The Meaning of Colossians 4:16 Explained

Colossians 4:16

KJV: And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

YLT: and when the epistle may be read with you, cause that also in the assembly of the Laodiceans it may be read, and the epistle from Laodicea that ye also may read;

Darby: And when the letter has been read among you, cause that it be read also in the assembly of Laodiceans, and that ye also read that from Laodicea.

ASV: And when this epistle hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye also read the epistle from Laodicea.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when  this epistle  is read  among  you,  cause  that  it be read  also  in  the church  of the Laodiceans;  and  that  ye  likewise  read  the [epistle] from  Laodicea. 

What does Colossians 4:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Paul"s letter to the Laodiceans was probably not an inspired one and has evidently been lost (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:9). This seems more likely than that Paul was referring to the Epistle to the Ephesians here. [1]

Context Summary

Colossians 4:10-18 - Christian Greetings
What a noble group had gathered round the Apostle in his enforced residence in Rome! That hired room of his must have been filled time after time with most interesting groups; and each friend was dear to the lion-heart, and intent on some act of loving devotion. Aristarchus had been with him in the Ephesian riot; Mark was endeavoring to make good his former lapse of courage; Epaphras, who had come from Colosse, was remarkable for his soul-agony and prayer-labor on his friends' behalf; Luke, the beloved physician, always on the alert to minister to the malaria or other malady that afflicted him; and Demas, of whom perhaps he had begun to have suspicions, 2 Timothy 4:10. Archippus is believed to have been a son of Philemon, and chief presbyter of Laodicea. Does the injunction, Colossians 4:16, imply that already the church there had begun to grow cold, Revelation 3:15? The closing words were probably written in autograph. The clumsy handwriting was accounted for by the weight of the fetters on the poor wrists, yet his heart was full of love and joy [source]

Chapter Summary: Colossians 4

1  He exhorts them to be fervent in prayer;
5  to walk wisely toward those who are not yet come to the true knowledge of Christ
10  He salutes them, and wishes them all prosperity

Greek Commentary for Colossians 4:16

When this epistle hath been read among you [οταν αναγνωστηι παρ υμιν η επιστολη]
Indefinite temporal clause with οταν — hotan (οτε αν — hote an) and the first aorist passive subjunctive of αναγινωσκω — anaginōskō The epistle was read in public to the church (Revelation 1:3). [source]
Cause that [ποιησατε ινα]
Same idiom in John 11:37; Revelation 13:15. Old Greek preferred οπως — hopōs for this idiom. See note on 1 Thessalonians 5:27 for injunction for public reading of the Epistle. That ye also read (και υμεις αναγνωτε — kai humeis anagnōte). Second aorist active subjunctive of αναγινωσκω — anaginōskō to read. And the epistle from Laodicea The most likely meaning is that the so-called Epistle to the Ephesians was a circular letter to various churches in the province of Asia, one copy going to Laodicea and to be passed on to Colossae as the Colossian letter was to be sent on to Laodicea. This was done usually by copying and keeping the original. See note on Ephesians 1:1 for further discussion of this matter. [source]
That ye also read [και υμεις αναγνωτε]
Second aorist active subjunctive of αναγινωσκω — anaginōskō to read. [source]
And the epistle from Laodicea [και την εκ Λαοδικιας]
The most likely meaning is that the so-called Epistle to the Ephesians was a circular letter to various churches in the province of Asia, one copy going to Laodicea and to be passed on to Colossae as the Colossian letter was to be sent on to Laodicea. This was done usually by copying and keeping the original. See note on Ephesians 1:1 for further discussion of this matter. [source]
The epistle from Laodicaea [τὴν ἐκ Λαοδικείας]
That is, the letter left at Laodicaea, and to be obtained by you from the church there. This letter cannot be positively identified. The composition known as the Epistle to the Laodicaeans is a late and clumsy forgery, existing only in Latin MSS., and made up chiefly of disconnected passages from Philippians, with a few from other epistles. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Colossians 4:16

