Colossians 1:25

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

King James Version (1611)
Whereof I am made a Minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is giuen to mee for you, to fulfill the word of God:

King James Version
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

English Standard Version
of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

New American Standard Bible
I was made a minister of this church according to the commission from God granted to me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,

New Century Version
I became a servant of the church because God gave me a special work to do that helps you, and that work is to tell fully the message of God.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,

Legacy Standard Bible
of which I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God given to me for you, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,

Berean Standard Bible
I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God,

Contemporary English Version
God's plan was to make me a servant of his church and to send me to preach his complete message to you.

Complete Jewish Bible
I became a servant of the Good News because God gave me this work to do for your benefit. The work is to make fully known the message from God,

Darby Translation
of which *I* became minister, according to the dispensation of God which [is] given me towards you to complete the word of God,

Easy-to-Read Version
I became a servant of the church because God gave me a special work to do. This work helps you. My work is to tell the complete message of God.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Whereof I am a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is giuen mee vnto you ward, to fulfill the word of God,

George Lamsa Translation
For which I became a minister, according to the dispensation of God which has been given to me for you, fully to preach the word of God everywhere;

Good News Translation
And I have been made a servant of the church by God, who gave me this task to perform for your good. It is the task of fully proclaiming his message,

Lexham English Bible
of which I became a minister, according to God's stewardship which was given to me for you, to complete the word of God,

Literal Translation
of which I became a minister, according to the administration of God given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God,

Amplified Bible
In this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship which God entrusted to me for your sake, so that I might make the word of God fully known [among you]—

American Standard Version
whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God,

Bible in Basic English
Of which I became a servant by the purpose of God which was given to me for you, to give effect to the word of God,

Hebrew Names Version
of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

International Standard Version
I became its servantminister">[fn] according to God's commission that was given to me for you, so that I might fulfill the ministry ofthe ministry of">[fn] the word of God.1 Corinthians 9:17; Galatians 2:7; Ephesians 3:2; Colossians 3:23;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
which is the church; of which I am made a minister according to the dispensation of Aloha, which was given to me for you, to accomplish the word of Aloha;

Murdock Translation
of which I am a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me among you, that I should fulfill the word of God,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherof I am made a minister, accordyng to the dispensation of God, which is geuen to me to youwarde, to fulfyll the worde of God:

English Revised Version
whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfill the word of God,

World English Bible
of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Of which I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is given me for you, fully to preach the word of God:

Weymouth's New Testament
I have been appointed to serve the Church in the position of responsibility entrusted to me by God for your benefit, so that I may fully deliver God's Message--

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Of which Y Poul am maad mynystre bi the dispensacioun of God, that is youun to me in you,

Update Bible Version
whereof I was made a servant, according to the dispensation of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

Webster's Bible Translation
Of which I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God;

New English Translation
I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship from God—given to me for you—in order to complete the word of God,

New King James Version
of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,

New Living Translation
God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.

New Life Bible
I became a preacher in His church for your good. In the plan of God I am to preach the Good News.

New Revised Standard
I became its servant according to God's commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Of which, I, have become minister - according to the administration of God which hath been given unto me to you-ward, to fill up the word of God,

Douay-Rheims Bible
Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given me towards you, that I may fulfil the word of God:

Revised Standard Version
of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
wher of I am made a minister acordynge to the ordinaunce of god which ordinaunce was geven me vnto you warde to fulfill ye worde of god

Young's Literal Translation
of which I -- I did become a ministrant according to the dispensation of God, that was given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
wherof I am made a mynister, acordinge to ye Godly office of preachinge, which is geuen vnto me amonge you, that I shulde richely preach the worde of God,

Mace New Testament (1729)
of which I have been established a minister, according to the charge which God has given me to preach his gospel faithfully among you. ---

Simplified Cowboy Version
God has given me the job and the responsibility of giving y'all the truth—the entire truth that has been hidden.

Contextual Overview

¹³God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He's set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating. ¹⁵We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross. You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message. I want you to know how glad I am that it's me sitting here in this jail and not you. There's a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church's part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God's way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth. This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it's out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me. ¹⁹ I, Paul, have been sent on special assignment by Christ as part of God's master plan. Together with my friend Timothy, I greet the Christians and stalwart followers of Christ who live in Colosse. May everything good from God our Father be yours! Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can't quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians. The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn't diminish or weaken over time. It's the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you. From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you've been hungry for more. It's as vigorous in you now as when you learned it from our friend and close associate Epaphras. He is one reliable worker for Christ! I could always depend on him. He's the one who told us how thoroughly love had been worked into your lives by the Spirit. Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He's set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating. We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross. You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message. I want you to know how glad I am that it's me sitting here in this jail and not you. There's a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church's part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God's way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth. This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it's out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me. ²⁰ I, Paul, have been sent on special assignment by Christ as part of God's master plan. Together with my friend Timothy, I greet the Christians and stalwart followers of Christ who live in Colosse. May everything good from God our Father be yours! Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can't quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians. The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn't diminish or weaken over time. It's the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you. From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you've been hungry for more. It's as vigorous in you now as when you learned it from our friend and close associate Epaphras. He is one reliable worker for Christ! I could always depend on him. He's the one who told us how thoroughly love had been worked into your lives by the Spirit. Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He's set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating. We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross. ²¹You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message. ²⁴I want you to know how glad I am that it's me sitting here in this jail and not you. There's a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church's part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God's way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth. ²⁶This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it's out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I am: Colossians 1:23, 1 Thessalonians 3:2, 1 Timothy 4:6

