OET interlinear COL 2:20

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

εἰ ἀπεθάνετε σὺν Χριστῷ

if ˱you_all˲_died_off with Christ

Paul is speaking as if this were a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it is actually true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, then you could translate the clause as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: “Since you died with Christ”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἀπεθάνετε σὺν Χριστῷ

˱you_all˲_died_off with Christ

Paul now returns to a metaphor he has used earlier: believers have died and “been buried with” Christ (2:12). This means that, in their union with Christ, believers share in his death so that they too have died. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use the language of analogy, or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: “you participated in the Messiah’s death”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἀπεθάνετε σὺν Χριστῷ ἀπὸ

˱you_all˲_died_off with Christ from

To “die from” something does not identify what caused the death, but rather it indicates what the death separated the person from. Here, then, the Colossians were separated from the elemental principles by participating in Christ’s death. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable idiom or express the idea with a short phrase. Alternate translation: “you died with Christ, which separated you from” or “you died with Christ, which rescued you from”

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

τῶν στοιχείων τοῦ κόσμου

the principles ˱of˲_the world

As in 2:8, the word elemental principles could refer to: (1) the spiritual powers of this world. Alternate translation: “the powerful spiritual beings that rule this world” (2) basic human opinions about how the world works. Alternate translation: “the basic things that humans teach about the world”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ δογματίζεσθε

why as_though living in /the/_world ˱you_all˲_/are_being/_indoctrinated

If this structure would be difficult to understand in your language, you could move the phrase as living in the world to the end of the sentence. Alternate translation: “why are you being subjected to the world’s decrees as living in the world”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ

living in /the/_world

Paul uses the verb living to describe the Colossian’s way of life. They are indeed physically alive and in the world, but he wants them to behave in ways that do not match what people in the world normally do. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea with a verbal phrase such as “belonging to” or “conforming to.” Alternate translation: “belonging to the world” or “conforming to the world”

Note 7 topic: grammar-connect-condition-contrary

ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ

as_though living in /the/_world

In this context, the word as introduces something that is not true: the Colossians do not actually live in the world. If as would be misunderstood your language, you could clarify that living in the world is not true of the Colossians, using a phrase such as “as if.” Alternate translation: “as if living in the world”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ δογματίζεσθε

why as_though living in /the/_world ˱you_all˲_/are_being/_indoctrinated

Paul does not ask this question because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks it to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. Here, there is no answer to the question, since that is exactly Paul’s point. There is no reason for them to be subjected to its decrees. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea as an imperative or a “should” statement. Alternate translation: “do not, as living in the world, be subjected to its decrees” or “you should not, as living in the world, be subjected to its decrees”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

δογματίζεσθε

˱you_all˲_/are_being/_indoctrinated

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in its active form, perhaps by using a similar verb. Alternate translation: “do you submit to its decrees” or “do you subject yourselves to its decrees”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

δογματίζεσθε

˱you_all˲_/are_being/_indoctrinated

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind decrees, you could express the idea with a relative clause. Alternate translation: “are you being subjected to what people require” or “are you being subjected to what it commands”