# Interpretation of Colossians - Author: [Theodoret of Cyrus](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/theodoret-of-cyrus/) - Latin title: *Interpretatio in epistulam ad Colossenses* - Date: ca. 436-448 (approximate) - Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca 82 (Paris) - Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator - Editions and translations: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca 82 (Paris, 1864) - Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/ - Passages: 36 ## Colossians, preface - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/0/#p-0 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret sets out the occasion of Colossians, argues that Paul had already preached at Colossae, and explains the opening greeting and thanksgiving. ### Greek text Κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν Ἐφεσίοις καὶ Κολασσαεῦσιν ἔγραψεν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, τῷ θαυμασίῳ Τυχιχῷ διακόνῳ τῶν γραμμάτων χρησάμενος. Ἔγραψε δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς Ῥώμης, ἤδη τὸν πρῶτον διαφυγὼν κίνδυνον" καὶ δηλοῖ τῆς Ἐπιστολῆς τὸ προοίμῖον. Κοινωνὸν γὰν τῶν γραμμάτων τὸν τρισμακάριον Τιμόθεον ἐποιήσατο" ἡνίκα δὲ τὸν πρῶτον ἔσχε, ἐπὶ Νέρωνος, ἀγῶνα, οὐδεὶς αὐτῷ τῶν γνωρίμων συνῆν. Καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸς δεδήλωκεν ἐν τοῖς πρὸς Τιμόθεον γράμμασιν᾽ « Ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ μὲν ' ἀπολογίᾳ οὐδεὶς μοι συμπαρεγένετο. » Καὶ ὅτε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸ ἦν λοιπὸν τοῦ βίου τὸ τέρμα, οὐκ ἐν τῇ Ρώμῃ διῆγεν ὁ θεῖος Τιμόθεος, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐν τῇ ᾿Ἀσίᾳ. Καὶ τοῦτο διδάσκει σαφέστερον ἡ πρὸς αὐτὸν γραφεῖσα Β δευτέρα ἙἘπιστολή. Εἰρηκὼς γάρ" ε« Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σπένδομαι, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀναλύσεως ἐφ’ ἐστηκε » μετ᾽ ὀλίγα φησί" ε Σπούδασον ἐλθεῖν πρός με ταχέως. » Εἶτα ἐπάγει" ε« Τὸν φελώνην, ὃν ἀπἔλιπον ἐν Τρωάδι παρὰ Κάρπῳ, ἄγαγε μετὰ σεαυτοῦ, καὶ τὰ βιβλία, μάλιστα τὰς μεμβράνας. ν Τοὶς μέντοι φασὶ μηδέπω τοὺς Κολασσαεῖς τεθεαμένον τὸν θεῖον ᾿Απόστολον γράψαι πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὴν καὶ τοῦτο συνιστάνειν" ἐκ τῶν ῥητῶν ἐκείνων ἐπιχειροῦσι" « Θέλω γὰρ ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι ἡλίκον ἀγῶνα ἔχω περὶ ὑμῶν, καὶ τῶν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ, καὶ ὅσοι οὐκ ἑωράκασι " τὸ πρόσωπόν μον ἐν σαρκί. » “Εδει δὲ συνιδεῖν τῶν ῥητῶν τὴν διάνοιαν. Βούλεται γὰρ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Οὐ μόνον ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν μὴ τεθεαμένων με πολλὴν ἔχω φροντίδα. Εἰ γὰρ τῶν μὴ ἑωρακότων αὐτὸν μόνον τὴν μέριμναν περιέφερε, τῶν ἀπολαυσάντων αὐτοῦ τῆς θέας καὶ τῆς διδασκαλίας οὐδεμίαν ἔχει φροντίδα. Κατ᾽ ἐκείνην γὰρ τὴν διάνοιαν τοῦτό ἔστι νοῆσαι" ε« Ἡλίκον γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀγῶνα ἔχω περὶ ὑμῶν, καὶ τῶν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ, καὶ ὅσοι οὐκ ἑωράκασι τὸ πρόσωπόν μον ἐν σαρκί. » Δῆλον τοίνυν, ὡς οὐ περὶ αὐτῶν τοῦτο ἔφη, βεβαιῶσαι τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτοὺς βουληθεὶς ἐκεῖνο τέθεικεν, ὅτι «Οὐ μόνον ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν μηδέπω τεθεαμένων με πολλὴν ἔχω φροντίδα, » Ἐδίδαξε δὲ ἡμᾶς καὶ ὁ τρισμακάριος Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν, ὡς κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν διῆλθε τὴν Φρυγίαν καὶ τὴν Γαλατικὴν χώραν. Τῆς δὲ Φρυγίας αἱ Κολασσαί " μητρόπολις δὲ αὐτῆς καὶ γείτων, ἡ Λαοδίκεια. Πῶς τοίνυν οἷόν τε ἣν αὐτὸν ἀφικόμενον εἰς τὴν Φρυγίαν, τὸ θεῖον αὐταῖς μὴ προσενεγκεῖν Εὐαγγέλιον; Οὐδὲ εἴποι τις ἂν, ὡς