OET interlinear COL 1:24

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

νῦν

now

The word Now indicates that Paul wishes to tell the Colossians how he is currently serving the gospel. It does not indicate a change of topic, as it sometimes does in English. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a longer phrase to express this idea. Alternate translation: “While I write this letter,”

ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν

in the sufferings for you_all

Alternate translation: “while I suffer for your sake”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἀνταναπληρῶ τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου

˱I˲_/am/_filling_up the lacking_‹things› ˱of˲_the tribulations ˱of˲_the Messiah in the flesh ˱of˲_me

Paul speaks of his flesh as if it were a container that could fill up with afflictions. By this, he means that his bodily sufferings function to satisfy a specific purpose, which here is to finish what Christ started with his afflictions. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: “with my bodily suffering, I finish what the Messiah started when he suffered. I do this”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ

the lacking_‹things› ˱of˲_the tribulations ˱of˲_the Messiah

Here Paul is not saying that there is a lack in Christ’s afflictions because those afflictions did not succeed in doing what they were supposed to do. Instead, the lack refers to what Christ wished for his disciples to do as his servants. The lack, then, is something that Christ intentionally did not accomplish, because he wanted Paul to do it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could rephrase lack so that it is clearer that Christ intentionally left something for Paul to do. Alternate translation: “the afflictions that Christ has called me to suffer to complete his work”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ

the lacking_‹things› ˱of˲_the tribulations ˱of˲_the Messiah

Paul uses two possessive forms to speak about the lack that characterizes the afflictions that Christ suffered. If your language would not use possessive forms to express that idea, you could express the idea with a relative clause or two clauses. Alternate translation: “what Christ, when he suffered, left for me to suffer”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία

˱of˲_the the body ˱of˲_him which is the assembly

Here Paul speaks of the church as if it were Christ’s body, and he provides the explanation of what body means. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer to the church first and then identify it as his body. Alternate translation: “the church, which is his body”