Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. New Living Translation He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. English Standard Version by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Berean Standard Bible having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross! Berean Literal Bible having blotted out the handwriting in the decrees against us, which was adverse to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. King James Bible Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; New King James Version having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. New American Standard Bible having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. NASB 1995 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. NASB 1977 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Legacy Standard Bible Having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us, He also has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Amplified Bible having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of legal demands [which were in force] against us and which were hostile to us. And this certificate He has set aside and completely removed by nailing it to the cross. Christian Standard Bible He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. Holman Christian Standard Bible He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross. American Standard Version having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; Contemporary English Version God wiped out the charges that were against us for disobeying the Law of Moses. He took them away and nailed them to the cross. English Revised Version having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; GOD'S WORD® Translation He did this by erasing the charges that were brought against us by the written laws God had established. He took the charges away by nailing them to the cross. Good News Translation he canceled the unfavorable record of our debts with its binding rules and did away with it completely by nailing it to the cross. International Standard Version having erased the charges that were brought against us, along with their obligations that were hostile to us. He took those charges away when he nailed them to the cross. Majority Standard Bible having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross! NET Bible He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. New Heart English Bible wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; Webster's Bible Translation Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Weymouth New Testament The bond, with its requirements, which was in force against us and was hostile to us, He cancelled, and cleared it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross. World English Bible wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionhaving blotted out the handwriting in the ordinances that is against us, that was contrary to us, and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the Cross; Berean Literal Bible having blotted out the handwriting in the decrees against us, which was adverse to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Young's Literal Translation having blotted out the handwriting in the ordinances that is against us, that was contrary to us, and he hath taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross; Smith's Literal Translation Having wiped out the handwriting against us in enactments, which was opposed to us, and he has taken it from the midst, having nailed it to his cross. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBlotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross: Catholic Public Domain Version and wiping away the handwriting of the decree which was against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken this away from your midst, affixing it to the Cross. New American Bible obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross; New Revised Standard Version erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd by his commandments he cancelled the written bond of our sins, which stood against us; and he took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Aramaic Bible in Plain English And he has blotted out by his authority the bill of our debts which was adverse to us and he took it from the midst and nailed it to his cross. NT Translations Anderson New Testamenthaving blotted out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us, which was opposed to us, he also took it out of the way, driving a nail through it by means of his cross; Godbey New Testament having blotted out the handwriting which was against us in ordinances, which was antagonistical to us: and took it out from the midst, having nailed it to the cross; Haweis New Testament and hath blotted out the handwriting in ordinances that was against us, which was the obstacle to us, and took it from the midst, nailing it to the cross; Mace New Testament and cancell'd the obligation of the ceremonial law, which was disadvantageous to us, removing that which divided us, and nailing it to the cross. Weymouth New Testament The bond, with its requirements, which was in force against us and was hostile to us, He cancelled, and cleared it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross. Worrell New Testament having blotted out the hand-writing in decrees against us, which was contrary to us, and He has taken it out of the midst, nailing it to the cross; Worsley New Testament and cancelled the obligation we were under by ritual decrees, which was grievous to us, and hath taken it quite away, even nailing it to his cross. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Alive in Christ…13When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, 14having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross! 