ὑπὸ τῆς θείας ἐκωλύθησαν χάριτος τοῦτο πρᾶξσι. Περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ᾿Ασίας καὶ τῆς Βιθυνίας εἶπεν ὁ μακάριος Λουκᾶς χεχωλυχέναι αὐτοὺς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὰ ἅγιον " περὶ δέ γε τῆς Φρυγίας οὐδὲν τοιοὗτον ἔφη. ᾿Αλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν ὡς βούλεταί τις νοείτω " οὐδὲ γὰρ δογμάτων ποιεῖ διαφορὰν τὸ οὕτως ἥ ἐκείνως εἰπεῖν. Ἢ δὲ ὑπόθεσις τῆς Ἐπιστολῆς ἐστὶν αὕτη" Τινὲς τῶν ἐξ Ἰουδαίων πεπιστευκότων ἐξηπάτησαν, καὶ παρεσκεύασαν τούτους φυλάττειν τοῦ νόμου τὰ περιττά. Γέγραφε τοίνυν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, διδάσκων ὡς τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῖν ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς Ὑεγένηται χορηγός. Δείκνυσι δὲ καὶ τὸ τῆς οἶκονομίας μυστήριον πάντα λογισμὸν ὑπερβαῖνον ἀνθρώπινον, καὶ ὅτι κοινωνοὶ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ βασιλείας ἐσόμεθα, καὶ ὅτι τοῖς τελείοις αἱ νομικαὶ α'-τ΄. ε Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ ὃ Χριστοῦ διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ, καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφὸς, τοῖς ἐν Κολασσαὶς " ἁγίοις καὶ πιστοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ. Χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δ,» Ἐπειδὴ τοῖς ἐξαπατήσασιν ὑπαχθέντες τὴν νομικὴν ἠσπάσαντο πολιτείαν, ἀτελῆ, δὲ τοῦτό πρὸς σωτηρίαν ἐδείκνυ τοῦ Κυρίου τὴν παρουσίαν, ἀναγκαίως ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστόλους Χρισερῦ προσηγόρευσε. Προστέθεικε δὲ, διὰ ματος, διδάσκων ὡς καὶ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ τοῦτο συνδοκεῖ. Πάλιν μέντοι τὴν διὰ πρόθεσιν ἐπὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς τέθεικεν. ε Εὐκαριστοῦμεν " τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι, (δ΄.) ἀκούσαντες τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην τὴν εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους.» Τελειότητα αὐτοῖς μεμαρτύρηκε πίστει καὶ ἀγάπῃ λάμπειν αὐτοὺς εἰρηκώς " ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη πάσης ἔντο» λῆς πρακτικῆς περιεκτικῆ. Σύνηθες δὲ τῷ ᾿Αποστόλῳ μὲν υοποταῖς εὐφημίαις προλεαίνειν τὰς ἀκοὰς, εἶθ᾽ οὕτω τὴν προσήκουσαν προσφέρειν διδασκαλίαν. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν ἔφη τὸν Θεὸν ἀνυμνεῖν ταῖς προσευχαῖς ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει αὐτῶν τῇ περὶ τὸν Δεσπότην Χριστὸν, καὶ τῇ ἀγάπῃ, ἣν εἰς πάντας τοὺς ὁμοπίστους μενοι διετέλουν. ### English translation (Claude) [Argument.] At the same time the divine Apostle wrote to the Ephesians and the Colossians, using the admirable Tychicus as the minister of the letters. He wrote from Rome, having already escaped the first danger, and the opening of the letter shows this. For he made the thrice-blessed Timothy a partner in the letter; but when he had his first trial, under Nero, none of his acquaintances was with him. He himself made this plain in the letter to Timothy: “At my first defense no one stood by me.” And when the end of his life was at hand, the divine Timothy was not staying in Rome but rather in Asia. The second letter written to him teaches this more clearly. For having said, “For I am already being poured out, and the time of my departure has come,” a little later he says, “Make haste to come to me quickly.” Then he adds: “Bring with you the cloak that I left in Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.” Some, however, say that the divine Apostle wrote to the Colossians before he had ever seen them, and they try to establish this from these words: “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh.” But they ought to have observed the meaning of the words. For he means: I have