OET interlinear COL 1:1

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

Throughout this letter the words “we,” “us,” “our,” and “ours” include the Colossian believers unless noted otherwise.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

The words “you,” “your,” and “yours” refer to the Colossian believers, so they are plural unless noted otherwise.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

Παῦλος

Paul

In this culture, letter writers would give their own names first, referring to themselves in the third person. If that is confusing in your language, you could use the first person here. If your language has a particular way of introducing the author of a letter, and if it would be helpful to your readers, you could use it here. Alternate translation: [From Paul]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφὸς

and Timothy our brother

This phrase does not mean that Timothy helped Paul write this letter. Paul was the author of this letter, as he shows by using the first person singular throughout the letter. What this does mean is that Timothy is with Paul and that Timothy is in agreement with what Paul writes. If it sounds in your language like Timothy is writing the letter with Paul, you could make Timothy’s supporting role more clear. Alternate translation: [with the support of Timothy, our fellow believer]