Colossians 1:25

World English Bible

of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,

Legacy Standard Bible
of which I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God given to me for you, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,

Simplified Cowboy Version
God has given me the job and the responsibility of giving y'all the truth—the entire truth that has been hidden.

Bible in Basic English
Of which I became a servant by the purpose of God which was given to me for you, to give effect to the word of God,

Darby Translation
of which *I* became minister, according to the dispensation of God which [is] given me towards you to complete the word of God,

Christian Standard Bible®
I have become its servant, according to God's administration that was given to me for you, to make God's message fully known,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Of which I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is given me for you, fully to preach the word of God:

Weymouth's New Testament
I have been appointed to serve the Church in the position of responsibility entrusted to me by God for your benefit, so that I may fully deliver God's Message--

King James Version (1611)
Whereof I am made a Minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is giuen to mee for you, to fulfill the word of God:

Literal Translation
of which I became a minister, according to the administration of God given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
wherof I am made a mynister, acordinge to ye Godly office of preachinge, which is geuen vnto me amonge you, that I shulde richely preach the worde of God,

Mace New Testament (1729)
of which I have been established a minister, according to the charge which God has given me to preach his gospel faithfully among you. ---

Amplified Bible
In this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship which God entrusted to me for your sake, so that I might make the word of God fully known [among you]—

American Standard Version
whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God,

Revised Standard Version
of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
wher of I am made a minister acordynge to the ordinaunce of god which ordinaunce was geven me vnto you warde to fulfill ye worde of god

Update Bible Version
whereof I was made a servant, according to the dispensation of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

Webster's Bible Translation
Of which I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God;

Young's Literal Translation
of which I -- I did become a ministrant according to the dispensation of God, that was given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God,

New Century Version
I became a servant of the church because God gave me a special work to do that helps you, and that work is to tell fully the message of God.

New English Translation
I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship from God—given to me for you—in order to complete the word of God,

Berean Standard Bible
I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God,

Contemporary English Version
God's plan was to make me a servant of his church and to send me to preach his complete message to you.

Complete Jewish Bible
I became a servant of the Good News because God gave me this work to do for your benefit. The work is to make fully known the message from God,

English Standard Version
of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

Geneva Bible (1587)
Whereof I am a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is giuen mee vnto you ward, to fulfill the word of God,

George Lamsa Translation
For which I became a minister, according to the dispensation of God which has been given to me for you, fully to preach the word of God everywhere;

Hebrew Names Version
of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

International Standard Version
I became its servantminister">[fn] according to God's commission that was given to me for you, so that I might fulfill the ministry ofthe ministry of">[fn] the word of God.1 Corinthians 9:17; Galatians 2:7; Ephesians 3:2; Colossians 3:23;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
which is the church; of which I am made a minister according to the dispensation of Aloha, which was given to me for you, to accomplish the word of Aloha;

Murdock Translation
of which I am a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me among you, that I should fulfill the word of God,

New King James Version
of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,

New Living Translation
God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.

New Life Bible
I became a preacher in His church for your good. In the plan of God I am to preach the Good News.

English Revised Version
whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfill the word of God,

New Revised Standard
I became its servant according to God's commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Of which, I, have become minister - according to the administration of God which hath been given unto me to you-ward, to fill up the word of God,

Douay-Rheims Bible
Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given me towards you, that I may fulfil the word of God:

King James Version
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Lexham English Bible
of which I became a minister, according to God's stewardship which was given to me for you, to complete the word of God,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherof I am made a minister, accordyng to the dispensation of God, which is geuen to me to youwarde, to fulfyll the worde of God:

Easy-to-Read Version
I became a servant of the church because God gave me a special work to do. This work helps you. My work is to tell the complete message of God.

