Colossians 2 7

Colossians 2:7 kjv

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:7 nkjv

rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:7 niv

rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:7 esv

rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:7 nlt

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Colossians 2 verses

Colossians 2 7 Meaning

Colossians 2:7 exhorts believers to maintain spiritual vitality and steadfastness by continuously deepening their connection with Jesus Christ. It likens this process to a tree whose roots firmly grip the soil and a building steadily erected on a secure foundation, both thriving in and relying on Him. This ongoing growth is to be firmly established in the true faith, specifically as it has been accurately taught to them, culminating in an overflowing and joyful expression of gratitude to God. The verse serves as a crucial counterbalance to the deceitful philosophies and empty traditions threatening the Colossian church, emphasizing Christ alone as the source of all truth, stability, and abundance.

Colossians 2 7 Context

Colossians chapter 2 serves as a strong apostolic warning against various deceptive teachings that were infiltrating the church in Colossae. These false doctrines, often a mix of legalism, asceticism, mysticism (Gnosticism in its nascent form), and a misplaced veneration of angelic beings, diminished the unique supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. Paul’s letter, therefore, reasserts Christ's deity, headship over creation and the church, and the complete sufficiency of His work on the cross for salvation and spiritual maturity (Col 1:15-22, 2:9-10). Verse 7, positioned directly after Paul's expression of delight in their order and the firmness of their faith in Christ (Col 2:5) and his initial exhortation to walk in Christ (Col 2:6), provides practical guidance on how to combat these errors. It instructs believers on how to maintain their spiritual standing and grow in truth, serving as an antidote to the "hollow and deceptive philosophy" (Col 2:8) and the legalistic regulations that Paul condemns in the subsequent verses.

Colossians 2 7 Word analysis

• Rooted (ῥιζούμενοι, rhizoomenoi): This is a present passive participle.
  • Word Level: The verb rhizoo means "to cause to take root," "to strengthen with roots." The present tense signifies a continuous process, and the passive voice implies that this rooting is a divine work, or that believers are being continuously rooted by God, in Him.
  • Significance: The imagery is agricultural, like a deep-rooted tree. Deep roots provide stability, nourishment, and strength against external forces (like winds of false doctrine). This process implies reliance on the "soil" or "ground" for life, which in this context is Christ Himself.
• And built up (ἐποικοδομούμενοι, epoikodomoumenoi): A present passive participle.
  • Word Level: The verb epoikodomeo means "to build upon," "to construct." It's derived from epi (upon) and oikodomeo (to build a house). Again, the present tense indicates an ongoing process, and the passive voice suggests that believers are being continually built up.
  • Significance: The imagery is architectural, like a building under construction. It speaks of progressive spiritual growth, development, and strength. The foundation is critical; a poorly built house cannot stand. This signifies the church and individual believers being constantly formed and structured upon Christ, growing in maturity and unity.
• in Him (ἐν αὐτῷ, en auto): Referring to Jesus Christ.
  • Significance: This phrase is central to the Colossian letter. All spiritual life, growth, stability, and wisdom are found exclusively in Christ. It emphasizes His centrality and sufficiency, contrasting with anything external (philosophies, human traditions, etc.) that false teachers promoted. It points to a deep, experiential union with Christ.
• and established (βεβαιοῦσθε, bebaiousthe): A present imperative.
  • Word Level: The verb bebaioo means "to confirm," "to make firm," "to render stable." As an imperative, it's a command for believers to be actively confirming themselves or allowing themselves to be confirmed in faith. While the previous two were passive (you are being rooted/built), this emphasizes the believer's active cooperation in becoming steadfast.
  • Significance: This denotes spiritual firmness, steadfastness, and reliability. It means being made unshakeable and securely founded, especially against doubts or deceptive influences. This stability is the result of being rooted and built up in Christ.
• in the faith (ἐν τῇ πίστει, en te pistei): Refers to the Christian faith.
  • Significance: This refers not merely to a personal belief but to the objective body of Christian truth, the gospel (often called "the faith once delivered"). The Colossians were to be established in this authentic doctrine, resisting deviation.
• as you have been taught (καθὼς ἐδιδάχθητε, kathos edidachthete): Perfect passive indicative.
  • Word Level: didasko means "to teach." The perfect tense signifies an action completed in the past with ongoing results. The passive voice indicates they were the recipients of this teaching.
  • Significance: This stresses the importance of orthodox, apostolic instruction. The teaching they received was authoritative and true, serving as the standard against which new ideas (like those of the false teachers) should be measured. It underlines that genuine spiritual growth is tied to sound doctrine.
• abounding in it (περισσεύοντες ἐν αὐτῇ, perisseuontes en autē): Present active participle.
  • Word Level: The verb perisseuo means "to superabound," "to be over and above," "to excel," "to overflow." The present active participle shows continuous and active participation.
  • Significance: This indicates a surplus, an overflowing state, or exceptional spiritual richness. It implies a dynamic and energetic expression of their faith, not merely passive adherence. Their spiritual growth should not be stagnant but characterized by increasing fruitfulness and intensity. "In it" refers back to "the faith" or perhaps to the entire process of being rooted, built up, and established.
• with thanksgiving (ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ, en eucharistia):
  • Word Level: eucharistia means "gratitude," "thankfulness."
  • Significance: Thanksgiving is an integral part of genuine spiritual maturity. It acknowledges God as the source of all blessing and strength. It's a hallmark of true worship and a safeguard against spiritual pride or self-reliance, which often accompany false teachings. It points to a joy-filled response to God's grace and His work in the believer's life.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Rooted and built up in Him": This powerful double metaphor combines the organic imagery of a growing plant and the structural imagery of a sturdy building. Both convey deep stability, continuous nourishment, and progressive growth. The essential element "in Him" highlights that Christ is the exclusive source, foundation, and environment for such genuine spiritual development, contrasting sharply with any other source or system.
• "established in the faith, as you have been taught": This emphasizes the cognitive and doctrinal aspect of spiritual growth. "Established" indicates a firm, settled state against shifting philosophies. This stability is grounded in the authoritative and true "faith"—the Christian gospel they originally received from the apostles or their emissaries. It affirms that true spiritual life is rooted in true knowledge.
• "abounding in it with thanksgiving": This final phrase describes the outward expression and inner disposition resulting from such robust spiritual growth. "Abounding" speaks of overflowing spiritual fruitfulness and active participation in their faith, demonstrating a vibrant rather than nominal Christianity. "With thanksgiving" indicates the grateful heart that characterizes a truly Christ-centered life, acknowledging God as the source of all and expressing gratitude for the spiritual blessings found in Him. This joy acts as a counter to the austerity or fear often promoted by false doctrines.

