Colossians 1:8
in Colossians 1and who also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
KJV
Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
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This verse in Colossians 1
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
You learned it from Epaphras
on Colossians 1:7-8
Epaphras, a Colossian (4:12), founded the church under Paul's mission, our beloved fellow servant and a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf. He has come to Rome with the report behind the letter, and the one grace he singles out is your love in the Spirit.
This site's exposition
your love in the Spirit
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read in the Spirit as the sphere where true love is found, the love the Spirit works, as in Galatians 5:22. Gill adds that their love reached Paul too. They knew him only by the word of Epaphras.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Ver. 7. "Even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant." He, it is probable, had preached there. "Ye learned" the Gospel. Then to show the trust-worthiness of the man, he says, "our fellow servant." "Who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf; who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit." Doubt not, he saith, of the hope which is to come: ye see that the world is being converted. And what need to allege the cases of others? what happened in your own is even independently a sufficient ground for belief, for, "ye knew the grace of God in truth:" that is, in works. So that these two things, viz. the belief of all, and your own too, confirm the things that are to come. Nor was the fact one thing, and what Epaphras said, another. "Who is," saith he, "faithful," that is, true. How, "a minister on your behalf"? In that he had gone to him. "Who also declared to us," saith he, "your love in the Spirit," that is, the spiritual love ye bear us. If this man be the minister of Christ; how say ye, that you approach God by angels? "Who also declared unto us," saith he, "your love in the Spirit." For this love is wonderful and steadfast; all other has but the name. And there are some persons who are not of this kind, but such is not friendship, wherefore also it is easily dissolved.
The Medieval Church2 voices
That is, the spiritual love which you have for me. For the most enduring love is love in the spirit. Every other love—both natural love, such as the love of parents for children and children for parents, and love based on friendship and companionship—is not …
He is a faithful minister, that is, a mediator between them and the Apostle, and has made known, i.e., indicated, to us your love in the Spirit.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. Not only their love to God, and Christ, and to all the saints, which is before mentioned, but their love to the apostle; though they had only heard of him, and of his great capacity for, and faithfulness and usefulness in preaching of the Gospel, which had greatly endeared him to them.
He calls him his dear fellow-servant: all the servants of Christ ought to love one another, and it is an endearing consideration that they are engaged in the same service. He represents him as one who was a faithful minister of Christ to them, who discharged his trust and fulfilled his ministry among them.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He recommends him to their affection, from the good report he made of their sincere love to Christ and all his members, which was wrought in them by the Spirit, and is agreeable to the spirit of the gospel. Faithful ministers are glad to be able to speak well of their people.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
your love-- (Col 1:4); "to all the saints." in the Spirit--the sphere or element IN which alone true love is found; as distinguished from the state of those "in the flesh" (Ro 8:9). Yet even they needed to be stirred up to greater love (Col 3:12-14). Love is the first and chief fruit of the Spirit (Ga 5:22).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Your love in the Spirit - So we preached, and so ye believed. The heavenly flame in the heart of this minister communicated itself to those who heard him; it was like priest like people. They enjoyed a spiritual, energetic ministry, and they were a spiritual people; they had a loving spirit, and love through the Spirit of God which dwelt in them.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit - The love wrought in you by the Holy Spirit. It was not mere natural affection, but love worked in their hearts by the agency of the Holy Spirit.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| δηλώσας | delosas | having made known | G1213 → | |
| ἡμῖν | hemin | to us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | your | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἀγάπην | agapen | love | G26 → | 114 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| πνεύματι.¶ | pneumati | [the] Spirit. | G4151 → |
ὁthe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
δηλώσαςhaving made known
delosasG1213 →
ἡμῖνto us
heminG3165 →1936 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ὑμῶνyour
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἀγάπηνlove
agapenG26 →114 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
πνεύματι.¶[the] Spirit.
pneumatiG4151 →
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
2 Timothy 1:7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
it leads to
- Romans 8:15
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
- 1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.
- John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
- Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- Luke 10:19
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.
- Romans 8:15
Through
Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
it leads to
- Colossians 3:12–17
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4–7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
- John 15:5
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
- Colossians 3:12–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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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); J. B. Lightfoot, Saint Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Colossians 1; 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.