person singular. "he was pleased"
- κατοικῆσαι (κατοικέω v. = to dwell" Aorist, active, infinitive - "to dwell".
20 καὶ δι’ αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν, εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ, εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς·
and by him to reconcile all things to himself, having made peace by the blood of his cross - both on earth and in the heavens.
- δι’ with genitive can be translated "by" showing agency.
- ἀποκαταλλάξαι (ἀποκαταλλάσσω, verb to reconcile,) aorist active infinitive
- εἴτε . . . εἴτε (εἴτεv = and, if, whether) I chose to translate "whether on earth, whether in the heavens" as "both on earth and in the heavens" because the author is clearly saying whether it is here or there - Christ has reconciled all things.
21 καὶ ὑμᾶς ποτε ὄντας ἀπηλλοτριωμένους καὶ ἐχθροὺς τῇ διανοίᾳ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς
"Once you lived alienated, and mentally opposed (to God,) in your evil deeds,"
- ἀπηλλοτριωμένους (v-perfect middle participle, accusative masculine plural from ἀπαλλοτριόομαι: I alienate). Should be translated "being alienated" or as I have it "lived alienated."
- ἐχθροὺς (adj.Accusative, Masculine, Plural. From ἐχθρός, ά, όν) = hatred, hostile, enemy
- διανοίᾳ (N. Dat, Fem, Sing. From διάνοια, ας, ἡ) = mind.
22 νυνὶ δὲ ἀποκατηλλάγητε ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου— παραστῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους καὶ ἀνεγκλήτους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ,
"but now he has reconciled you, in his fleshly body - through death, to present you before Him (God), holy, spotless, and irreprochable."
- ἀποκατηλλάγητε (v.Aor,act,ind - 3S from ἀποκαταλλάσσω - I reconcile). Should be translated "he has reconciled".
διὰ - With the genetive expressing Means - "though death"
- παραστῆσαι (v. Aor,inf,act. from παρίστημι - I bring, I present). Should be translated "to present"
- ἀμώμους (adj. AMP from ἄμωμος, ον) = spotless)
- ἀνεγκλήτους (adj.AMP from ἀνέγκλητος, ον) = irreproachable
- κατενώπιον (prep.) = "before." Properly, "down in the eye," i.e. in someone's direct, concentrated gaze; "in the very presence of," especially being "in the very full (decisive) presence of" (S. Zodhiates, Dict).
23 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.
"if indeed you persist in the faith being grounded and standing firm, not being removed from the hope of the Gospel, which you have heard - which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which, I Paul, have become a minister."
- γε = an enclitic, emphasizing particle: at least, indeed, really, but generally too subtle to be represented in English.
- ἐπιμένετε (v. PAI -2P ἐπιμένω = I remain, I persist) = "you continue".
- τεθεμελιωμένοι (Perf.M.P - NMP, from v. θεμελιόω = I found, I lay the foundation). = "being grounded".
- ἑδραῖοι (adj. NMP) = sitting, seated, steadfast, firm.
- μετακινούμενοι (v. PMP-NMP, from μετακινέω = I move away, dislodge, remove)
- κηρυχθέντος (v. APP-NMS. κηρύσσω = I proclaim, I Herald, I preach) = having been proclaimed - I opted for "which was proclaimed"
24 Νῦν χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, καὶ ἀνταναπληρῶ τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ὑπὲρ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία,
Now I rejoice in suffering for you, and I am filling up, in my flesh, that which is lacking of Christ's tribulations, for his body - which is the church;
- παθήμασιν (N-DNP. πάθημα, ατος, τό) = "sufferings" but I chose the singular form for better expression in english.
- ἀνταναπληρῶ (V_PAI-1S. ἀνταναπληρόω = "I fill up, I complete."). = "I am filling up"
- ὑστερήματα (N-ANP. ὑστέρημα, ατος, τό) = "that which is lacking."
- θλίψεων (N-GFP. θλῖψις, εως, ἡ) = "tribulations."
25 ἧς ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ διάκονος κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ,
"of which I have become a minister, according to God's administration, having been given to me for you, to complete God's Word."
- ἐγενόμην (V-AMI-3S. γίνομαι = I become).= "I have become"
- οἰκονομίαν (N-AFS. οἰκονομία, ας, ἡ).= "stewardship," "administration."
- δοθεῖσάν (V-APP-AFS. δίδωμι - "I offer," "I give.") = "having been given"
- πληρῶσαι (V-AAI) = to complete
26 τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν,— νῦν δὲ ἐφανερώθη τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ,
- ἀποκεκρυμμένον (V-PMP-ANS. ἀποκρύπτω - I hide, I conceal.) = Having been hidden.
"the mystery hidden from ages, and generations, but now made manifest to His holy ones,"
27 οἷς ἠθέλησεν ὁ θεὸς γνωρίσαι τί τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὅ ἐστιν Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης·
"To whom God desired to reveal the riches of this glorious mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ you - the hope of glory"
- ἠθέλησεν (V-AAI-3S. θέλω = "I will," "I wish," "I desire".
- γνωρίσαι (V-AAI) = "to reveal"
28 ὃν ἡμεῖς καταγγέλλομεν νουθετοῦντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον καὶ διδάσκοντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ, ἵνα παραστήσωμεν πάντα ἄνθρωπον τέλειον ἐν Χριστῷ·
"whom we proclaim, admonishing each person, and teaching every person in all wisdom, so that we might present each person complete in Christ."
- νουθετοῦντες (V-PAP-NMP. νουθετέω = I admonish, councel, exhort, warn.) = "(we) admonishing."
- παραστήσωμεν (V-AAS-1P. παρίστημι "I Bring, present") = "that we might present"
- τέλειον (ADJ-AMS) = Perfect, Complete
29 εἰς ὃ καὶ κοπιῶ ἀγωνιζόμενος κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐν δυνάμει.
"Toward this I work exhaustively, striving according to his divine power working powerfully within me."
- κοπιῶ (V-PAI-1S. κοπιάω - I grow weary, I toil) = work exhaustively
- ἀγωνιζόμενος (V-PMO-NMS. ἀγωνίζομαι - I strive, I contend) = striving
- ἐνέργειαν (N-AFS. ἐνέργεια, ας, ἡ - working, activity used in the NT only pertaining to supernatural power.) = divine power
- ἐνεργουμένην (V-PMP-AFS. ἐνεργέω - I work, I accomplish, I am operative) = working (through divine agency).
No comments:
Post a Comment