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Epistle to the Colossians

The Epistle to the Colossians[a] is the twelfth book of the New Testament. It was written, according to the text, by Paul the Apostle and Timothy, and addressed to the church in Colossae, a small Phrygian city near Laodicea and approximately 100 miles (160 km) from Ephesus in Asia Minor.[3]

Scholars have increasingly questioned Paul's authorship and attributed the letter to an early follower instead, but others still defend it as authentic.[3] If Paul was the author, he probably used an amanuensis, or secretary, in writing the letter (Col 4:18),[4] possibly Timothy.[5]


The original text was written in Koine Greek.

(c. AD 200)

Papyrus 46

(325–350)

Codex Vaticanus

(330–360)

Codex Sinaiticus

(400–440)

Codex Alexandrinus

(c. 450)

Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus

(c. 450)

Codex Freerianus

(c. 550; in Greek and Latin)

Codex Claromontanus

(c. 550)

Codex Coislinianus

The original manuscript is lost, as are many early copies. The text of surviving copies varies. The oldest manuscripts transcribing some or all of this letter include:

A. Greetings (1:1–2)

B. Thanksgiving (1:3–8)

C. Prayer (1:9–14)

Epaphras

R. McL. Wilson, Colossians and Philemon (International Critical Commentary; London: T&T Clark, 2005)

Jerry Sumney, Colossians (New Testament Library; Louisville; Ky.: Westminster John Knox, 2008)

TIB = The Interpreter's Bible, The Holy Scriptures in the King James and Revised Standard versions with general articles and introduction, exegesis, [and] exposition for each book of the Bible in twelve volumes, , Commentary Editor, Walter Russell Bowie, Associate Editor of Exposition, Paul Scherer, Associate Editor of Exposition, John Knox Associate Editor of New Testament Introduction and Exegesis, Samuel Terrien, Associate Editor of Old Testament Introduction and Exegesis, Nolan B. Harmon Editor, Abingdon Press, copyright 1955 by Pierce and Washabaugh, set up printed, and bound by the Parthenon Press, at Nashville, Tennessee, Volume XI, Philippians, Colossians [Introduction and Exegesis by Francis W. Beare, Exposition by G. Preston MacLeod], Thessalonians, Pastoral Epistles [The First and Second Epistles to Timothy, and the Epistle to Titus], Philemon, Hebrews

George Arthur Buttrick

TNJBC = The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, Edited by Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Union Theological Seminary, New York; NY, Maurya P. Horgan [Colossians]; Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm. (emeritus) The Divinity School, Duke University, Durham, NC, with a foreword by His Eminence Carlo Maria Cardinal Martini, S.J.; Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1990

Collection of translations and commentary on Colossians

public domain audiobook at LibriVox Various versions including Greek Translation

Colossians

English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate

(ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)

Online Bible at GospelHall.org

(NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.)

Multiple bible versions at Bible Gateway

Online translations of the Epistle to the Colossians: