Colossians 2:7
in Colossians 2rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
KJV
Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
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This verse in Colossians 2
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Rooted ...in him - As a tree strikes its roots deep in the earth, so our faith should strike deep into the doctrine respecting the Saviour. See the phrase used here explained in the parallel place in Eph 3:17. And established in the faith, as ye have been taught - To wit, by the founders of the church, and by those faithful ministers who had succeeded them; Notes, Col 1:7. Abounding therein with thanksgiving - Expressing overflowing thanks to God that you have been made acquainted with truths so precious and glorious.
This site's exposition
so walk ye in him
on Colossians 2:6-7
Received Christ Jesus the Lord names the whole gospel in a title, and the command that follows changes tense from a completed act to a continuing life, so walk ye in him, the same sphere sustaining the whole of a believer's life. Four participles describe that walk: rooted, a tree's fixed and growing anchor; built up, a building's rising structure; stablished, a legal term for a settled contract; abounding with thanksgiving, the mood the other three produce. The false teaching offered addition to what they had received; Paul answers that they already stand in him and need only grow deeper into what is already theirs.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Again, he takes hold on them beforehand with their own testimony, saying, "As therefore ye received." We introduce no strange addition, he saith, neither do ye. "Walk ye in Him," for He is the Way that leadeth to the Father: not in the Angels; this way leadeth not thither. "Rooted," that is, fixed; not one while going this way, another that, but "rooted": now that which is rooted, never can remove. Observe how appropriate are the expressions he employs. "And built up," that is, in thought attaining unto Him. "And stablished" in Him, that is, holding Him, built as on a foundation. He shows that they had fallen down, for the word "built" has this force. For the faith is in truth a building; and needs both a strong foundation, and secure construction. For both if any one build not upon a secure foundation it will shake; and even though he do, if it be not firm, it will not stand. "As ye were taught." Again, the word "As." "Abounding," he saith, "in thanksgiving"; for this is the part of well-disposed persons, I say not simply to give thanks, but with great abundance, more than ye learned, if possible, with much ambition.
The Medieval Church2 voices
That is, standing immovable and not inclining now toward Christ, now toward angels. For those who are rooted are never moved. Shows that they had fallen, so that they needed restoration, that is, a second building upon Christ, as upon a foundation. That is, holding …
Sometimes the Church is compared to a spiritual building: "God's temple is holy, and that temple you are" (1 Cor. 3:17). At other times it is compared to a tree, because it produces fruit. Now the foundation of a building is related to the building …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The more closely we walk with Christ the more we are rooted and established in the faith. A good conversation is the best establishment of a good faith. If we walk in him, we shall be rooted in him; and the more firmly we are rooted in him the more closely we shall walk in him: Rooted and built up.
Rooted and built up in him,.... By these metaphors, the apostle expresses the safe and happy state of these believers; and which he makes use of as arguments, to engage them to walk on in Christ, and as pointing out the manner in which they should.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Rooted-- (Eph 3:17). built up--Greek, "being builded up." As "rooted" implies their vitality; so "builded up," massive solidity. As in the Song of Solomon, when one image is not sufficient to express the varied aspects of divine truth, another is employed to supply the idea required.
Rooted and built up in him - It is not usual with the apostle to employ this double metaphor, taken partly from the growth of a tree and the increase of a building. They are to be rooted; as the good seed had been already sown, it is to take root, and the roots are to spread far, wide, and deep. They are to be grounded; as the foundation has already been laid, they are to build thereon. In the one case, they are to bear much fruit; in the other, they are to grow up to be a habitation of God through the Spirit. See the notes on Eph 2:21, Eph 2:22 (note); Eph 3:17 (note). Abounding therein with thanksgiving - No limitation is ever set to the operations of God on the soul, or to the growth of the soul in the knowledge, love, and image of God. Those who are brought into such a state of salvation should abound in gratitude and loving obedience, as they grow in grace.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐρριζωμένοι | errizomenoi | rooted | G4492 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐποικοδομούμενοι | epoikodomoumenoi | being built up | G2026 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| βεβαιούμενοι | bebaioumenoi | being strengthened in | G950 → | |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πίστει | pistei | faith | G4102 → | 242 times |
| καθὼς | kathos | even as | G2531 → | 182 times |
| ἐδιδάχθητε, | edidachthete | you were taught, | G1321 → | 96 times |
| περισσεύοντες | perisseuontes | abounding | G4052 → | |
| ἐν | en | with | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| εὐχαριστίᾳ.¶ | eucharistia | thanksgiving. | G2169 → |
ἐρριζωμένοιrooted
errizomenoiG4492 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐποικοδομούμενοιbeing built up
epoikodomoumenoiG2026 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐτῷHim
autoG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
βεβαιούμενοιbeing strengthened in
bebaioumenoiG950 →
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
πίστειfaith
pisteiG4102 →242 times
καθὼςeven as
kathosG2531 →182 times
ἐδιδάχθητε,you were taught,
edidachtheteG1321 →96 times
περισσεύοντεςabounding
perisseuontesG4052 →
ἐνwith
enG1722 →2738 times
εὐχαριστίᾳ.¶thanksgiving.
eucharistiaG2169 →
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
Jeremiah 17:8He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not…
it leads to
- Psalms 1:3
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
- Isaiah 58:11
The LORD will always guide you; He will satisfy you in a sun-scorched land and strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
- Ezekiel 47:12
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from…
- Ezekiel 31:4–10
The waters made it grow; the deep springs made it tall, directing their streams all around its base and sending their channels to all the trees of the field.
- Psalms 1:3
Through
Ephesians 3:17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love,
it leads to
- John 14:23
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
- 1 John 4:16
And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
- John 14:23
Through
Colossians 1:23if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul,…
it leads to
- Hebrews 3:14
We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first.
- Hebrews 3:6
But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.
- Hebrews 3:14
Where this verse is studied
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, 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 6; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; 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.