InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEUT JOB YEHO (JOS) HERO (JDG) RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG YOEL (JOEL) MIC ISA ZEP HAB YIR (JER) LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBAD DAN EZEK EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL 2 PS WIS TOB MAN BAR G DAN G ESD L ESD ESG JDT 3 MAC SIR 1 MAC 2 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL LAOD PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Col 4 V1 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18
Used in these topics: Evangelism, mission and making disciples · Truthfulness and wise speech
In 3:18–4:1 Paul had given instructions to different groups of believers (wives, husbands, children, parents, slaves, and masters). Here in 4:2 Paul began to speak again to all the Colossian believers. He told them to continue praying, especially for him, and to speak wisely and kindly to those who did not believe in Christ.
Theme: Paul told the Colossians to continue praying to God, and he asked them to pray for him (Paul) while they were praying.
Devote yourselves to prayer,
¶ Pray persistently,
¶ Continue to pray diligently,
¶ Never give up praying,
Devote yourselves to prayer: The Greek verb proskartereō that the BSB has translated Devote yourselves to can also mean, “to persist in doing something.” For example:
Be persistent in prayer (GNT)
The meaning of both translations is similar. Paul was instructing the Colossians to continue to pray faithfully, no matter what happened.
being watchful and thankful,
and while you pray, continue to be/stay alert, and always thank God.
being watchful and thankful: The Greek literally says “being watchful in it in thanksgiving.” The words “in it” refer back to “prayer” in 4:2a. So Paul meant, “When you pray, be watchful and thankful.”
being watchful: It means “staying alert, and not becoming tired of praying.”
thankful: It may be necessary in your translation to say “thankful to God.”
τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτερεῖτε
¬the ˱in˲_prayer (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τῇ προσευχῇ Προσκαρτερεῖτε γρηγοροῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ)
Alternate translation: [Keep praying faithfully] or [Pray consistently]
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-time-simultaneous
γρηγοροῦντες
watching
The word staying alert expresses what Paul wants the Colossians to do as they pray. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a customary expression that indicates that staying alert happens at the same time as they “continue steadfastly in prayer.” Alternate translation: [and stay alert]
ἐν αὐτῇ
in it
Alternate translation: [during your time of prayer]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ
in with thanksgiving
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind thanksgiving, you could express the idea by using a verbal phrase such as “and giving thanks” or an adverb such as “thankfully.” Alternate translation: [thankfully]
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.
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