Colossians 1:11
in Colossians 1being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy;
KJV
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
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This verse in Colossians 1
Commentary
13 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
we have not stopped praying for you
on Colossians 1:9-11
The prayer asks God to fill you with the knowledge of His will. The word is epignosis, the true form of what the false teachers sold as a secret.
This site's exposition
full endurance and patience
The two words differ. Chrysostom reads endurance as patience toward those outside the church, and patience as longsuffering toward one another, the word used of God. Wesley sees the prayer reach its highest point here, with all power given for joyful endurance of the will of God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Strengthened with all power." He is here speaking of trials and persecutions. We pray that ye might be filled with strength, that ye faint not for sorrow, nor despair. "According to the might of His glory." But that ye may take up again such forwardness as it becometh the power of His glory to give. "Unto all patience and long-suffering." What he saith is of this sort. Summarily, he saith, we pray that ye may lead a life of virtue, and worthy of your citizenship, and may stand firmly, being strengthened as it is reasonable to be strengthened by God.
And again, "strengthened with all power," and again, "unto all patience and long-suffering"; for the constant addition of "all" bears witness to their doing well in part, though, it might be, not in all.
The Medieval Church2 voices
We pray that you may attain perfection, "being strengthened with all power." Against what? Against temptations and persecutions, so that you do not become careless and do not fall into despair. To grant you such power as is fitting for Him to give, that is, …
Then he mentions their standing up under evils, for to live a virtuous life it is not enough just to know and to will; one must also act in spite of opposition: and this cannot be done without a patient endurance of evils. And so …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Strengthened unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness - This is the highest point: not only to know, to do, to suffer, the whole will of God; but to suffer it to the end, not barely with patience, but with thankful joy.
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Strengthened with all might,.... This is still a continuation of the apostle's prayer for these believers; for having prayed for an increase of spiritual knowledge, and that this might be put into practice, he proceeds to pray for strength for them, that they might be enabled to practise what they had knowledge of; to walk worthily, to please God in all things, to bring forth fruit with patience, to persevere in knowledge, practice, fruitfulness, and in an increase thereof.
The word of God is the means of it, by which he conveys it; and it must be fetched in by prayer. It was in answer to earnest prayer that the apostle obtained sufficient grace. In praying for spiritual strength we are not straitened in the promises, and therefore should not be straitened in our own hopes and desires.
An admirable summary of the Christian doctrine concerning the operation of the Spirit, the person of the Redeemer, the work of redemption, and the preaching of it in the gospel,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
6:10; as its exuberant 'riches,' in Eph 3:16) of His glory." His power is inseparable from His glory (Ro 6:4). unto all patience--so as to attain to all patient endurance; persevering, enduring continuance in the faith, in spite of trials of persecutors, and seductions of false teachers. long-suffering--towards those whom one could repel.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
Strengthened with all might - That they might be able to walk worthy of the Lord, bring forth fruit, etc. See the notes on Eph 3:13, etc. According to his glorious power - According to that sufficiency of strength which may be expected from him who has all power both in the heavens and in the earth. Unto all patience - Relieving, hoping, and enduring all things. With joyfulness - Feeling the continual testimony that ye please God, which will be a spring of perpetual comfort. See the notes on Eph 4:2.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Strengthened with all might - This was also an object of Paul’s earnest prayer. He desired that they might be strengthened for the performance of duty; to meet temptations; and to bear up under the various trials of life. According to his glorious power - Not by any human means, but by the power of God. There is a manifestation of power in the spirit with which Christians are enabled to bear up under trials, which shows that it is not of human origin. It is the power which God gives them in the day of trial.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐν | en | with | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| πάσῃ | pase | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| δυνάμει | dunamei | power | G1411 → | |
| δυναμούμενοι | dunamoumenoi | being strengthened | G1412 → | |
| κατὰ | kata | according to | G2596 → | 468 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κράτος | kratos | might | G2904 → | |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δόξης | doxes | glorious | G1391 → | 165 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | unto | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| πᾶσαν | pasan | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὑπομονὴν | hupomonen | endurance | G5281 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μακροθυμίαν | makrothumian | patience | G3115 → |
ἐνwith
enG1722 →2738 times
πάσῃall
paseG3956 →1235 times
δυνάμειpower
dunameiG1411 →
δυναμούμενοιbeing strengthened
dunamoumenoiG1412 →
κατὰaccording to
kataG2596 →468 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
κράτοςmight
kratosG2904 →
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
δόξηςglorious
doxesG1391 →165 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
εἰςunto
eisG1519 →1755 times
πᾶσανall
pasanG3956 →1235 times
ὑπομονὴνendurance
hupomonenG5281 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μακροθυμίανpatience
makrothumianG3115 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Philippians 4:13I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
it leads to
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 40:29–31
He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9–10
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of…
- Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Ephesians 3:16
I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
- Isaiah 41:10
Through
Ephesians 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
it leads to
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Philippians 4:13
Where this verse is studied
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About Colossians
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Colossians 2; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Colossians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Colossians.