OET interlinear COL 2:2

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

ἵνα

in_order_that

Here, so that marks the encouragement of the believers as the goal or purpose of Paul’s struggle. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that this is the purpose. If it would be helpful, you could start a new sentence here and repeat some of the previous verse. Alternate translation: “The reason that I struggle so much is so that” or “I do this in order that”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

αὐτῶν

˱of˲_them

Paul here switches from the second person to the third person because he wishes to include everyone he has not met in person, including the Colossians. If it would be helpful in your language, you could: (1) use the second person from the previous verse but make it clear that this includes everyone Paul has not met in person. Alternate translation “your hearts and their” (2) retain the third person here and reverse the list in the previous verse as suggested by the note there

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

παρακληθῶσιν αἱ καρδίαι αὐτῶν, συμβιβασθέντες

/may_be/_comforted the hearts ˱of˲_them /having_been/_held_together

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express these verbs in their active forms, with Paul as the subject of the “encouraging” and God as the subject of the “bringing together.” Alternate translation: “I might encourage their hearts, with God bringing them together”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

αἱ καρδίαι αὐτῶν

the hearts ˱of˲_them

Here when Paul refers to their hearts, the Colossians would have understood him to mean the entire person. Paul uses hearts because his culture identified hearts as the body part where people experienced encouragement. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that identifies the location where people experience encouragement in your culture, or you could express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: “they”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πᾶν πλοῦτος τῆς πληροφορίας

all /the/_riches ˱of˲_the full_assurance

Paul here speaks as if full assurance could be characterized as having all the riches. He uses this metaphor to describe the full assurance as complete and valuable. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: “all the benefits of having complete assurance” or “all the blessings of the full assurance”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τῆς πληροφορίας τῆς συνέσεως

˱of˲_the full_assurance ¬the ˱of˲_insight

Here Paul uses the possessive form to speak of understanding that is the source of full assurance. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a relative clause to translate of understanding. (From the rest of the verse, it is clear that what is understood is the mystery of God.) Alternate translation: “of the full assurance that comes from understanding” or “of understanding the truth that brings full assurance”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

εἰς πᾶν πλοῦτος τῆς πληροφορίας τῆς συνέσεως; εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ, Χριστοῦ

to all /the/_riches ˱of˲_the full_assurance ¬the ˱of˲_insight to /the/_knowledge ˱of˲_the mystery ¬the ˱of˲_God Christ

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas behind full assurance, understanding, and knowledge, you could express the ideas with verbs. Alternate translation: “into all the riches that come from being confident that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ” or “having all the riches that come when they completely trust God because they understand, that is, they know the mystery of God, Christ”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

τῆς συνέσεως; εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν

˱of˲_the ¬the ˱of˲_insight to /the/_knowledge

Here, the words understanding and knowledge mean basically the same thing. Paul uses both words to emphasize the breadth of spiritual knowledge he speaks about. If your language does not use repetition in this way or has only one word for this concept, you could use just one word or translate understanding with an adjective such as “full” or “true.” Alternate translation: “of true knowledge” or “of full knowledge”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ μυστηρίου

/the/_knowledge ˱of˲_the mystery

Here, Paul uses the possessive form to speak of knowledge about the mystery. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate knowledge with a verb such as “knowing” or use different prepositions, such as “about.” Alternate translation: “knowing about the mystery”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ

˱of˲_the mystery ¬the ˱of˲_God

Paul here uses the possessive form to speak about the mystery that comes from God. Only God can reveal the content of this mystery. If your language does not use this form to express that idea, you could express the idea by using a relative clause. Alternate translation: “of the mystery that God reveals” or “of the mystery known by God”