Colossians 1:4
in Colossians 1because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints—
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints,
KJV
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
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This verse in Colossians 1
Commentary
10 notes on this verseWe thank God, he says, because we heard from Epaphroditus about your faith in Christ Jesus, and not in angels. Through this he predisposes them toward himself. Because these names—Christ and Jesus—are symbols of beneficence; for He received anointing for our sake, and He Himself …
This site's exposition
We always thank God
on Colossians 1:3-6
The thanksgiving names the three the letters keep together: faith in Christ Jesus, love for all the saints and the hope stored up in heaven. The hope is the spring of the other two.
This site's exposition
your love for all the saints
Paul knew this church only by report, and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown compare Romans 1:8. Chrysostom marks the word all. Love for all the saints took in the absent apostle as well.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Ver. 4. "Having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus." A little above he said, "our Lord." "He," saith he, "is Lord, not the servants." "Of Jesus Christ." These names also are symbols of His benefit to us, for "He," it means, "shall save His people from their sins." (Matt. i. 21.) Ver. 4. "Having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints." Already he conciliates them. It was Epaphroditus who brought him this account. But he sends the Epistle by Tychicus, retaining Epaphroditus with himself. "And of the love," he saith, "which ye have toward all the saints," not toward this one and that: of course then toward us also.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then he states his reasons for giving thanks. First, he recalls the blessings they have; and secondly, how they were obtained (1:5b). Our blessings or goods consist especially in faith, hope, and the love of charity: for by faith we have a knowledge of God; …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,....
(1.) He gives thanks for their faith in Christ Jesus, that they were brought to believe in him, and take upon them the profession of his religion, and venture their souls upon his undertaking. Besides the general love which is due to all men, there is a particular love owing to the saints, or those who are of the Christian brotherhood, 1 Pet. ii.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Since we heard--literally, "Having heard." The language implies that he had only heard of, and not seen, them (Col 2:1). Compare Ro 1:8, where like language is used of a Church which he had not at the time visited. love . . . to all--the absent, as well as those present [BENGEL].
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Since we heard of your faith - This is very similar to Eph 1:15. And it is certain that the apostle seems to have considered the Church at Ephesus, and that at Colassa to have been nearly in the same state, as the two epistles are very similar in their doctrine and phraseology.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus - To wit, by Epaphras, who had informed Paul of the steadfastness of their faith and love; Col 1:7-8. This does not prove that Paul had never been at Colossae, or that he did not establish the church there, for he uses a similar expression respecting the church at Ephesus Eph 1:15, of which he was undoubtedly the founder. The meaning is, that he had heard of their faith at that time, or of their perseverance in faith and love. Which ye have to all the saints - In what way they had manifested this is not known. It would seem that Paul had been informed that this was a character of their piety, that they had remarkable love for all who bore the Christian name. Nothing could be more acceptable information respecting them to one who himself so ardently loved the church; and nothing could have furnished better evidence that they were influenced by the true spirit of religion; compare 1Jn 3:14.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀκούσαντες | akousantes | having heard of | G191 → | 425 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πίστιν | pistin | faith | G4102 → | 242 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Χριστῷ | christo | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγάπην | agapen | love | G26 → | 114 times |
| ἣν | hen | that | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἔχετε | echete | you have | G2192 → | 707 times |
| εἰς | eis | toward | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| πάντας | pantas | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁγίους, | hagious | saints, | G40 → | 220 times |
ἀκούσαντεςhaving heard of
akousantesG191 →425 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
πίστινfaith
pistinG4102 →242 times
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ΧριστῷChrist
christoG5547 →523 times
ἸησοῦJesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἀγάπηνlove
agapenG26 →114 times
ἣνthat
henG3739 →1405 times
ἔχετεyou have
echeteG2192 →707 times
εἰςtoward
eisG1519 →1755 times
πάνταςall
pantasG3956 →1235 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἁγίους,saints,
hagiousG40 →220 times
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
Hebrews 6:10For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:16
And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- Matthew 10:42
And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”
- Galatians 6:10
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3
and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
- Hebrews 13:16
Through
1 Thessalonians 1:3and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.
- Revelation 2:19
I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latter deeds are greater than your first.
- 1 Corinthians 13:13
Through
Ephesians 1:15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
it leads to
- Philemon 1:5
because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.
- Philemon 1:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies22
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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 1; 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.