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Selected Verse: Colossians 1:5 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Col 1:5	Strong Concordance	For [1223] the hope [1680] which [3588] is laid up [606] for you [5213] in [1722] heaven [3772], whereof [3739] ye heard before [4257] in [1722] the word [3056] of the truth [225] of the gospel [2098];
	King James	For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
For--to be joined with the words immediately preceding: "The love which ye have to all the saints because of (literally, 'on account of') the hope," &c. The hope of eternal life will never be in us an inactive principle but will always produce "love." This passage is abused by Romanists, as if the hope of salvation depended upon works. A false argument. It does not follow that our hope is founded on our works because we are strongly stimulated to live well; since nothing is more effectual for this purpose than the sense of God's free grace [CALVIN]. laid up--a treasure laid up so as to be out of danger of being lost (Ti2 4:8). Faith, love, and hope (Col 1:4-5), comprise the sum of Christianity. Compare Col 1:23, "the hope of the Gospel." in heaven--Greek, "in the heavens." whereof ye heard before--namely, at the time when it was preached to you. in the word, &c.--That "hope" formed part of "the word of the truth of the Gospel" (compare Eph 1:13), that is, part of the Gospel truth preached unto you.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

For--to be joined with the words immediately preceding: "The love which ye have to all the saints because of (literally, 'on account of') the hope," &c. The hope of eternal life will never be in us an inactive principle but will always produce "love." This passage is abused by Romanists, as if the hope of salvation depended upon works. A false argument. It does not follow that our hope is founded on our works because we are strongly stimulated to live well; since nothing is more effectual for this purpose than the sense of God's free grace [CALVIN].

laid up--a treasure laid up so as to be out of danger of being lost (Ti2 4:8). Faith, love, and hope (Col 1:4-5), comprise the sum of Christianity. Compare Col 1:23, "the hope of the Gospel."

in heaven--Greek, "in the heavens."

whereof ye heard before--namely, at the time when it was preached to you.

in the word, &c.--That "hope" formed part of "the word of the truth of the Gospel" (compare Eph 1:13), that is, part of the Gospel truth preached unto you.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven - That is, "I give thanks that there is such a hope laid up for you." The evidence which he had that this hope was theirs, was founded on the faith and love to the saints which he heard they had evinced. He fully believed that where there was such faith and love, there was a well-founded hope of heaven. The word "hope" here is used, as it often is, for the thing hoped for. The object of hope - to wit, eternal happiness, was reserved for them in heaven. Whereof ye heard before - When the gospel was first preached to you. You were told of the blessed rewards of a life of faith, in heaven. In the word of the truth of the gospel - In the true word of the gospel.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
For the hope (διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα) The A.V. connects with we give thanks (Col 1:3). But the two are too far apart, and Paul's introductory thanksgiving is habitually grounded on the spiritual condition of his readers, not on something objective. See Rom 1:8; Co1 1:4; Eph 1:15. Better connect with what immediately precedes, love which ye have, and render as Rev., because of the hope, etc. Faith works by love, and the ground of their love is found in the hope set before them. Compare Rom 8:24. The motive is subordinate, but legitimate. "The hope laid up in heaven is not the deepest reason or motive for faith and love, but both are made more vivid when it is strong. It is not the light at which their lamps are lit, but it is the odorous oil which feeds their flame" (Maclaren). Hope. See on Pe1 1:3. In the New Testament the word signifies both the sentiment of hope and the thing hoped for. Here the latter. Compare Tit 2:13; Gal 5:5; Heb 6:18; also Rom 8:24, where both meanings appear. Lightfoot observes that the sense oscillates between the subjective feeling and the objective realization. The combination of faith, hope, and love is a favorite one with Paul. See Th1 1:3; Co1 13:13; Rom 5:1-5; Rom 12:6-12. Laid up (ἀποκειμένην) Lit., laid away, as the pound in the napkin, Luk 19:20. With the derivative sense of reserved or awaiting, as the crown, Ti2 4:8. In Heb 9:27, it is rendered appointed (unto men to die), where, however, the sense is the same: death awaits men as something laid up. Rev., in margin, laid up for. Compare treasure in heaven, Mat 6:20; Mat 19:21; Luk 12:34. "Deposited, reserved, put by in store out of the reach of all enemies and sorrows" (Bishop Wilson). Ye heard before (προηκούσατε) Only here in the New Testament, not in Septuagint, and not frequent in classical Greek. It is variously explained as denoting either an undefined period in the past, or as contrasting the earlier Christian teaching with the later heresies, or as related to Paul's letter (before I wrote), or as related to the fulfillment of the hope (ye have had the hope pre-announced). It occurs several times in Herodotus in this last sense, as ii. 5, of one who has heard of Egypt without seeing it: v., 86, of the Aeginetans who had learned beforehand what the Athenians intended. Compare viii. 79; vi. 16. Xenophon uses it of a horse, which signifies by pricking up its ears what it hears beforehand. In the sense of mere priority of time without the idea of anticipation, Plato: "Hear me once more, though you have heard me say the same before" ("Laws," vii., 797). I incline to the more general reference, ye heard in the past. The sense of hearing before the fulfillment of the hope would seem rather to require the perfect tense, since the hope still remained unfulfilled. The word of the truth of the Gospel The truth is the contents of the word, and the Gospel defines the character of the truth.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Ye heard before - I wrote to you. In the word of truth, of the gospel - The true gospel preached to you.