1 Corinthians 16:19 The churches of Asia [αι εκκλησιαι της Ασιας]
True of the Roman province (Acts 10:10, Acts 10:26; Colossians 1:6; Colossians 2:1; Colossians 4:13, Colossians 4:16). The gospel spread rapidly from Ephesus. [source]
Colossians 2:1 For them at Laodicea [των εν Λαοδικιαι]
Supply υπερ — huper as with υπερ υμων — huper humōn Paul‘s concern extended beyond Colossae to Laodicea (Colossians 4:16) and to Hierapolis (Colossians 4:13), the three great cities in the Lycus Valley where Gnosticism was beginning to do harm. Laodicea is the church described as lukewarm in Revelation 3:14. For as many as have not seen my face The phrase undoubtedly includes Hierapolis (Colossians 4:13), and a few late MSS. actually insert it here. Lightfoot suggests that Hierapolis had not yet been harmed by the Gnostics as much as Colossae and Laodicea. Perhaps so, but the language includes all in that whole region who have not seen Paul‘s face in the flesh (that is, in person, and not in picture). How precious a real picture of Paul would be to us today. The antecedent to οσοι — hosoi is not expressed and it would be τουτων — toutōn after υπερ — huper The form εορακαν — heorakan (perfect active indicative of οραω — horaō instead of the usual εωρακασιν — heōrakasin has two peculiarities ο — o in Paul‘s Epistles (1 Corinthians 9:1) instead of ω — ō (see note on John 1:18 for εωρακεν — heōraken) and αν — ̇an by analogy in place of ασιν — ̇asin which short form is common in the papyri. See note on Luke 9:36 εωρακαν — heōrakan f0). [source]
Colossians 2:1 Supply []
υπερ — huper as with υπερ υμων — huper humōn Paul‘s concern extended beyond Colossae to Laodicea (Colossians 4:16) and to Hierapolis (Colossians 4:13), the three great cities in the Lycus Valley where Gnosticism was beginning to do harm. Laodicea is the church described as lukewarm in Revelation 3:14. [source]
2 Peter 3:16 Speaking in them of these things [λαλων εν αυταις περι τουτων]
Present active participle of λαλεω — laleō That is to say, Paul also wrote about the second coming of Christ, as is obviously true.Hard to be understood (δυσνοητα — dusnoēta). Late verbal from δυς — dus and νοεω — noeō (in Aristotle, Lucian, Diog. Laert.), here only in N.T. We know that the Thessalonians persisted in misrepresenting Paul on this very subject of the second coming as Hymenaeus and Philetus did about the resurrection (2 Timothy 2:17) and Spitta holds that Paul‘s teaching about grace was twisted to mean moral laxity like Galatians 3:10; Romans 3:20, Romans 3:28; Romans 5:20 (with which cf. Romans 6:1 as a case in point), etc. Peter does not say that he himself did not understand Paul on the subject of faith and freedom.Unlearned Old word (alpha privative and μαντανω — manthanō to learn), ignorant, here only in N.T.Unsteadfast (αστηρικτοι — astēriktoi). See note on 2 Peter 2:14.Wrest Present active indicative of στρεβλοω — strebloō old verb (from στρεβλος — streblos twisted, στρεπω — strephō to turn), here only in N.T.The other scriptures (τας λοιπας γραπας — tas loipas graphas). There is no doubt that the apostles claimed to speak by the help of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:27; Colossians 4:16) just as the prophets of old did (2 Peter 1:20.). Note λοιπας — loipas (rest) here rather than αλλας — allas (other). Peter thus puts Paul‘s Epistles on the same plane with the O.T., which was also misused (Matt 5:21-44; Matthew 15:3-6; Matthew 19:3-10). [source]
2 Peter 3:16 Unlearned [αματεις]
Old word (alpha privative and μαντανω — manthanō to learn), ignorant, here only in N.T.Unsteadfast (αστηρικτοι — astēriktoi). See note on 2 Peter 2:14.Wrest Present active indicative of στρεβλοω — strebloō old verb (from στρεβλος — streblos twisted, στρεπω — strephō to turn), here only in N.T.The other scriptures (τας λοιπας γραπας — tas loipas graphas). There is no doubt that the apostles claimed to speak by the help of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:27; Colossians 4:16) just as the prophets of old did (2 Peter 1:20.). Note λοιπας — loipas (rest) here rather than αλλας — allas (other). Peter thus puts Paul‘s Epistles on the same plane with the O.T., which was also misused (Matt 5:21-44; Matthew 15:3-6; Matthew 19:3-10). [source]
2 Peter 3:16 Wrest [στρεβλουσιν]
Present active indicative of στρεβλοω — strebloō old verb (from στρεβλος — streblos twisted, στρεπω — strephō to turn), here only in N.T.The other scriptures (τας λοιπας γραπας — tas loipas graphas). There is no doubt that the apostles claimed to speak by the help of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:27; Colossians 4:16) just as the prophets of old did (2 Peter 1:20.). Note λοιπας — loipas (rest) here rather than αλλας — allas (other). Peter thus puts Paul‘s Epistles on the same plane with the O.T., which was also misused (Matt 5:21-44; Matthew 15:3-6; Matthew 19:3-10). [source]
2 Peter 3:16 The other scriptures [τας λοιπας γραπας]
There is no doubt that the apostles claimed to speak by the help of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:27; Colossians 4:16) just as the prophets of old did (2 Peter 1:20.). Note λοιπας — loipas (rest) here rather than αλλας — allas (other). Peter thus puts Paul‘s Epistles on the same plane with the O.T., which was also misused (Matt 5:21-44; Matthew 15:3-6; Matthew 19:3-10). [source]
Revelation 13:12 To worship the first beast [ινα προσκυνησουσιν το τηριον το πρωτον]
Sub-final clause with ινα — hina after ποιει — poiei seen in John 11:37; Colossians 4:16; Revelation 3:9, usually with the subjunctive, but here with the future indicative as in Revelation 3:9. Note the accusative after προσκυνεω — proskuneō as in Revelation 13:8. Here the death-stroke of one of the heads (Revelation 13:3) is ascribed to the beast. Clearly the delegated authority of the provincial priests of the emperor-worship is rigorously enforced, if this is the correct interpretation. [source]
Revelation 3:14 In Laodicea [εν Λαοδικιαι]
Forty miles south-east of Philadelphia and some forty miles east of Ephesus, the last of the seven churches addressed with special messages, on the river Lycus on the border of Phrygia, near Colossae and Hierapolis, recipient of two letters by Paul (Colossians 4:16), on the great trade-route from Ephesus to the east and seat of large manufacturing and banking operations (especially of woollen carpets and clothing, Ramsay, Cities and Bishoprics of Phrygia, p. 40ff.), centre of the worship of Asklepios and seat of a medical school and also of a provincial court where Cicero lived and wrote many of his letters, home of many Jews, called by Ramsay (op. cit., p. 413) “the City of Compromise,” the church here founded apparently by Epaphras (Colossians 1:7; Colossians 4:12.), now a deserted ruin, one of six cities with this name (meaning justice of the people). No praise is bestowed on this church, but only blame for its lukewarmness. [source]

