Colossians 1:8 kjv
Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
Colossians 1:8 nkjv
who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
Colossians 1:8 niv
and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
Colossians 1:8 esv
and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
Colossians 1:8 nlt
He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.
Colossians 1 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 5:5 | ...God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. | Holy Spirit enables love. |
| Gal 5:22 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness... | Love is a primary fruit of the Spirit. |
| Jn 13:35 | By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. | Love as a sign of true discipleship. |
| 1 Pet 1:22 | Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. | Emphasizes sincere, Spirit-enabled brotherly love. |
| Phil 2:1 | If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit... | Spirit-sharing fostering love and unity. |
| 1 Thes 4:9 | Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. | God's teaching fosters mutual love. |
| 1 Cor 13:4-7 | Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy... | Defines the characteristics of agape love. |
| Rom 15:30 | ...join me in my struggle by praying to God for me, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit. | The Spirit's active work in love. |
| Heb 6:10 | God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. | Acknowledges works stemming from love. |
| 2 Cor 6:6 | ...in truth, in the power of God, with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; in love that is sincere; | Highlights sincerity and power of God in love. |
| 1 Jn 4:7 | Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. | Divine source of genuine love. |
| 1 Jn 4:8 | Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. | Love as an intrinsic aspect of knowing God. |
| Eph 5:2 | ...live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. | Call to Christ-like, sacrificial love. |
| Col 1:7 | ...just as you learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant... | Epaphras as the faithful minister and reporter. |
| Phlm 1:23 | Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings... | Epaphras's close association with Paul. |
| 1 Cor 16:24 | My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen. | Paul's general expression of Christian love. |
| 2 Tim 1:7 | For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and self-control. | Spirit empowers believers with love. |
| Isa 44:3 | For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring... | Promise of the Spirit's refreshing work. |
| Ez 36:26-27 | I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. | The Spirit transforming hearts and enabling obedience, including love. |
| Col 2:2 | My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love... | Unity fostered by love in the face of deception. |
| Acts 1:8 | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you... | The Spirit empowers believers for ministry and witness, enabling love in action. |
| Rom 8:4 | ...in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. | Life lived according to the Spirit fulfills God's will, including love. |
| 1 Jn 3:18 | Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. | Genuine love demonstrated by action. |
| Rom 14:17 | For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. | The Kingdom's true nature, contrasted with external forms, involves the Spirit's fruit. |
Colossians 1 verses
Colossians 1 8 Meaning
Colossians 1:8 conveys that Epaphras, the faithful minister from Colossae, reported to Paul and his companions the profound love demonstrated by the believers in Colossae. This love is distinctively characterized as being "in the Spirit," indicating its origin and nature are supernatural, produced by the Holy Spirit within them. It serves as an authentic manifestation of their genuine faith, despite the nascent false teachings beginning to infiltrate their community.
Colossians 1 8 Context
Colossians 1:8 is part of the opening thanksgiving and prayer in Paul's letter to the church at Colossae. The broader context of Colossians addresses nascent heresies threatening the community, which blended elements of Jewish legalism, pagan philosophy, angel worship, and a false asceticism. These teachings undermined the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. Before directly addressing these errors, Paul grounds his argument in the authentic faith and spiritual growth evident in the Colossian believers. Verse 8 immediately follows the introduction of Epaphras as the one from whom the Colossians received the Gospel and who informed Paul about their spiritual state (Col 1:7). Paul begins his letter with commendation, noting their faith in Christ Jesus, their love for all the saints, and the hope stored up in heaven (Col 1:4-5). This love, reported by Epaphras, serves as crucial evidence of their true conversion and the genuine work of God's Spirit in their lives, establishing a positive foundation upon which Paul builds his exhortations and warnings against false doctrine.
Colossians 1 8 Word analysis
- who (ὅς, hos): This pronoun clearly refers back to Epaphras from the previous verse (Col 1:7). It signifies his role as the faithful and trustworthy messenger and representative of the Colossian church to Paul. His report carries weight, affirming the authenticity of the Colossians' faith.
- also declared (καὶ δηλόω, kai deloo): The Greek word δηλόω (deloo) means "to make clear," "to make manifest," or "to show forth." It's stronger than merely "told" or "reported." It implies that Epaphras presented the evidence of their love so clearly that its authenticity and power were self-evident. This isn't just a casual remark but a firm witness that communicated the spiritual reality of the Colossians' condition to Paul and his team.
- to us: Refers to Paul, Timothy, and perhaps others who were with Paul during his imprisonment or ministry. It emphasizes the communal aspect of their mission and the shared joy they experienced upon hearing this good report.
- your love (τὴν ἀγάπην ὑμῶν, tēn agapēn hymōn): This refers to the love demonstrated by the Colossian believers. The term ἀγάπη (agape) is a distinctive Christian term for selfless, unconditional, God-kind of love. It is not merely human affection or familial bond but a sacrificial, divine love that characterizes true followers of Christ (Jn 13:35). This specific type of love is central to Christian life and witness.
- in the Spirit (ἐν Πνεύματι, en Pneumati): This is a key interpretive phrase. "In" (ἐν, en) often indicates the sphere, instrument, or characteristic. This phrase fundamentally signifies that the Colossians' love is:
- Spirit-produced: The love is not from human effort or mere emotion but is a direct fruit of the Holy Spirit's work within them (Gal 5:22). It points to the supernatural origin and empowerment of their love.
- Spirit-enabled: The love is manifested and sustained by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Spirit-characterized: The love they exhibited aligns with the nature and promptings of the Holy Spirit, demonstrating genuine spiritual life.
- Words-group Analysis - "your love in the Spirit": This phrase serves as Paul's affirmation of the genuine spiritual life present in the Colossian church. In a context where philosophical and ritualistic errors were emerging, claiming special knowledge or experiences, Paul highlights a verifiable, Spirit-empowered characteristic: their selfless love for other believers. This serves as a vital contrast to false spirituality that might emphasize external rites or abstract knowledge over transformed character. This genuine love provides the necessary foundation for Paul's subsequent teaching and exhortations.
Commentary
Colossians 1:8 stands as a vital affirmation of the authentic Christian life present in Colossae, setting the stage for Paul's forthcoming instructions and warnings. Epaphras's declaration of the Colossians' "love in the Spirit" confirms to Paul that their faith is not superficial but deeply rooted and Spirit-empowered. This Spirit-produced love (ἀγάπη) is a fundamental fruit of genuine conversion, distinguishing true believers from those merely adhering to religious rituals or speculative philosophies. By commending this spiritual love, Paul establishes a shared ground of authentic Christian experience before addressing the specific doctrinal errors threatening their community. It underscores that despite challenges, the core spiritual reality—the Spirit's work fostering selfless love—was indeed present among them. This communal love provides a powerful witness against false teachings that often lead to division and coldness.Bonus section
The mention of "love in the Spirit" by Epaphras is significant because it provides Paul with verifiable evidence of the Colossians' spiritual vitality. This genuine fruit of the Spirit counters potential criticisms from those pushing false doctrines who might argue the Colossians lacked true spiritual understanding or experience. Their love for the saints, empowered by the Holy Spirit, served as a foundational assurance for Paul that his gospel message had truly taken root and was transforming lives. This also highlights Epaphras's integrity and reliability as a reporter of spiritual matters. Furthermore, this phrase subtly foreshadows the later theological arguments Paul will make, particularly about Christ's preeminence over human traditions or angelic worship; true spiritual experience (like Spirit-enabled love) stems from Christ's work, not human effort or obscure knowledge.