New American Standard Bible
I was made a minister of this church according to the commission from God granted to me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,

Good News Translation
And I have been made a servant of the church by God, who gave me this task to perform for your good. It is the task of fully proclaiming his message,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Of which Y Poul am maad mynystre bi the dispensacioun of God, that is youun to me in you,

Contextual Overview

¹² giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; ¹³ who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; ¹⁴ in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins; ¹⁵ who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by him were all things created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and to him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. ¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. ¹⁹ For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him; ²⁰ and through him to reconcile all things to himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross. Through him, I say, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens. ²¹ You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I am: Colossians 1:23, 1 Thessalonians 3:2, 1 Timothy 4:6

according: Romans 15:15-18, 1 Corinthians 9:17, Galatians 2:7, Galatians 2:8, Ephesians 3:2

to fulfil: or, fully to preach, Romans 15:19, 2 Timothy 4:2-5

Reciprocal: Matthew 13:35 - I will utter Luke 7:28 - but Acts 9:15 - to bear Acts 14:26 - the work Acts 26:16 - a minister Romans 1:1 - called 1 Corinthians 4:1 - the ministers 2 Corinthians 3:6 - hath Galatians 1:16 - that 1 Timothy 1:11 - which 1 Timothy 1:12 - putting 2 Timothy 4:5 - make full proof of

Cross-References

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse sky. There was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas. God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:19
There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

Genesis 1:20
God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky."

Job 26:13
By his Spirit the heavens are garnished. His hand has pierced the swift serpent.

Jeremiah 27:5
I have made the earth, the men and the animals that are on the surface of the earth, by my great power and by my outstretched arm; and I give it to whom it seems right to me.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whereof I am made a minister,.... Not of Christ, or of the Gospel as before, though both were true; but of the churches for whose sake he endured afflictions; and which carries in it a reason of his suffering for them: he was not a saviour of the body, nor a redeemer of the church, nor Lord of it; but a minister, a servant of it, that ministered to it in holy things, in the word and ordinances; not a deacon, as the word, sometimes signifies, nor an ordinary minister, or a pastor of a particular church; but a minister of the church in general, being an apostle sent to preach the Gospel everywhere: he was made a minister of it, not by men, or anything he received from men; nor by himself, not by usurpation, he did not thrust himself into this office, or take it upon him of himself; but was put into it by Christ, who counted him faithful, he appeared to him, and made him a minister, qualified him for this office, called him to it, and sent him to perform it: and which he executed

according to the dispensation of God: or divine economy, which denotes such an authority and administration as is used in a family. The church is God's family, it is called the house and household of God, and the household of faith, part of which is in heaven and part on earth; God is the householder or master of the family; Christ is the Son over his own house; ministers are stewards in it, and their work is to give to everyone their portion of meat in due season; their authority from God to do so, and the exercise of it, are the economy or dispensation of the Gospel committed to them: this is of God and not man, for none but God can give them a power to dispense it, and which is purely of his grace, called therefore the dispensation of the grace of God, Ephesians 3:2; and here said to be given,

which is given to me for you; not according to any merits of his, who was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an injurious person to Christ and his Gospel; but according to the pure grace of God, and that not for himself, but for the good of others, for the Gentiles especially, and so for the Colossians:

to fulfil the word of God; either the promises and prophecies contained in the word of God, respecting the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles, and their conversion by it; which had in a great measure their accomplishment through the ministry of the apostle: or to fill all places with the word of God and Gospel of Christ, as the apostle did from Jerusalem, and round about to Illyricum, diffusing the savour of the knowledge of Christ in every place; and sinners being converted, churches were planted and daily filled with such as should be saved; or to preach fully and faithfully the Gospel, keeping back nothing that was profitable, but declaring the whole counsel of God, continuing faithful to it to the end, as he did: to fill up or fulfil words is an Hebraism, and signifies to confirm them, or act according to them; see 1 Kings 1:14 and the Septuagint there.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

According to the dispensation of God - The arrangement which God has made. That is, he designed that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, and, in accordance with that arrangement, he has called me to be a minister. Notes, Ephesians 3:2.

To fulfil the word of God - Margin, “fully to preach.” The Greek is, “to fill up the word of God;” the meaning is, “fully to teach and promulgate the gospel;” compare the notes at Romans 15:19.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 25. Whereof I am made a minister — Having received especial commission from God to preach salvation to the Gentiles.

According to the dispensation — κατα την οικονομιαν. According to the Gospel economy or institution; the scheme or plan of salvation by Christ crucified.

To fulfil the word of God — The Greek πληρωσαι τον λογον του Θεου may be translated, fully to preach the doctrine of God. See Romans 15:19, and the note there. Were we to take the word in its common meaning, it might signify to accomplish the purpose of God, as predicted by the prophets.