Colossians 1:21

Paul’s Goal in Ministry

1:21 And you were at one time strangers and enemies in your ¹  minds ²  as expressed through ³  your evil deeds,

Colossians 1:23

1:23 if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm, ⁴  without shifting ⁵  from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.

[1:21]  ¹ tn The article τῇ (th) has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[1:21]  ² tn Although διανοία (dianoia) is singular in Greek, the previous plural noun ἐχθρούς (ecqrous) indicates that all those from Colossae are in view here.

[1:21]  ³ tn The dative ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς (en toi" ergoi" toi" ponhroi") is taken as means, indicating the avenue through which hostility in the mind is revealed and made known.

[1:23]  ⁴ tn BDAG 276 s.v. ἑδραῖος suggests “firm, steadfast.”

[1:23]  ⁵ tn BDAG 639 s.v. μετακινέω suggests “without shifting from the hope” here.