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.… Cross References Ephesians 2:15-16 by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace / and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. Romans 7:4-6 Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. / For when we lived according to the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, bearing fruit for death. / But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the law, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Hebrews 10:9-10 Then He adds, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. / And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 2 Corinthians 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. Romans 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Hebrews 8:13 By speaking of a new covenant, He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. Romans 8:3-4 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, / so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery. Hebrews 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God! Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. Jeremiah 31:31-34 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. / It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. / “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. ... Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. / And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances. Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Treasury of Scripture Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Blotting. Numbers 5:23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water: Nehemiah 4:5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. Psalm 51:1,9 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions… the handwriting. Colossians 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, Esther 3:12 Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. Esther 8:8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse. took. Isaiah 57:14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. Jump to Previous Blotting Bond Canceled Cancelled Certificate Cleared Code Consisting Contrary Cross Debt Decrees Demands End Force Handwriting Hostile Legal Nailed Ordinances Regulations Requirements Stood Way Wiping WrittenJump to Next Blotting Bond Canceled Cancelled Certificate Cleared Code Consisting Contrary Cross Debt Decrees Demands End Force Handwriting Hostile Legal Nailed Ordinances Regulations Requirements Stood Way Wiping WrittenColossians 2 1. Paul still exhorts them to be constant in Christ;8. to beware of philosophy, and vain traditions; 18. worshipping of angels; 20. and legal ceremonies, which are ended in Christ. having canceled The Greek word used here is "exaleiphō," which means to wipe out, erase, or obliterate. In ancient times, debts were often recorded on parchment, and the ink could be wiped away to cancel the debt. This imagery powerfully conveys the complete removal of our sins. In a spiritual sense, this cancellation signifies the total forgiveness and erasure of the record of our transgressions through Christ's sacrifice. the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us He took it away nailing it to the cross And took it.--Properly, and He (Christ) hath taken it away. The change of tense is significant. The act of atonement is over; its effect remains. Nailing it to his cross.--At this point the idea of atonement comes in. Hitherto we have heard simply of free forgiveness and love of God. Now the bond is viewed, not as cancelled by a simple act of divine mercy, but as absolutely destroyed by Christ, by "nailing it to His cross." It has been supposed (as by Bishop Pearson) that there is allusion to some custom of cancelling documents by the striking of a nail through them. But the custom is doubtful, and the supposition unnecessary. Our Lord "redeemed us from the curse of the Law," by His death, "being made a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). St. Paul boldly speaks of that curse as a penalty standing against us, and as nailed to the cross with Himself, so to be for ever cancelled in the great declaration, "It is finished." If any more definite allusion is to be sought for, we might be inclined to refer to the "title" on the cross, probably nailed to it. Such title declared the explanation of the sufferer's death. The cancelled curse of the Law was just such an explanation of the great atoning death, and the title, declaring His mediatorial kingdom, showed the curse cancelled thereby. Verse 14. - Having blotted out the bond (that was) against us with (or, written in) decrees, which was opposed to us (Ephesians 2:14-16; Romans 3:9-26; Romans 7:7-14; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Galatians 3:10-22; 1 Corinthians 15:56; Acts 13:38, 39). The ancients commonly used wax tablets in writing, and the flat end of the pointed stylus drawn over the writing smeared it out (expunged) and so cancelled it (comp. Acts 3:19; Psalm 51:9; Isaiah 43:25, LXX). "God," not "Christ," is the subject of this verb, which stands in immediate sequence to those of vers. 12, 13 (comp. 2 Corinthians 5:19). It is the receiver rather than the offerer of satisfaction who cancels the debt: in Ephesians 2:15 (comp. Colossians 1:22) a different verb is used. Ξειρόγραφον ("handwritten;" a word of later Greek, only here in the New Testament) is used specially of an account of debt, a bond signed by the debtor's hand (see Meyer and Lightfoot). This bond (with its decrees) can be nothing other than "the law" (Ephesians 2:14-16; Acts 13:38, 39; Romans 3:20; Romans 7:25; Galatians 3:21, 22, etc.); not, however, the ritual law, nor even the Mosaic Law as such (as Meyer contends), but law as law, the Divine rule of human life impressed even on Gentile hearts (Romans 2:14, 15), to