COL 1:12 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. καί
2. kai
3. -
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. -
11. 132736
1. εὐχαριστοῦντες
2. euχaristeō
3. giving thanks
4. thanking
5. 21680
6. VPPA·NMP
7. giving_thanks
8. giving_thanks
9. -
10. Y64; R132543
11. 132737
1. ἅμα
2. hama
3. -
4. -
5. 2600
6. P·······
7. together_with
8. together_with
9. -
10. -
11. 132738
1. τῷ
2. ho
3. to the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DMS
7. ˱to˲ the
8. ˱to˲ the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132739
1. Θεῷ
2. theos
3. -
4. -
5. 23160
6. N····DMS
7. ˱to˲ god
8. ˱to˲ God
9. GN
10. Person=God
11. 132740
1. Πατρί
2. patēr
3. father
4. father
5. 39620
6. N····DMS
7. father
8. Father
9. G
10. Y64; Person=God
11. 132741
1. τῷ
2. ho
3. the one
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····DMS
7. the ‹one›
8. the ‹one›
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132742
1. καλέσαντι
2. kaleō
3. -
4. -
5. 25640
6. VPAA·DMS
7. ˓having˒ called
8. ˓having˒ called
9. -
10. -
11. 132743
1. καί
2. kai
3. -
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. -
11. 132744
1. ἱκανώσαντι
2. ikanoō
3. having qualified
4. qualified
5. 24270
6. VPAA·DMS
7. ˓having˒ qualified
8. ˓having˒ qualified
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132745
1. ὑμᾶς
2. su
3. you all
4. -
5. 47710
6. R···2A·P
7. you_all
8. you_all
9. -
10. Y64; R132543
11. 132746
1. ἡμάς
2. egō
3. -
4. -
5. 14730
6. R···1A·P
7. us
8. us
9. -
10. -
11. 132747
1. εἰς
2. eis
3. for
4. -
5. 15190
6. P·······
7. for
8. for
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132748
1. τήν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132749
1. μερίδα
2. meris
3. portion
4. -
5. 33100
6. N····AFS
7. portion
8. portion
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132750
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. of the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMS
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132751
1. κλήρου
2. klēros
3. allotment
4. -
5. 28190
6. N····GMS
7. allotment
8. allotment
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132752
1. τῶν
2. ho
3. of the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMP
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132753
1. ἁγίων
2. hagios
3. holy ones
4. -
5. 400
6. S····GMP
7. holy ‹ones›
8. holy ‹ones›
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132754
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132755
1. τῷ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DNS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132756
1. φωτί
2. fōs
3. light
4. light
5. 54570
6. N····DNS
7. light
8. light
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132757

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:3–12: Paul thanked God for the Colossians and prayed for them

In this section, Paul told the Colossian Christians that he often thanked God for them. He was grateful to God that they had trusted in Christ Jesus, and that they loved all God’s people. He told them about his prayers for them—that God would cause them to be wise and help them to know what he wanted them to do.

Epaphras had come from Colossae to visit Paul in prison. He brought news to Paul about the Christian congregations in Colossae and the towns nearby. Paul was happy to hear that the Christians in Colossae were trusting firmly in Jesus. However, he was concerned to hear that there were some people among them who wanted to continue to practice their old religious beliefs, and others who said that Christians must obey the Jewish laws. In this section of his letter, Paul concentrated on the good news he had heard from Epaphras.

Paragraph 1:9–12

Theme: Paul was constantly asking God to help the Colossians to know all that God wanted them to do.

In these verses Paul was not actually praying. Rather, he was telling the Colossians what he usually prayed for them. In Greek these four verses are one long sentence. You will probably need to divide this sentence into several sentences in your translation, as most English versions do. The main part of the long sentence is “we have not stopped praying for you and asking God…” (1:9a–b). The rest of these verses contain a list of what Paul was praying for the Colossians.

Study the different ways the English versions have broken 1:9–12 into different sentences. Consider how you can arrange the sentences and connect them together to make Paul’s prayer sound natural in your language. One way to do this would be to repeat, “We pray that…” at the beginning of each subject Paul prayed for the Colossians.

1:12b

who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

who has made you worthy to share in all that he has prepared for his own people in heaven.
It is he who has made you his people, and because of this you are worthy to share in what he has promised to give to his own people in his kingdom of light.

1:12a-b

Father, who has qualified you: The Greek verb hikanoō that the BSB translates qualified means to make something or someone fit or capable for a task. The important thing here is that Paul said that it was God who had made the Colossians “fit” or “capable,” it was not something they had done for themselves.

1:12a

giving thanks to the Father,

May you continually thank God our^(incl) Father,

you: There is a textual problem in this verse:

Some Greek manuscripts have the pronoun you here. This is followed by nearly every English version. (BSB, NIV, GNT, CEV, GW, NCV, NET, NJB, NLT, NRSV, REB)
Other Greek manuscripts have the pronoun “us.” This is only followed by some older English versions. (RSV, KJV, NASB)

You should follow the first option (1) since it has the best manuscript support. Also, the majority of English versions follow this option.

to share in the inheritance: The Greek word klēros that the BSB has translated as inheritance means “portion, what has been allotted/promised to someone.” Here it is a figure of speech to refer to what God has promised to give Christians in heaven.

saints: See the note on 1:4b.

in the light: The BSB translates the Greek text literally as in the light. Some other English versions translate this phrase as “kingdom of light” (NIV, GNT, CEV, NCV, REB) to contrast this verse with 1:13a which talks about “the dominion/power of darkness.”

