Colossians 1:5 kjv

For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Colossians 1:5 nkjv

because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,

Colossians 1:5 niv

the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel

Colossians 1:5 esv

because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,

Colossians 1:5 nlt

which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.

Colossians 1 verses

Colossians 1 5 Meaning

The foundation for the believers' demonstrable faith in Christ Jesus and their outward love for all the saints is a profound, secure expectation of future blessings, an inheritance irrevocably reserved for them in God's heavenly realm. This confident anticipation and its secure location became known to them through the accurate and pure proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ during their initial reception of the faith.

Colossians 1 5 Context

Colossians 1:5 follows Paul's initial greetings and immediately enters into a fervent expression of thanksgiving to God for the believers in Colossae (Col 1:3). He specifies that he has heard of their "faith in Christ Jesus" and their "love for all the saints" (Col 1:4). Verse 5 then serves to clarify the source or basis of this demonstrated faith and love, attributing it directly to their firm grip on the "hope which is laid up for you in heaven." This sequence grounds their present spiritual vitality in an objective, future, divinely guaranteed reality.

Historically, the city of Colossae was facing a syncretistic philosophy often termed the "Colossian heresy," which blended elements of Jewish legalism, ascetic practices, angel worship, and Gnostic-like mystical knowledge. This heresy diminished the absolute supremacy of Christ and promoted reliance on human regulations and secret knowledge. Paul's emphasis on a heavenly, laid-up hope, received through the word of the truth of the gospel, directly counters these erroneous teachings. It grounds the Colossians' spiritual standing not in fleeting human effort or esoteric revelations, but in the complete, reliable, and foundational message of Christ they originally received.

Colossians 1 5 Word analysis

• because of (διὰ, dia): A preposition indicating the cause, ground, or reason. It links the Colossians' love (mentioned in the preceding verse) directly to their secure future hope, portraying this hope as the underlying motivation for their spiritual vigor.
• the hope (τὴν ἐλπίδα, tēn elpida): Not merely a wish or a positive thought, but a firm, confident expectation and eager anticipation rooted in God's promises and character. It refers to the entirety of the future blessings awaiting believers in Christ, including eternal life, resurrection, and glorification. This hope is an objective reality, not just a subjective feeling.
• which is laid up (τὴν ἀποκειμένην, tēn apokeimenēn): From ἀπόκειμαι (apokeimai), meaning "to lay away," "store up," "reserve," "deposit." The perfect participle (passive voice) highlights an action that was completed in the past by God, with enduring results. This signifies the security and divine safekeeping of the hope, making it untouchable, permanent, and divinely guaranteed.
• for you (ὑμῖν, hymin): The dative plural pronoun directly specifies that this hope is a personal divine provision and inheritance for the believers in Colossae, demonstrating God's particular care and intention for His saints.
• in heaven (ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, en tois ouranois): Denotes the location where this hope is eternally secured. This emphasizes its transcendent nature, beyond earthly corruption, change, or threat. It highlights the divine source and uncorruptible nature of their inheritance, shifting their focus from temporal earthly concerns to eternal divine realities.
• of which (ἧς, hēs): A relative pronoun, functioning as a genitive, linking back to and describing the previously mentioned "hope."
• you heard before (προηκούσατε, proēkousate): From προακούω (proakouō), meaning "to hear beforehand" or "to have heard previously." This implies that the Colossian believers received instruction concerning this hope as part of their initial evangelization. It signifies that the basis of their faith was not new, secret, or "higher" knowledge, but the fundamental truth taught from the outset of their Christian journey. This point directly refutes the need for any additional, later "revelations" espoused by the heretics.
• in the word (ἐν τῷ λόγῳ, en tō logō): "Word" (λόγος, logos) here refers to the proclaimed message or doctrine. It denotes the medium or vehicle through which the truth about their heavenly hope was communicated to them. It points to an authoritative, verifiable proclamation.
• of the truth (τῆς ἀληθείας, tēs alētheias): "Truth" (alētheia) denotes genuineness, reality, integrity, and conformity to fact. This emphasizes the divine veracity and absolute certainty of the message concerning their hope. It stands in direct contrast to falsehoods, myths, or deceptive philosophies that were threatening the Colossian church.
• of the gospel (τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, tou euangeliou): "Gospel" (euangelion) literally means "good news" or "glad tidings." It specifies the exact content of the "word of truth"—the core message about salvation through Jesus Christ, particularly His redemptive work on the cross and resurrection. This underlines the Christ-centered nature of the truth they received and the hope it conveys.

Words-group analysis

• the hope which is laid up for you in heaven: This phrase encapsulates the believers' future inheritance as an objective, securely guaranteed reality. It is not dependent on human merit or striving, but is a divinely accomplished act of reserving a secure destiny for them. This secure, heavenly dimension of their hope counters any worldly anxieties or deceptive promises of earthly satisfaction, reinforcing their transcendent identity in Christ.
• of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel: This vital phrase highlights the original, authoritative, and complete nature of the message they received. Their understanding of this secure hope came from a clear, prior proclamation ("heard before") of the authentic ("truth") message ("word") that is the good news of Christ ("gospel"). This effectively dismisses any claims of new or superior revelations by false teachers, anchoring the Colossians' faith in the sufficiency and purity of the original evangelistic message about Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1 5 Bonus section

• The Triad of Virtues: While not explicitly listed as a separate phrase, Colossians 1:4-5 implicitly presents a powerful triad of Christian virtues: "faith in Christ Jesus," "love for all the saints," and "the hope which is laid up in heaven." Although the conventional Pauline order is often Faith, Hope, Love (1 Cor 13:13; 1 Thess 1:3), here, hope appears as the driving force behind or foundation for the demonstrated faith and love, signifying that the secure future God promises fuels believers' present spiritual activities.
• Countering Worldly Mindedness: The emphasis on "in heaven" is a clear antidote to worldly entanglement or an undue focus on earthly concerns, possessions, or achievements. It aligns with Paul's later exhortation in Colossians 3:1-2 to "seek the things that are above" and "set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." This perspective offers resilience against trials and persecutions by reminding believers of their ultimate, divinely secured inheritance.

Colossians 1 5 Commentary

Colossians 1:5 serves as a theological anchor, establishing the secure and unshakeable basis of the Colossian believers' spiritual life. The "hope laid up in heaven" is not merely wishful thinking, but an objective reality, divinely reserved and unassailable. This heavenly guarantee ensures the eternal security and future blessedness of believers. Its secure location, "in heaven," implies divine protection from all earthly decay, corruption, or human interference, redirecting believers' focus from temporal to eternal realities. This profound hope, furthermore, is not based on secret knowledge or ritualistic practices, but on the simple, yet profound, message of "the word of the truth of the gospel" which they "heard before" (at their conversion). This underscores the sufficiency of the original Gospel message against syncretistic philosophies, affirming that all necessary truth and promise for salvation and future blessedness reside wholly within Christ, revealed through His gospel. The verse assures believers that their hope is concrete and real, instilling confidence and inspiring enduring faith and active love.

For practical application, consider:

• In times of trial, remember your hope is "laid up" securely; it cannot be lost.
• When faced with worldly temptations, recall that your true "treasure is in heaven."
• When hearing new doctrines, evaluate them against "the word of the truth of the gospel" you originally received.