Colossians 2 7 Bonus section

The three main verbs/participles ("rooted," "built up," "established") though varying in voice and tense, collectively underscore both divine enablement and human response. The present participles (rhizoomenoi, epoikodomoumenoi, perisseuontes) stress the ongoing nature of spiritual growth – it is not a one-time event but a continuous process throughout a believer's life. The passive voice for "rooted" and "built up" highlights that this growth is primarily God's work in the believer, emphasizing divine grace. However, the imperative "established" (bebaiousthe) calls for active participation and intentional decision-making from the believer to truly make their faith firm and stable. This interplay of divine grace and human responsibility is a consistent theme in biblical theology. The juxtaposition of these rich images serves to show the comprehensive and robust nature of the life believers are to experience when fully surrendered to Christ, protecting them from the spiritual anemia offered by external philosophical systems or religious observances. The inclusion of "thanksgiving" also positions gratitude as a foundational element of spiritual maturity and a defense against the pride often associated with attempts to achieve spirituality through human effort or secret knowledge.

Colossians 2 7 Commentary

Colossians 2:7 is an imperative calling believers to steadfast and continuous spiritual growth exclusively in Christ. Paul employs vivid metaphors: "rooted" suggests vital connection, nourishment, and unwavering stability like a tree thriving with deep roots, implying an internal life-source. "Built up" pictures progressive spiritual maturity and structure, implying a strong, reliable external construction on a firm foundation. Both metaphors underscore Christ as the singular, all-sufficient source and foundation for true spiritual life and resilience. This growth is not mystical or arbitrary, but must be "established in the faith," specifically the sound, orthodox "faith as you have been taught" – referring to the authentic apostolic teaching concerning Christ, countering the new and deviant philosophies circulating in Colossae. The ultimate result and evidence of this process is "abounding in it with thanksgiving." "Abounding" indicates an overflowing, active, and joyful spiritual vitality, reflecting the richness received from Christ. "Thanksgiving" serves as the essential posture of a heart rooted and built in Christ, expressing gratefulness for His finished work and ongoing presence, effectively contrasting any self-righteousness or legalism associated with false teachings. It is a succinct instruction for believers to remain firm and grow robustly by continually relying on, affirming, and gratefully celebrating Christ’s supremacy and sufficiency as revealed through sound doctrine.