What do the individual words in Colossians 4:16 mean?

And when shall be read among you the letter cause that also in the of [the] Laodiceans church it may be read the [one] from Laodicea you may read
Καὶ ὅταν ἀναγνωσθῇ παρ’ ὑμῖν ἐπιστολή ποιήσατε ἵνα καὶ ἐν τῇ Λαοδικέων ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀναγνωσθῇ τὴν ἐκ Λαοδικείας ὑμεῖς ἀναγνῶτε

ἀναγνωσθῇ  shall  be  read 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀναγινώσκω  
Sense: to distinguish between, to recognise, to know accurately, to acknowledge.
ἐπιστολή  letter 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐπιστολή  
Sense: a letter, epistle.
ποιήσατε  cause 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
ἵνα  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
Λαοδικέων  of  [the]  Laodiceans 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: Λαοδικεύς  
Sense: a Laodicean, an inhabitant of Laodicea.
ἐκκλησίᾳ  church 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐκκλησία  
Sense: a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly.
ἀναγνωσθῇ  it  may  be  read 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀναγινώσκω  
Sense: to distinguish between, to recognise, to know accurately, to acknowledge.
τὴν  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Λαοδικείας  Laodicea 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: Λαοδίκεια  
Sense: a city of Phrygia, situated on the river Lycus not far from Colosse.
ἀναγνῶτε  may  read 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἀναγινώσκω  
Sense: to distinguish between, to recognise, to know accurately, to acknowledge.

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