Colossians 4:13

King James Version

For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Legacy Standard Bible
For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Don't let there be any doubt that he is one who is praying for y'all and all the cowboys in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Bible in Basic English
For I give witness of him that he has undergone much trouble for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

Darby Translation
For I bear him witness that he labours much for you, and them in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Christian Standard Bible®
For I testify about him that he works hard for you, for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.

World English Bible
For I testify about him, that he has great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For I bear him witness, that he hath a great zeal for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis.

Weymouth's New Testament
For I can bear witness to the deep interest he takes in you and in the brethren at Laodicea and in those at Hierapolis.

King James Version (1611)
For I beare him record, that hee hath a great zeale for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Literal Translation
For I bear witness to him, that he has much zeal on your behalf, and those in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I beare him recorde, that he hath a feruent mynde for you, and for the at Laodicea, and at Hierapolis.

Mace New Testament (1729)
the whole will of God. for I can witness for him, that he is ardently concern'd for you, and the christians of Laodicea,

Amplified Bible
For I testify for him that he has worked strenuously for you and for the believers in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis.

American Standard Version
For I bear him witness, that he hath much labor for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis.

Revised Standard Version
For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in La-odice'a and in Hi-erap'olis.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I beare him recorde that he hath a fervet mynde towarde you and towarde them of Laodicia and them of Hierapolis.

Update Bible Version
For I bear him witness, that he has much labor for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis.

Webster's Bible Translation
For I bear him testimony, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them [that are] in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Young's Literal Translation
for I do testify to him, that he hath much zeal for you, and those in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.

New Century Version
I know he has worked hard for you and the people in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

New English Translation
For I can testify that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Berean Standard Bible
For I testify about him that he goes to great pains for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Contemporary English Version
I have seen how much trouble he has gone through for you and for the followers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Complete Jewish Bible
For I can testify to him that he works hard for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

English Standard Version
For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For I beare him record, that he hath a great zeale for you, and for them of Laodicea, & them of Hierapolis.

George Lamsa Translation
For I can testify concerning him, that he has a great zeal for you, and for those who are in La-od-i-ce''a and Hi-e-rap''o-lis.

Hebrew Names Version
For I testify about him, that he has great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.

International Standard Version
For I can testify on his behalf that he has a deep concern for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hieropolis.

Etheridge Translation
For I testify of him that he hath a great zeal for you and for those in Laodikia and in Iropolis.

Murdock Translation
For I testify for him, that he hath great zeal for you, and for them of Laodicea, and for them of Hierapolis.

New King James Version
For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal [fn] for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.

New Living Translation
I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

New Life Bible
I can tell you for sure that he works hard for you and for the Christians in the cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis.

English Revised Version
For I bear him witness, that he hath much labour for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis.

New Revised Standard
For I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For I bear him witness, that he hath great toil in behalf of you, and them in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For I bear him testimony that he hath much labour for you and for them that are at Laodicea and them at Hierapolis.

Lexham English Bible
For I testify to him that he is working hard on behalf of you and those in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For I beare him recorde, that he hath a great zeale for you, and them [that are] in Laodicea, and them [that are] in Hierapolis.

Easy-to-Read Version
I know that he has worked hard for you and the people in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

New American Standard Bible
For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Good News Translation
I can personally testify to his hard work for you and for the people in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y bere witnessyng to hym, that he hath myche trauel for you, and for hem that ben at Loadice, and that ben at Ierapolim.

Contextual Overview

⁷ All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: ⁸ Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts; ⁹ With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. ¹⁰ Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;) ¹¹ And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. ¹² Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. ¹³ For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. ¹⁴ Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you. ¹⁵ Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. ¹⁶ And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I bear: Romans 10:2, 2 Corinthians 8:3

Laodicea: Laodicea and Hierapolis were both cities of Phrygia in Asia Minor, between which, and equidistant from each, was situated Colosse. Laodicea was seated near the Lycus, about 63 miles east of Ephesus; and became one of the largest and richest towns in Phrygia, vying in power with the maritime cities. It is now called Eski-hissar, the old castle; and besides the whole surface within the city's wall being strewed with pedestals and fragments, the ruins of an amphitheatre, a magnificent odeum, and other public buildings, attest its former splendour and magnificence. But, when visited by Dr. Chandler, all was silence and solitude; and a fox, first discovered by his ears peeping over a brow, was the only inhabitant of Laodicea. Hierapolis, now Pambouk-Kaiesi, was situated, according to the Itinerary, six miles n of Laodicea; and its ruins are now about a mile and a half in circumference. Colossians 4:15, Colossians 4:16, Colossians 2:1, Revelation 1:11, Revelation 3:14-18

Reciprocal: Romans 12:11 - fervent Galatians 4:15 - I bear

Cross-References

Job 15:22
He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

Revelation 16:9
And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

Revelation 16:11
And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Revelation 16:21
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For I bear him record,.... The apostle was an eye and ear witness of his fervent prayers, his labour of love, and zealous affection for these saints and others; and therefore, as he judged he ought, he bears a testimony for him,

that he hath a great zeal for you; for their spiritual welfare, that the Gospel might continue with them, and they in that, against false teachers, and their attempts to subvert them; that they might grow in the grace of the Gospel, and walk worthy of it, and be at peace among themselves:

and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis; cities in Phrygia, which lay near to Colosse, the one being situated by the river Lycus, and the other by the Maeander; here were many believers, for whom Epaphras had a like zeal and affections as for the Colossians, and to whom very likely he had been useful, either in conversion or edification, or both. The apostle takes no notice to the Colossians of Epaphras being his fellow prisoner, as, he does in his epistle to Philemon 1:23 it may be for this reason, lest they should be over much distressed and cast down with it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For I bear him record - Paul had had abundant opportunity to know what were his feelings in regard to these churches.

A great zeal for you - A great desire to promote your welfare.

And them that are in Laodicea - Laodicea was the capital of Phrygia, and not far from Colossae, There was a church there. See the Introduction, and the notes at Colossians 4:16.

And them in Hierapolis - This was also a city in Phrygia, and not far from Laodicea and Colossae. It was situated under a hill to the north, and had on the south a large plain about five miles over. On the south of that plain, and opposite to Hierapolis, was Laodicea, with the river Lycus running between them, nearer to Laodicea than to Hierapolls. This place is now called by the Turks Pambuck-Kulasi, or the Cotton-Tower, on account of the white cliffs which lie round about it. It is now utterly forsaken and desolate, but the ruins are so magnificent as to show that it was once one of the most splendid cities in the East. It was celebrated for the hot springs in its vicinity; and on account of the numerous temples erected there, it received the name of Hierapolis, or the holy city. The principal deity worshipped there was Apollo. See Travels by T. Smith. B. D. 1678. Compare the notes at Colossians 4:16. From the allusion to it here, it would seem that there were Christians there in the time of Paul, though there is no mention of a church there. It is nowhere else mentioned in the New Testament.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 13. He hath a great zeal for you — Instead of ζηλον πολυν, much zeal, ABCD**, several others, with versions and fathers, read πολυν πονον, much labour; they are here nearly of the same meaning, though the latter appears to be the better and genuine reading.

Laodicea, and-Hierapolis — These were both cities of Phrygia, between which Colosse, or the city of Colassa, was situated. See Colossians 2:1. The latter was called Hierapolis, or the holy city, from the multitude of its temples. Apollo, Diana, AEsculapius, and Hygeia, were all worshipped here, as appears by the coins of this city still extant.