There are two ways to interpret the phrase “in the light”:

It is a figure of speech and means “heaven” (SSA). God has promised that all Christians will be with him in heaven—that is the inheritance he has promised that they will all share. It is described as light because God is pure, that is, without sin, and, therefore, heaven is pure. It also refers to the great light surrounding God in heaven.
It refers to the morally upright way in which Christians should behave in this world (as in 1 John 1:5–7, 2:9–10). That is, light refers to moral purity; it refers to Christians behaving in the way that pleases God. For example:
to share the inheritance that belongs to God’s holy people, who live in the light (NLT)

Both these meanings are possible and many English versions leave it ambiguous. If you cannot leave it ambiguous in your translation, it is recommended that you follow the first option for the following two reasons:

Receiving “the lot” or “inheritance” is almost always spoken of in Scripture as something in the future. So it is more logical to see the light here as the light of heaven.
Paul was probably comparing the inheritance that had been promised to Christians to the inheritance that had been promised to the Israelites in the OT. Each Israelite family received their portion/share of the land when they entered the land of Canaan, just as God had promised them. In the same way, Christians will receive what God has promised them when they enter heaven.

uW Translation Notes:

εὐχαριστοῦντες

giving_thanks

Some Bible versions connect the phrase “with joy” at the end of verse 11 to the phrase at the beginning of verse 12, instead of connecting it to verse 11. Alternate translation: [with joy giving thanks]

Note 1 topic: guidelines-sonofgodprinciples

τῷ Πατρὶ

˱to˲_the the_‹one› the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Πατρί τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ὑμᾶς εἰς τήν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί)

Father is an important title that describes the relationship between God and Jesus, and it also describes the relationship between God and believers, who are adopted children. Alternate translation: [God the Father]

ἱκανώσαντι ὑμᾶς

˓having˒_qualified you_all

Alternate translation: [who has qualified you]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων

for (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Πατρί τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ὑμᾶς εἰς τήν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί)

This is a purpose clause. Paul is stating the purpose for which God made the Colossians able. In your translation, follow the conventions of your language for purpose clauses. Alternate translation (without a comma preceding): [so that you could share the inheritance of the saints]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Πατρί τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ὑμᾶς εἰς τήν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί)

Paul is using the possessive form to describe a share that is characterized by inheritance. If your language does not use this form to express that meaning, you could use a verbal phrase like “receive your portion of” or “take part in.” Alternate translation: [to take part in the inheritance]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων

˱of˲_the allotment ˱of˲_the holy_‹ones›

Paul uses the possessive form to indicate that the inheritance is for the saints. If your language does not use this form to express that meaning, you could use a descriptive phrase such as “that God is keeping for” or “that belongs to” instead. Alternate translation: [the inheritance that belongs to the saints]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐν τῷ φωτί

in the light

Here, in the light is the opposite of the “authority of the darkness” in the next verse ([1:13](../01/13.md)) and refers to belonging to God and being part of his kingdom. The metaphor of light representing God, goodness, and heaven is very common in the Bible, and it would be useful to retain it if it communicates well. However, you could express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [in the spiritual kingdom of God] or [in God’s glorious presence]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. giving thanks
2. thanking
3. 21680
5. euχaristeō
6. V-PPA·NMP
7. giving_thanks
8. giving_thanks
9. -
10. Y64; R132543
11. 132737
1. to the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····DMS
7. ˱to˲ the
8. ˱to˲ the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132739
1. father
2. father
3. 39620
4. G
5. patēr
6. N-····DMS
7. father
8. Father
9. G
10. Y64; Person=God
11. 132741
1. the one
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. R-····DMS
7. the ‹one›
8. the ‹one›
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132742
1. having qualified
2. qualified
3. 24270
5. ikanoō
6. V-PAA·DMS
7. ˓having˒ qualified
8. ˓having˒ qualified
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132745
1. you all
2. -
3. 47710
5. su
6. R-···2A·P
7. you_all
8. you_all
9. -
10. Y64; R132543
11. 132746
1. for
2. -
3. 15190
5. eis
6. P-·······
7. for
8. for
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132748
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····AFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132749
1. portion
2. -
3. 33100
5. meris
6. N-····AFS
7. portion
8. portion
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132750
1. of the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····GMS
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132751
1. allotment
2. -
3. 28190
5. klēros
6. N-····GMS
7. allotment
8. allotment
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132752
1. of the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····GMP
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132753
1. holy ones
2. -
3. 400
5. hagios
6. S-····GMP
7. holy ‹ones›
8. holy ‹ones›
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132754
1. in
2. -
3. 17220
5. en
6. P-·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132755
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····DNS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132756
1. light
2. light
3. 54570
5. fōs
6. N-····DNS
7. light
8. light
9. -
10. Y64
11. 132757

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.