great concern not only for you, but also for those who have not seen me. For if he carried concern only for those who had not seen him, he would have no concern for those who had enjoyed the sight of him and his teaching; for in that sense this is how one would have to understand “how great a struggle I have for you and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh.” It is plain, then, that he did not say this about them; wishing to confirm their situation, he set that down, meaning: “not only for you, but also for those who have not yet seen me, I have great concern.” The thrice-blessed Luke also taught us in the Acts that at that same time he passed through Phrygia and the Galatian region. Colossae is in Phrygia, and its metropolis and neighbor is Laodicea. How then could he have come into Phrygia and not brought them the divine gospel? Nor could anyone say that they were prevented by divine grace from doing this. For about Asia and Bithynia the blessed Luke said that the Holy Spirit had prevented them; but about Phrygia he said nothing of the kind. But let each understand this as he wishes; for to say it this way or that makes no difference to doctrine. The argument of the letter is this. Some of those who had believed from among the Jews had deceived them and induced them to keep the superfluous things of the law. The divine Apostle therefore wrote, teaching that Christ the Master has become the provider of our salvation. He shows also that the mystery of the economy surpasses all human reasoning, that we shall be sharers in Christ’s kingdom, and that for the perfect the observances of the law … “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy the brother, to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Since, led on by the deceivers, they had embraced the way of life of the law, while the coming of the Lord had shown it to be incomplete for salvation, he necessarily called himself an apostle of Christ. He added “by the will,” teaching that the God and Father also approves of this. Again, however, he used the preposition “through” of the Father. “We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints.” He bore witness to their perfection by saying that they shine with faith and love; for love embraces every commandment of practice. It is the Apostle’s custom first to smooth the ears with fitting praises, and then to offer the teaching that is needed. Here too, then, he said that in his prayers he hymns God for their faith in Christ the Master and for the love they continued to show to all who share their faith. ### Scripture references - Col 4:7: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Tim 4:16: quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 4:6: quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 4:9: quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 4:13: quotation, high confidence - Col 2:1: quotation, high confidence - Acts 16:6–7: allusion, high confidence - Acts 18:23: allusion, medium confidence - Col 1:1–4: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the argument (hypothesis) of the letter and the lemmas Col 1:1–2 and 1:3–4. Theodoret holds, against some, that Paul had visited Colossae (Acts 16:6; 18:23), reading Col 2:1 as “not only you but also those who have not seen me”; he leaves the question open. On “through the will of God” he notes that Paul uses “through” (διά) of the Father, against those who took the preposition to mark the Son as lesser. Words are lost after “the observances of the law” (marked …). Quotations: 2 Tim 4:16; 4:6, 9, 13; Col 2:1; 1:1–4. Latin of Migne’s parallel column and footnotes, read as Greek letters, and apparatus notes were removed; letters misread by the OCR (χ for