according: Romans 15:15-18, 1 Corinthians 9:17, Galatians 2:7, Galatians 2:8, Ephesians 3:2

to fulfil: or, fully to preach, Romans 15:19, 2 Timothy 4:2-5

Reciprocal: Matthew 13:35 - I will utter Luke 7:28 - but Acts 9:15 - to bear Acts 14:26 - the work Acts 26:16 - a minister Romans 1:1 - called 1 Corinthians 4:1 - the ministers 2 Corinthians 3:6 - hath Galatians 1:16 - that 1 Timothy 1:11 - which 1 Timothy 1:12 - putting 2 Timothy 4:5 - make full proof of

Cross-References

Genesis 1:20
God spoke: "Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life! Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!" God created the huge whales, all the swarm of life in the waters, And every kind and species of flying birds. God saw that it was good. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean! Birds, reproduce on Earth!" It was evening, it was morning— Day Five.

Jeremiah 27:5
"‘I'm the one who made the earth, man and woman, and all the animals in the world. I did it on my own without asking anyone's help and I hand it out to whomever I will. Here and now I give all these lands over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I have made even the wild animals subject to him. All nations will be under him, then his son, and then his grandson. Then his country's time will be up and the tables will be turned: Babylon will be the underdog servant. But until then, any nation or kingdom that won't submit to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon must take the yoke of the king of Babylon and harness up. I'll punish that nation with war and starvation and disease until I've got them where I want them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whereof I am made a minister,.... Not of Christ, or of the Gospel as before, though both were true; but of the churches for whose sake he endured afflictions; and which carries in it a reason of his suffering for them: he was not a saviour of the body, nor a redeemer of the church, nor Lord of it; but a minister, a servant of it, that ministered to it in holy things, in the word and ordinances; not a deacon, as the word, sometimes signifies, nor an ordinary minister, or a pastor of a particular church; but a minister of the church in general, being an apostle sent to preach the Gospel everywhere: he was made a minister of it, not by men, or anything he received from men; nor by himself, not by usurpation, he did not thrust himself into this office, or take it upon him of himself; but was put into it by Christ, who counted him faithful, he appeared to him, and made him a minister, qualified him for this office, called him to it, and sent him to perform it: and which he executed

according to the dispensation of God: or divine economy, which denotes such an authority and administration as is used in a family. The church is God's family, it is called the house and household of God, and the household of faith, part of which is in heaven and part on earth; God is the householder or master of the family; Christ is the Son over his own house; ministers are stewards in it, and their work is to give to everyone their portion of meat in due season; their authority from God to do so, and the exercise of it, are the economy or dispensation of the Gospel committed to them: this is of God and not man, for none but God can give them a power to dispense it, and which is purely of his grace, called therefore the dispensation of the grace of God, Ephesians 3:2; and here said to be given,

which is given to me for you; not according to any merits of his, who was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an injurious person to Christ and his Gospel; but according to the pure grace of God, and that not for himself, but for the good of others, for the Gentiles especially, and so for the Colossians:

to fulfil the word of God; either the promises and prophecies contained in the word of God, respecting the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles, and their conversion by it; which had in a great measure their accomplishment through the ministry of the apostle: or to fill all places with the word of God and Gospel of Christ, as the apostle did from Jerusalem, and round about to Illyricum, diffusing the savour of the knowledge of Christ in every place; and sinners being converted, churches were planted and daily filled with such as should be saved; or to preach fully and faithfully the Gospel, keeping back nothing that was profitable, but declaring the whole counsel of God, continuing faithful to it to the end, as he did: to fill up or fulfil words is an Hebraism, and signifies to confirm them, or act according to them; see 1 Kings 1:14 and the Septuagint there.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

According to the dispensation of God - The arrangement which God has made. That is, he designed that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, and, in accordance with that arrangement, he has called me to be a minister. Notes, Ephesians 3:2.

To fulfil the word of God - Margin, “fully to preach.” The Greek is, “to fill up the word of God;” the meaning is, “fully to teach and promulgate the gospel;” compare the notes at Romans 15:19.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 25. Whereof I am made a minister — Having received especial commission from God to preach salvation to the Gentiles.

According to the dispensation — κατα την οικονομιαν. According to the Gospel economy or institution; the scheme or plan of salvation by Christ crucified.

To fulfil the word of God — The Greek πληρωσαι τον λογον του Θεου may be translated, fully to preach the doctrine of God. See Romans 15:19, and the note there. Were we to take the word in its common meaning, it might signify to accomplish the purpose of God, as predicted by the prophets.