OET interlinear COL 3:11

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὅπου

where

Here Paul refers to the “new man” from the previous verse as if it were a place one could be in. This means that the word where refers to the new situation of those who have put on this “new man.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this idea by identifying those who have put on the “new man” as the ones addressed by this verse. Alternate translation: (start a new sentence) “For those who have put on the new man,”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

οὐκ ἔνι

not there_is

Here, Paul speaks as if none of the kinds of people he mentions exist in this new situation. The Colossians would have understood this as a way to emphasize how little the differences between all these kinds of people matter once they have died and risen with Christ. They all fit into the category of the “new man” now. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this idea without the hyperbole by emphasizing the new unity of people from all these categories. Alternate translation: “all people are the same,”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

οὐκ ἔνι Ἕλλην καὶ Ἰουδαῖος, περιτομὴ καὶ ἀκροβυστία, βάρβαρος, Σκύθης, δοῦλος, ἐλεύθερος

not there_is Greek and Jew circumcision and uncircumcision foreigner Scythian slave free

All these terms are nouns that refer to groups of people that are characterized by the trait that the noun names. These words do not refer to just one person. If your language has a way to categorize people by characteristics, you could use that form here. Alternate translation: “there are no Greek and Jewish people, circumcised and uncircumcised people, barbaric people, Scythian people, enslaved people, free people”

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

βάρβαρος

foreigner

The word barbarian was used by people who spoke Greek to describe anyone who did not speak Greek. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this idea with a word such as “foreign.” Alternate translation: “alien”

Note 5 topic: translate-unknown

Σκύθης

Scythian

The word Scythian was used to describe a nomadic group of people who were fierce warriors. It was also used to describe those who behaved in similar ways, who were often considered rough or rude. If it would be helpful in your language, you could add an adjective before Scythian to clarify its connotation, or you could use a comparable label. Alternate translation: “uncivilized Scythian” or “rough Scythian”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πάντα καὶ & Χριστός

all_‹things› and & Christ_‹is›

Here Paul speaks of Christ as being all things. By this, he means that none of the categories he just listed matter because Christ is the only person who matters. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea with a verb such as “matters” or a noun such as “importance.” Alternate translation: “Christ is all that matters, and he is”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐν πᾶσιν

in all_‹things›

Again, Paul speaks of those who have died and risen with Christ. Here, instead of speaking of the Colossians being “in Christ,” he reverses the form, just as he did in 1:27: Christ is in all of those who believe in him. If possible, translate this expression the same way you translated “Christ in you” in 1:27. Alternate translation: “is united to all of you”