Colossians - 4:8



8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Colossians 4:8.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
whom I have sent you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts;
Whom I have sent to you for this same purpose, that he may know the things that concern you, and comfort your hearts,
whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that he might know your state, and that he might encourage your hearts:
Whom I have sent to you for the same purpose, that he may know your state, and comfort your hearts;
whom I did send unto you for this very thing, that he might know the things concerning you, and might comfort your hearts,
And for this very purpose I send him to you that you may know how we are faring; and that he may cheer your hearts.
And I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may have news of how we are, and so that he may give your hearts comfort;
I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts,
I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that he may know the things that concern you, and may console your hearts,
I send him to you expressly that you may learn our circumstances, and that he may give you encouragement.
Quem misi ad vos hac de causa, ut sciretis statum meum, et consolaretur corda vestra:

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

That he might know your estate - Instead of ἱνα γνῳ τα περι ὑμων, that He may know Your affairs, ABD*FG, many others, with the Ethiopic, Itala, Theodoret, and Damascenus, read ἱνα γνωτε τα περι ἡμων, that Ye may know Our affairs; which is probably the true reading. Tychicus was sent to them, not to know their affairs, but with Onesimus, to carry this epistle and make the apostle's state known to them, and comfort their hearts by the good news which he brought. The next verse confirms this meaning.

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose,.... That is, to relate to them his affairs both temporal and spiritual; and also,
that he might know your estate. The Arabic version renders it, "that I may know your estate" by him when he returned again; as whether they continued steadfast in the Gospel, and observed the order, ordinances, and discipline of it; how it prospered, and was succeeded among them, to their comfort and edification, and to the conversion of others; and what reception the false teachers had among them; and what love, concord, and harmony were among themselves; or what were their afflictions and distresses from their enemies. The Ethiopic version renders it, "that ye may know the history of me"; which agrees with a manuscript mentioned by Grotius, which reads, "that ye may know the things concerning us", as does the Alexandrian copy; and with Ephesians 6:22 where it is added, as here, and "comfort your hearts"; who might be greatly cast down upon hearing of the sufferings of the apostle, and also with those they themselves endured both from within and from without, from sin, Satan, and the world;
see on Gill Ephesians 6:22.

for the same purpose--Greek, "for this very purpose."
that he might know your estate--Translate, "that he may know your state": answering to Colossians 4:7. So one very old manuscript and Vulgate read. But the oldest manuscripts and the old Latin versions, "that YE may know OUR state." However, the latter reading seems likely to have crept in from Ephesians 6:22. Paul was the more anxious to know the state of the Colossians, on account of the seductions to which they were exposed from false teachers; owing to which he had "great conflict for" them (Colossians 2:1).
comfort your hearts--distressed as ye are by my imprisonment, as well as by your own trials.

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