which man's conscience gives its consent (Romans 7:16, 22), and yet which becomes by his disobedience just a list of charges against him (so Neander and Lightfoot; see the latter on Galatians 2:19). Exodus 24:3 and Deuteronomy 27:14-26, indeed, illustrate this wider relation of Divine law to the human conscience generally. Τοῖς δόγμασιν is dative of reference either to καθ ἡμῶν ("against us:" qualifying or explanatory - in respect of its decrees) or to the verbal idea contained in χειργόραφον ("written in," or "with decrees"). The former explanation (that of Winer and Ellicott) is preferable. The Greek Fathers made it instrumental dative to ἐξαλείψας, understanding by these δόγματα τηε δοξτρινεσ (dogmas) of the gospel by which the charges of the Law against us are expunged. But this puts on δόγμα a later theological sense foreign to St. Paul, and universally rejected by modern interpreters. In the New Testament (comp. Luke 2:1; Acts 16:4; Hebrews 11:23), as in classical Greek, dogma is a decree, setting forth the will of some public authority (comp. note on δογματίζω, ver. 20). The added clause, "which was opposed to us," affirms the active opposition, as "against us" the essential hostility of the decrees of God's law to our sinful nature (Romans 4:15; Galatians 3:10: comp. Romans 7:13, 14). The emphasis with which St. Paul dwells on this point is characteristic of the author of Romans and Galatians. Ψπενάντιος occurs besides only in Hebrews 10:27; the prefix ὑπὸ implies close and persistent opposition (Lightfoot). And he hath taken it out of the midst, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 1:20-22; Ephesians 2:18; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Romans 3:24-26; Romans 5:1, 2; Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 1:3; John 1:29; 1 John 4:10). A third time in these three verses (12-14) we note the transition from participle to coordinate finite verb; and here, in addition, the aorist tense passes into the perfect ("hath taken"), marking the finality of the removal of the Law's condemning power (Romans 8:1; Acts 13:39): comp. the opposite transition in Colossians 1:26, 27. The moral deliverance of ver. 11 is traced up to this legal release, both contained in our completeness in Christ (ver. 10). The subject is still "God." Cancelling the bond which he held against us in his Law, God has forver removed the barrier which stood between mankind and himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). Christ's place in this work, already shown in Colossians 1:18-23 (in its relation to himself), is vividly recalled by the mention of the cross. And the abolition of the Law's condemnation is finally set forth by a yet bolder metaphor - "having nailed it to the cross." The nails of the cross in piercing Christ pierced the legal instrument which held us debtors, and nullified it; see Galatians 3:13 (comp. Galatians 2:19, 20); Romans 7:4-6. Προσηλώσας may suggest the further idea of nailing up the cancelled document, by way of publication. At the cross all may read, "There is now no condemnation" (compare the "making a show" of ver. 15; also Romans 3:25; Galatians 3:1). (For vers. 11-14, compare concluding remark on Colossians 1:14.)Parallel Commentaries ... Greek having canceledἐξαλείψας (exaleipsas) Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 1813: To plaster, wash over; I wipe off, wipe out, obliterate. From ek and aleipho; to smear out, i.e. Obliterate. the τὸ (to) Article - Accusative Neuter Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. debt ascribed χειρόγραφον (cheirographon) Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular Strong's 5498: A handwriting, bond. Neuter of a compound of cheir and grapho; something hand-written, i.e. A manuscript (figuratively). to καθ’ (kath’) Preposition Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined). us ἡμῶν (hēmōn) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I. in the τοῖς (tois) Article - Dative Neuter Plural Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. decrees δόγμασιν (dogmasin) Noun - Dative Neuter Plural Strong's 1378: A decree, edict, ordinance. From the base of dokeo; a law. that ὃ (ho) Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that. stood ἦν (ēn) Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist. against ὑπεναντίον (hypenantion) Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 5227: Opposite to, adverse; subst: an adversary. From hupo and enantios; under contrary to, i.e. Opposed or an opponent. us. ἡμῖν (hēmin) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I. He took ἦρκεν (ērken) Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 142: To raise, lift up, take away, remove. it αὐτὸ (auto) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Singular Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. away, ἐκ (ek) Preposition Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out. nailing προσηλώσας (prosēlōsas) Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 4338: To fasten with nails, nail to. From pros and a derivative of helos; to peg to, i.e. Spike fast. it αὐτὸ (auto) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Singular Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. to the τῷ (tō) Article - Dative Masculine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. cross! σταυρῷ (staurō) Noun - Dative Masculine Singular Strong's 4716: A cross. Links Colossians 2:14 NIVColossians 2:14 NLT Colossians 2:14 ESV Colossians 2:14 NASB Colossians 2:14 KJV Colossians 2:14 BibleApps.com Colossians 2:14 Biblia Paralela Colossians 2:14 Chinese Bible Colossians 2:14 French Bible Colossians 2:14 Catholic Bible NT Letters: Colossians 2:14 Wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which (Coloss. Col Co) |
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