κ, δ for β) were corrected; other slips are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. pref. (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/0). ## On Col 1:5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/0/#p-1-5 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains the hope laid up in heaven, the gospel's fruit and growth, and Paul's praise of Epaphras. ### Greek text ε΄. « Διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τὴν ἀποκειμένην ὑμῖν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. » Ταῦτα δὲ, φησὶ, ποιεῖτε προθύμως, τὴν εὑτρεπισμένην ὑμῖν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν διὰ τῶν τῆς πίστεως ὀφθαλμῶν θεωροῦντες. « Ἣν πρηηχούσατε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, (ς".) τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς, καθὼς καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ. ν Ταύτην δὲ ὑμῖν τὸ θεῖον Εὐαγγέλιον ἀπαγγέλλεται 7. οὐκ ὑμῖν δὲ μόνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις. Εἶτα δείκνυσι καὶ τοῦ κηρύγματος τὴν ἰσχύν - «ε Καὶ ἔστι καρποφορούμενον καὶ αὐξανόμενον, καθὼς καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἡμέρας ἢκούσατε καὶ ἐπέγνωτε τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείχ. » Καρποφορίαν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου κέκληκε τὴν πίστιν τῶν ἀκηκοότων καὶ τὴν ἐπαινουμένην πολιτείαν" αὔξησιν δὲ, τῶν πιστευόντων τὸ πλῆθος. ζ, η΄. «Καθὼς καὶ ἐμάθετε παρὰ Ἑπαφρᾶ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ συνδούλου ἡμῶν, ὃς ἔστι πιστὸς ὁπὲρ ὑμῶν διάκονος τοῦ Χριστοῦ" ὁ καὶ δηλώσας ἡμῖν τὴν ὑμῶν ἀγάπην ἐν πνεύματι.» Πολίτης αὐτῶν ὁ ἀξιέπαινος ὁ ᾿Επαφρᾶς φημι. Εἰς δὲ τὴν Ῥώμην παραγενόμενος, ἐδίδαξε τὸν θεῖον ᾿Απόστολον, καὶ τὴν θερμὴν αὐτῶν περὶ τὸν Κύριον πίστιν, καὶ τὴν γενομένην παρά τινος ἐξαπάτην. Πολλοῖς δὲ αὐτὸν ἐκόσμησεν ἐγκωμίοις, ἀγαπητὸν, καὶ σύνδουλον, καὶ πιστὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ διάκονον ἀποκαλέσας, ἕνα αὑτοῖς πλείονος αἰδοῦς ἀξιώτερος γένηται. "Ἔφη δὲ αὑτοὺς παρὰ τούτου μεμαθηκέναι τὸν πανταχοῦ γενόμενον τοῦ κηρύγματος δρόμον, καὶ τῶν ἐν ἑκάστῳ ἔθνει πεπιστευκότων πλῆθος. ### English translation (Claude) “Because of the hope laid up for you in the heavens.” You do these things eagerly, he says, beholding with the eyes of faith the kingdom of heaven prepared for you. “Of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as also in all the world.” The divine gospel announces this to you, and not to you alone but to all people. Then he shows also the strength of the preaching: “And it is bearing fruit and growing, as also among you, since the day you heard and came to know the grace of God in truth.” He called the faith of the hearers and their praiseworthy conduct the fruit-bearing of the gospel, and the multitude of believers its growth. “As you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, who also made known to us your love in the Spirit.” The praiseworthy Epaphras, I mean, was their fellow citizen. Having come to Rome, he informed the divine Apostle both of their fervent faith in the Lord and of the deceit practiced by someone. He adorned him with many praises, calling him beloved, fellow servant, and faithful minister of Christ, so that he might be held worthy of greater respect by them. And he said that they had learned from him of the course the preaching had run everywhere and of the multitude of believers in every nation. ### Scripture references - Col 1:5–8: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 1:5a, 1:5b–6a, 1:6b, and 1:7–8. Latin of Migne’s parallel column, read as Greek letters, was removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 1.5 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/1-5). ## On