Colossians 1:26 kjv

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Colossians 1:26 nkjv

the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.

Colossians 1:26 niv

the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people.

Colossians 1:26 esv

the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

Colossians 1:26 nlt

This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God's people.

Colossians 1 verses

Colossians 1 26 Meaning

Colossians 1:26 unveils a profound spiritual truth: God's eternal purpose, which remained a divine secret for all of history, has now been fully revealed. This "mystery" is not an enigma to be solved by human ingenuity, but a pre-ordained divine plan that God Himself chose to disclose to those whom He has set apart, His saints. It emphasizes God's sovereign timing and the profound privilege of believers to understand His will, which centers on the indwelling of Christ.

Colossians 1 26 Context

Colossians chapter 1 sets the foundational theological framework for the letter, emphasizing the absolute supremacy and preeminence of Jesus Christ. After opening with a greeting and prayer of thanksgiving (v. 1-14), Paul launches into a profound Christological hymn (v. 15-20), asserting Christ as the Creator and Sustainer of all things, the Head of the Church, and the reconciler of all creation to God. This elevates Christ far above any created being, spiritual power, or human philosophy, directly countering emerging Gnostic-like heresies in Colossae that diminished Christ by adding other necessary mediators or practices for salvation.

Verse 21-23 speak of the Colossian believers' past alienation from God and their present reconciliation through Christ's death. This leads directly into Paul's suffering (v. 24) and his ministry, which is to fulfill God's word (v. 25). Colossians 1:26 then serves as a pivotal bridge, introducing what specific aspect of God's word and purpose Paul's stewardship involves—the revelation of a long-hidden mystery. This mystery is not merely an abstract concept; it concretely relates to God's plan for humanity through Christ, and particularly to the inclusion of Gentiles and the indwelling of Christ within all believers, leading into the statement of "Christ in you, the hope of glory" in the subsequent verse (v. 27). The verse contrasts human inability to discover divine truth with God's active disclosure to His chosen ones, setting the stage to expound on the all-sufficiency of Christ and His completed work against any false teachings requiring additional "secret knowledge."

Colossians 1 26 Word analysis

• even the mystery (μυστήριον, mystērion): This term, in the New Testament, does not signify something puzzling or unknowable, but a divine truth previously concealed or unknown, which is now revealed according to God's purpose. It denotes God’s sovereign plan concerning the inclusion of Gentiles into the body of Christ, and Christ Himself indwelling believers, transcending former boundaries of race or law. It underscores that this truth originates from God’s mind, not human discovery.
• which hath been hid (ἀποκεκρυμμένου, apokekrymmenou): This perfect passive participle emphasizes that the mystery was actively kept secret, concealed by God's own will. It wasn't merely undiscovered, but purposefully unrevealed for a specific time. No amount of human wisdom, searching, or philosophy could have uncovered it.
• from ages (ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων, apo tōn aiōnōn): This phrase refers to indefinite periods of time, often extending into eternity past. It denotes the vast span of time before its revelation, implying that this mystery was part of God’s eternal counsel and purpose, predating the current human epoch. It highlights its ancient and timeless nature.
• and from generations (καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν, kai apo tōn geneōn): This complements "ages," referring specifically to successive human generations or periods in history. It emphasizes that this mystery remained unknown throughout all of human history and all human lineages. It points to a human experience of ignorance regarding this divine truth.
• but now (νυνὶ δέ, nyni de): This strong adversative conjunction marks a pivotal change and the divine timing for the revelation. It signifies that God's chosen time has arrived for this truth to be unveiled, establishing a clear contrast with its prior concealment.
• is made manifest (ἐφανερώθη, ephanerōthē): An aorist passive indicative verb meaning "was revealed," "made clear," or "disclosed." This emphasizes God's active role as the agent of revelation. It was God who caused it to be seen and understood; it wasn't uncovered by human effort. It implies a full and complete disclosure.
• to his saints (τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ, tois hagiois autou): "Saints" (ἁγίοις, hagiois) means "holy ones" or "set apart ones." It refers to all believers in Christ, whom God has consecrated and made His own. The revelation is specifically granted to those who have responded to God's call and are consecrated to Him. This excludes those outside the fellowship of believers and challenges the notion of a secret, esoteric knowledge only available to an elite few.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations": This phrase stresses the profound antiquity and the divine nature of the concealment. It highlights that God had an unrevealed plan woven into the fabric of eternity and all human history, intentionally kept from common knowledge. This counteracts any Gnostic teaching that knowledge could be obtained through secret human effort or specific rituals.
• "but now is made manifest to his saints": This phrase marks the turning point, indicating that divine initiative led to a specific, complete, and targeted revelation. It’s God's act of grace to His own people, distinguishing the recipients (all believers) from the general populace. This direct revelation to all saints contrasts with systems requiring intermediaries or privileged "insiders."

Colossians 1 26 Bonus section

The "mystery" in Colossians 1:26, particularly when considered with Eph 3:3-6, points primarily to God's unified plan in Christ for both Jews and Gentiles, forming a single, new spiritual body—the Church. This was not fully detailed or understood in Old Testament times, though hinted at. While Israel anticipated a future salvation, the precise mechanism of Gentiles becoming "fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (Eph 3:6) was the "secret" finally revealed through the apostles and prophets of the New Testament, notably Paul. This unique characteristic of the Church as distinct from Israel is part of what makes this mystery so significant. It wasn't that God didn't have a plan for the Gentiles, but that His plan to incorporate them as equal members into one new body with Jewish believers was previously hidden and then unveiled in Christ's time.

Colossians 1 26 Commentary

Colossians 1:26 articulates a crucial aspect of God's redemptive plan, setting the stage for Paul's explication of the core "mystery" in the subsequent verse: "Christ in you, the hope of glory." This verse clarifies that what Paul is revealing is not a newly conceived idea, but the outworking of an eternal counsel of God, carefully guarded and unrevealed for millennia. The phrase "hid from ages and from generations" underscores its divine origin and intentional concealment, emphasizing that no prophet of the Old Testament fully grasped its scope, nor could any human wisdom or philosophy decipher it. This was God's secret, until His time.

The powerful shift marked by "but now" signifies the arrival of the New Covenant era and the comprehensive revelation in Jesus Christ. God has actively "made manifest" this truth. The passive voice ("is made manifest") highlights that God is the revealer; this profound insight is a gift, not a human achievement. Crucially, this revelation is given "to his saints"—not a select group of enlightened initiates or those with higher spiritual standing, but all believers who are set apart by God in Christ. This universal access for believers directly confronts any form of exclusivity or the need for an esoteric knowledge beyond Christ, common in the Colossian heresy. The mystery’s manifestation signifies the completion and sufficiency of God’s redemptive plan in Christ, providing the ultimate truth needed for life and godliness.

Practical Examples:

• A new believer, once blind to God's grace and purpose, suddenly comprehends that God desired them even before time, much like a previously unknown but vital family secret is revealed, bringing deep understanding and connection.
• The mystery means a person from a culture long without the gospel hears of Christ, understanding that God always planned for their inclusion, revealing His expansive love across "ages and generations" to "saints" of every background.