OET interlinear COL 1:26

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον

the mystery ¬which /having_been/_hidden_away

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form, with God as the subject. Alternate translation: “the mystery that God had hidden”

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

τὸ μυστήριον

the mystery

Here Paul calls “the word of God,” from 1:25, the mystery. This does not mean that it is hard to understand, but rather, it had not yet been revealed. Now, however, Paul says that it “has been revealed.” If your language would not use mystery to refer to something that has been revealed, you could replace mystery with a short descriptive phrase. Alternate translation: “the concealed message”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν

the ¬which /having_been/_hidden_away from the ages and from the generations

This clause does not mean that the ages and the generations were unable to understand the “mystery.” Instead, from the ages and from the generations refer to the time during which the mystery was hidden. Those from whom the mystery was hidden are not expressed explicitly, but it is clear that they are those who were alive during those times. If your language would express explicitly those from whom the mystery was hidden, you could insert it into the sentence. Alternate translation: “that has been hidden from the people who lived during the ages and in the generations”

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν

from the ages and from the generations

These phrases speak about the passage of time. The word ages refers to periods of time that are marked off by specific boundaries (often major events), while the word generations refers to time periods marked off by human birth and death. The mystery has been hidden during all these time periods up until the present time. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use equivalent expressions or short phrases. Alternate translation: “during all time periods, while people were born and died”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

νῦν

now

The word now does not refer to the time during which Paul wrote this letter. Instead, it contrasts with the ages and generations and refers to the time or “age” after the work of Jesus. If it would be helpful in your language, you could further identify what time now refers to. Alternate translation: “now that Jesus has come, it”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐφανερώθη

/was/_revealed

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form, with God as the subject. Alternate translation: “God has revealed it”