ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Colossians 1.4-6

Book: Colossians · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (ASV)

"2. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ that are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 3. We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,"

"4. having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints, 5. because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6. which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth;"

"7. even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8. who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit." (Colossians 1:2-8, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"2. to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,"

"4. having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have toward all the saints, 5. because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News, 6. which has come to you; even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;"

"7. even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8. who also declared to us your love in the Spirit." (Colossians 1:2-8, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"2. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,"

"4. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 5. For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 6. Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:"

"7. As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 8. Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit." (Colossians 1:2-8, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"2. to the saints in Colossae, and to the faithful brethren in Christ: Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ! 3. We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, always praying for you,"

"4. having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love that [is] to all the saints, 5. because of the hope that is laid up for you in the heavens, which ye heard of before in the word of the truth of the good news, 6. which is present to you, as also in all the world, and is bearing fruit, as also in you, from the day in which ye heard, and knew the grace of God in truth;"

"7. as ye also learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful ministrant of the Christ, 8. who also did declare to us your love in the Spirit." (Colossians 1:2-8, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Paul the Apostle (imprisonment) + Timothy
  • Audience: Christian believers in Colossae (Asia Minor)
  • Location: composed during Roman imprisonment
  • Time period: composed c. AD 60-62

Theological reading

Key words

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.