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¹³ In [1722] whom [3739] ye [5210] also [2532] trusted, after that ye heard [191] the word [3056] of truth [225], the gospel [2098] of your [5216] salvation [4991]: in [1722] whom [3739] also [2532] after that ye believed [4100], ye were sealed with [4972] that holy [40] Spirit [4151] of promise [1860],

²³ If [1489] ye continue [1961] in the faith [4102] grounded [2311] and [2532] settled [1476], and [2532] be not [3361] moved away [3334] from [575] the hope [1680] of the gospel [2098], which [3739] ye have heard [191], and which [3588] was preached [2784] to [1722] every [3956] creature [2937] which is under [5259] heaven [3772]; whereof [3739] I [1473] Paul [3972] am made [1096] a minister [1249];

⁴ Since we heard [191] of your [5216] faith [4102] in [1722] Christ [5547] Jesus [2424], and [2532] of the love [26] which [3588] ye have to [1519] all [3956] the saints [40],
⁵ For [1223] the hope [1680] which [3588] is laid up [606] for you [5213] in [1722] heaven [3772], whereof [3739] ye heard before [4257] in [1722] the word [3056] of the truth [225] of the gospel [2098];

⁸ Henceforth [3063] there is laid up [606] for me [3427] a crown [4735] of righteousness [1343], which [3739] the Lord [2962], the righteous [1342] judge [2923], shall give [591] me [3427] at [1722] that [1565] day [2250]: and [1161] not [3756] to me [1698] only [3440], but [235] unto all them [3956] also [2532] that love [25] his [846] appearing [2015].

³⁴ For [1063] where [3699] your [5216] treasure [2344] is [2076], there [1563] will [2071] your [5216] heart [2588] be [2071] also [2532].

²¹ Jesus [2424] said [5346] unto him [846], If [1487] thou wilt [2309] be [1511] perfect [5046], go [5217] and sell [4453] that thou [4675] hast [5224], and [2532] give [1325] to the poor [4434], and [2532] thou shalt have [2192] treasure [2344] in [1722] heaven [3772]: and [2532] come [1204] and follow [190] me [3427].

²⁰ But [1161] lay up [2343] for yourselves [5213] treasures [2344] in [1722] heaven [3772], where [3699] neither [3777] moth [4597] nor [3777] rust [1035] doth corrupt [853], and [2532] where [3699] thieves [2812] do [1358] not [3756] break through [1358] nor [3761] steal [2813]:

²⁷ And [2532] as [2596] [3745] it is appointed [606] unto men [444] once [530] to die [599], but [1161] after [3326] this [5124] the judgment [2920]:

²⁰ And [2532] another [2087] came [2064], saying [3004], Lord [2962], behold [2400], here is thy [4675] pound [3414], which [3739] I have [2192] kept laid up [606] in [1722] a napkin [4676]:

