[B-Greek] Col. 1:5-6

Jeremiah McGowan jeremiahmcgowan at yahoo.com
Sun Oct 17 23:23:35 EDT 2004


Col. 1:5-6
(5) DIA THN ELPIDA THN APOKEIMENHN hUMIN EN TOIS OUPANOIS, hHN 
PROHKOUSATE EN TWi LOGWi THS ALHQEIAS TOU EUAGGELIOU (6) TOU PARONTOS 
EIS hUMAS, KAQWS KAI EN PANTI TWi KOSMWi ESTIN KARPOFOROUMENON KAI 
AUXANOMENON KAQWS KAI EN hUMIN, AF' hHS hHMERAS HKOUSATE KAI EPEGNWTE 
THN CARIN TOU QEOU EN ALHQEIA
(please feel free to correct any of my transliteration!)

I have a couple of questions about this passage. First, the ESTIN in 
verse 6 is usually translated as referring to the ALHQEIAS TOU 
EUAGGELIOU or it is left uninterpreted in the translations I've checked. 
However, to me it seems possible (and I think likely) that it refers to 
the ELPIDA mentioned previously. I am considering this based on the fact 
that the "truth of the gospel" is included as the place where the 
Colossians heard about the "hope that is stored up for them." This makes 
it seem as though the hope is the central point of the sentence, not the 
truth of the gospel. However, this isn't really based on grammar and I 
wasn't sure if the grammar supports this thought or denies it. I've been 
wondering this because if the hope is the central point of the 
paragraph, then the passage is stressing hope, which is a product of 
faith. However, if the truth of the gospel is the central point which is 
causing all of the things mentioned in this passage, then it is 
stressing understanding and knowledge of the Word. At least it seems 
that way to me.
    My second question was whether verse 6 could be translated as "which 
is present in you. Just as it is growing and bearing fruit in the entire 
world, it has also been bearing fruit and growing in you since the day 
you heard and understood the grace of God in truth" or "which is present 
in you just as it is present in all the world. It is bearing fruit and 
growing, just as it has been bearing fruit and growing in you since the 
day..." or would both translations be possible. The first translation 
seems to emphasize that whatever "ESTIN" refers to is growing and 
bearing fruit in all the world, while the second translation seems to 
emphasize that it is also present in all the world. I'm not sure that 
it's a big difference, but it's made me curious.

   Any help is much appreciated. Sorry the post is a bit long but I 
couldn't think of a way to word my questions more simply.

Jeremiah McGowan



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