Colossians 2:4
in Colossians 2I say this so that no one will deceive you by smooth rhetoric.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.
KJV
And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
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This verse in Colossians 2
Commentary
10 notes on this verseI hear also those words of his, "And these things I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words, or one should enter in to spoil you." And again, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ;" branding not all philosophy, but the Epicurean, which Paul mentions in the Acts of the Apostles, which abolishes providence and deifies pleasure, and whatever other philosophy honours the elements, but places not over them the efficient cause, nor apprehends the Creator. ...
This site's exposition
I say this so that no one will deceive you
on Colossians 2:4-5
The word behind smooth rhetoric is the persuasive argument of the courtroom or the market, plausible speech built to mislead. Paul arms the church against it before it arrives.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Methodius of OlympusMethodius Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna · Written before 311.
proposed
And it has seemed good to Thee, by means of our Lord and Creator, to fashion us again unto immortality; and Thou hast graciously given unto us a return to Paradise by means of Him who separated us from the joys of Paradise; and by means of Him who hath power to forgive sins Thou hast blotted out the handwriting which was against us. Lastly, by means of Him who is a partaker of Thy throne and who cannot be separated from Thy divine nature, Thou hast given unto us the gift of reconciliation and access unto Thee with confidence.
"This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech." Seest thou that he saith, I have therefore said this, that ye may not seek it from men. "Delude you," he saith, "with persuasiveness of speech." For what if any doth speak, and speak persuasively?
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then (v. 4), he teaches and warns them about destructive doctrines. For they were being misled by certain philosophers in matters against the faith, and by heretics who taught that the ceremonies of the law had to be observed. First, he teaches them in opposition …
"This," that is, that in Christ is all knowledge, I said so that no one would deceive you. What does it matter if someone speaks eloquently? Know in advance that if such a person does not speak of Christ, then he speaks nothing but paralogisms …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And this I say,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Lest any man should beguile you - The word παραλογιζηται means to deceive by sophistry or subtle reasoning, in which all the conclusions appear to be fairly drawn from the premises, but the premises are either assumed without evidence, or false in themselves; but this not being easily discovered, the unthinking or unwary are carried away by the conclusions which are drawn from these premises. And this result is clearly intimated by the term πιθανολογια, enticing words, plausible conclusions or deductions from this mode of reasoning.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
And--"Now." Compare with "lest any man," &c. He refers to the blending of Judaism with Oriental philosophy, and the combination of this mixture with Christianity. enticing words--plausible as wearing the guise of wisdom and humility (Col 2:18, 23).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And this I say - Respecting the character and sufficiency of the truth revealed in Christ. Lest any man should beguile you - Deceive you, lead you away from the truth. With enticing words - Artful words, smooth and plausible arguments; such as were employed by the Greek sophists and rhetoricians.
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τοῦτο | touto | This | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| λέγω, | lego | I say | G3004 → | |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| μηδεὶς | medeis | no one | G3367 → | |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| παραλογίζηται | paralogizetai | may delude | G3884 → | |
| ἐν | en | by | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| πιθανολογίᾳ· | pithanologia | persuasive speech; | G4086 → |
τοῦτοThis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
λέγω,I say
legoG3004 →
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
μηδεὶςno one
medeisG3367 →
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
παραλογίζηταιmay delude
paralogizetaiG3884 →
ἐνby
enG1722 →2738 times
πιθανολογίᾳ·persuasive speech;
pithanologiaG4086 →
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
1 John 4:1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
- 2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
- Proverbs 14:15
The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps.
- 2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Through
Matthew 24:4Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 4:1
Through
Ephesians 4:14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:9
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to…
- Romans 16:17–18
Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.
- Hebrews 13:9
Where this verse is studied
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About Colossians
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Colossians 5; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Methodius of Olympus, Methodius Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Colossians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Colossians.