⁶ Having [2192] then [1161] gifts [5486] differing [1313] according [2596] to the grace [5485] that is given [1325] to us [2254], whether [1535] prophecy [4394], let us prophesy according [2596] to the proportion [356] of faith [4102];
⁷ Or [1535] ministry [1248], let us wait on [1722] our ministering [1248]: or [1535] he that teacheth [1321], on [1722] teaching [1319];
⁸ Or [1535] he that exhorteth [3870], on [1722] exhortation [3874]: he that giveth [3330], let him do it with [1722] simplicity [572]; he that ruleth [4291], with [1722] diligence [4710]; he that sheweth mercy [1653], with [1722] cheerfulness [2432].
⁹ Let love [26] be without dissimulation [505]. Abhor [655] that which is evil [4190]; cleave [2853] to that which is good [18].
¹⁰ Be kindly affectioned [5387] one to another [1519] [240] with brotherly love [5360]; in honour [5092] preferring [4285] one another [240];
¹¹ Not [3361] slothful [3636] in business [4710]; fervent [2204] in spirit [4151]; serving [1398] the Lord [2962];
¹² Rejoicing [5463] in hope [1680]; patient [5278] in tribulation [2347]; continuing instant [4342] in prayer [4335];

¹ Therefore [3767] being justified [1344] by [1537] faith [4102], we have [2192] peace [1515] with [4314] God [2316] through [1223] our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547]:
² By [1223] whom [3739] also [2532] we have [2192] access [4318] by faith [4102] into [1519] this [5026] grace [5485] wherein [1722] [3739] we stand [2476], and [2532] rejoice [2744] in [1909] hope [1680] of the glory [1391] of God [2316].
³ And [1161] not [3756] only [3440] so, but [235] we glory [2744] in [1722] tribulations [2347] also [2532]: knowing [1492] that [3754] tribulation [2347] worketh [2716] patience [5281];
⁴ And [1161] patience [5281], experience [1382]; and [1161] experience [1382], hope [1680]:
⁵ And [1161] hope [1680] maketh [2617] not [3756] ashamed [2617]; because [3754] the love [26] of God [2316] is shed abroad [1632] in [1722] our [2257] hearts [2588] by [1223] the Holy [40] Ghost [4151] which [3588] is given [1325] unto us [2254].

¹³ And [1161] now [3570] abideth [3306] faith [4102], hope [1680], charity [26], these [5023] three [5140]; but [1161] the greatest [3187] of these [5130] is charity [26].

³ Remembering [3421] without ceasing [89] your [5216] work [2041] of faith [4102], and [2532] labour [2873] of love [26], and [2532] patience [5281] of hope [1680] in our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], in the sight [1715] of God [2316] and [2532] our [2257] Father [3962];

²⁴ For [1063] we are saved [4982] by hope [1680]: but [1161] hope [1680] that is seen [991] is [2076] not [3756] hope [1680]: for [1063] what [3739] a man [5100] seeth [991], why [5101] doth he [1679] yet [2532] hope for [1679]?

¹⁸ That [2443] by [1223] two [1417] immutable [276] things [4229], in [1722] which [3739] it was impossible [102] for God [2316] to lie [5574], we might have [2192] a strong [2478] consolation [3874], who [3588] have fled for refuge [2703] to lay hold [2902] upon the hope [1680] set before us [4295]:

⁵ For [1063] we [2249] through the Spirit [4151] wait for [553] the hope [1680] of righteousness [1343] by [1537] faith [4102].

¹³ Looking for [4327] that blessed [3107] hope [1680], and [2532] the glorious [1391] appearing [2015] of the great [3173] God [2316] and [2532] our [2257] Saviour [4990] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547];

³ Blessed [2128] be the God [2316] and [2532] Father [3962] of our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], which [3588] according to [2596] his [846] abundant [4183] mercy [1656] hath begotten [313] us [2248] again [313] unto [1519] a lively [2198] hope [1680] by [1223] the resurrection [386] of Jesus [2424] Christ [5547] from [1537] the dead [3498],

¹⁵ Wherefore [1223] [5124] I also [2504], after I heard [191] of [2596] your [5209] faith [4102] in [1722] the Lord [2962] Jesus [2424], and [2532] love [26] unto [1519] all [3956] the saints [40],

⁴ I thank [2168] my [3450] God [2316] always [3842] on [4012] your [5216] behalf [4012], for [1909] the grace [5485] of God [2316] which [3588] is given [1325] you [5213] by [1722] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547];

⁸ First [4412] [3303], I thank [2168] my [3450] God [2316] through [1223] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547] for [5228] you [5216] all [3956], that [3754] your [5216] faith [4102] is spoken [2605] of throughout [1722] the whole [3650] world [2889].

³ We give thanks [2168] to God [2316] and [2532] the Father [3962] of our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], praying [4336] always [3842] for [4012] you [5216],