Colossians 1:14
in Colossians 1in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins:
KJV
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
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This verse in Colossians 1
Commentary
13 notes on this verseBut vain in every respect are they who despise the entire dispensation of God, and disallow the salvation of the flesh, and treat with contempt its regeneration, maintaining that it is not capable of incorruption. But if this indeed do not attain salvation, then neither did the Lord redeem us with His blood, nor is the cup of the Eucharist the communion of His blood, nor the bread which we break the communion of His body.
This site's exposition
partakers of the inheritance
on Colossians 1:12-14
Three past-tense verbs carry the believer's whole history: made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light, delivered from the power of darkness, translated into the kingdom of his dear Son. Translated is the word for transplanting a population, a people bodily moved from one rule to another, and the kingdom is present tense, entered already. In whom we have redemption through his blood names the ransom, even the forgiveness of sins.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
But if one ought to say anything more: the work of the Son is the greater. How? Because it were a thing impossible to give the kingdom to men whilst continuing in their sins; but thus it is an easier thing, so that He prepared the way for the gift. What sayest thou? He Himself loosed thee from thy sins: surely then He Himself also hath brought thee nigh; already he has laid by anticipation the foundation of his doctrine.
For He indeed translated us, but the Son furnished the cause. For what saith he? "Who delivered us out of the power of darkness." But the same is, "In whom we have the full redemption, even the forgiveness of sins." For had we not been forgiven our sins, we should not have been "translated." So here again the words, "In whom." And he said not "redemption," but "full redemption," so that we shall not fall any more, nor become liable to death.
And again, in his Epistle to the Galatians, he says: "But when the fulness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption;" plainly indicating one God, who did by the prophets make promise of the Son, and one Jesus Christ our Lord, who was of the seed of David according to His birth from Mary; and that Jesus Christ was appointed the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, as being the first begotten in all the creation; the Son of God being made the Son of man, that through Him we may receive the adoption,-humanity sustaining, and receiving, and embracing the Son of God.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says, in whom we have redemption, he shows the way we have been transferred. For humanity in sin was held down in two ways: first, as a slave: "Every one who commits sin is a slave to sin" (Jn 8:34), and secondly, …
Lest you, having heard that the Father delivered us, should think that the Son showed nothing good, he says further that the Son granted us very much. For He is the source of our being brought into the Kingdom, since He granted us redemption, that …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Inscription and Apostolical Benediction. 1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, 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. The inscription of this epistle is much the same with the rest; only it is observable that, 1.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:42w-of-63
In whom we have redemption,....
It was sin which sold us, sin which enslaved us: if we are redeemed, we must be redeemed from sin; and this is by forgiveness, or remitting the obligation to punishment. 7 , In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
In whom we have redemption - Who has paid down the redemption price, even his own blood, that our sins might be cancelled, and we made fit to be partakers of the inheritance among the saints in light. The clause, δια του αἱματος αυτου, Through his blood, is omitted by ABCDEFG, and by most others of weight and importance; by the Syriac, Arabic of Erpen, Coptic, Ethiopic, Sahidic, some copies of the Vulgate and by the Itala; and by most of the Greek fathers. Griesbach has left it out of the text.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
(Eph 1:7.) redemption--rather as Greek, "our redemption." through his blood--omitted in the oldest manuscripts; probably inserted from Eph 1:7. sins--Translate as Greek, "our sins." The more general term: for which Eph 1:7, Greek, has, "our transgressions," the more special term.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
In whom we have redemption; - See this explained in the notes at Eph 1:7. The passage here proves that we obtain forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ; but it does not prove that this is all that we obtain through that blood.
The words behind it
9 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 | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ᾧ | ho | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἔχομεν | echomen | we have | G2192 → | 707 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀπολύτρωσιν | apolutrosin | redemption | G629 → | |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἄφεσιν | aphesin | forgiveness | G859 → | |
| τῶν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁμαρτιῶν· | hamartion | of sins; | G266 → |
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ᾧwhom
hoG3739 →1405 times
ἔχομενwe have
echomenG2192 →707 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἀπολύτρωσινredemption
apolutrosinG629 →
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἄφεσινforgiveness
aphesinG859 →
τῶν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἁμαρτιῶν·of sins;
hamartionG266 →
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
Ephesians 1:7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:18–19
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
- Romans 3:24
and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
- 1 John 1:7–9
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- Hebrews 9:22
According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
- 1 Peter 1:18–19
Through
Hebrews 9:22According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
it leads to
- Leviticus 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for your souls upon the altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement…
- Leviticus 6:7
In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for anything he may have done to incur guilt.”
- Leviticus 17:11
Through
Hebrews 9:12He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:4
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
- Hebrews 10:4
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Redemption35 verses
On this page
About Colossians
This page draws on 11 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); Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.2.2; Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.16.3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Colossians 2; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Colossians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Colossians.