Col 1:9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/0/#p-1-9 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains Paul's prayer that the Colossians grow in the knowledge of God's will and his thanks for their share in the light of the saints. ### Greek text θ΄. ε Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἡμέρας ἡχούδαμεν, οὗ παυόμεθα ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι, καὶ αἰτούμενοι ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὑτοῦ. » Ταῦτα δὲ περὶ ὑμῶν παρὰ τοῦ ὑμετέρου διδασκάλου μεμαθηκότες, ἀπαύστως τὸν θεὸν ἱκετεύομεν τελείαν ὑμῖν παρασχεῖν τοῦ οἰκείου θελήματος τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἡνίξατο, ὡς ἀτελῆ τἀύτην ἔχουσι ταῖς νομικαῖς ἀκολουθοῦντες πάρατη- « Ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει αὐευμαινῃ ᾿ (..) περιπατῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἀξίως τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς πᾶταν ἀρέσκειαν. » Λίτοῦμεν δὲ τῆς πνευματικῆς ὑμᾶς ἐμπλησθῆναι σοφίας, ἵνα πάντα τὰ ἀρέσκοντα τῷ « Ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ καρποφοροῦντες, καὶ ἁὐξανόμενοι εἰς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, (ἰα’.) ἐν κάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι κατὰ τὸ κράτος ἑῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ, εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν μετὰ χαρᾶς. » Ἵνα τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων προσφέρητε χῷ Θεῷ τοὺς καρποὺς, καὶ τῆς γνώσεως αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπίδοσιν ἐπιδείχνυσθε, καὶ τῇ θείᾳ ῥοπῇ χρατυνόμένοι ἑδραῖοι μένητε, μετ᾽ εὐθυμίας φέροντες τῶν ἐναντίων τὰς τρικυμίας. Τὴν γὰρ ὑπομορὴν ἐπὶ τῶν ἐναντίων τέθεικε " ταύτης γὰρ᾽ χρήξομέν ὑπὸ τῶν (8. « Εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ, τῷ ἱχαγώσαντὶ ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί. ν» Ὑμνοῦμεν δὲ τὸν φιλάνθρωπον Δεσπότην, ὅτι ἡμᾶς ἀναξίους ὄντας κοινωνοὺς ἀπέφηνε τοῦ τῶν ἁγίων ψωτός. Πάλιν μέντοι τῷ σχῆματι τῆς εὐχαριστίας, τῆς θείας φιλανθρωπίας τὸ ἄῤῥητον, καὶ τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς οἰκονομίας τὸ μέγεθος δείκνυσιν. ### English translation (Claude) “For this reason we too, since the day we heard, do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will.” Having learned these things about you from your teacher, we unceasingly entreat God to give you perfect knowledge of his own will. Here he hinted that they have this knowledge in an imperfect form, since they follow the observances of the law. “In all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so as to walk worthily of the Lord, pleasing him in all things.” We ask that you be filled with spiritual wisdom, so that all the things pleasing to … “Bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all power according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and patience with joy.” So that you may offer God the fruits of good works and show progress in the knowledge of him, and, strengthened by divine aid, may remain firm, bearing cheerfully the storms raised by your opponents. For he used “endurance” with reference to the opponents; for we shall need it against the … of … “Giving thanks to God the Father, who has made us fit for the share of the inheritance of the saints in light.” We hymn the Master who loves humankind, because he made us, unworthy as we are, sharers in the light of the saints. Again, in the form of thanksgiving, he shows the inexpressible love of God for humankind and the greatness of his economy toward us. ### Scripture references - Col 1:9–12: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 1:9, 1:10a, 1:10b–11, and 1:12. Words are lost in the scan after “pleasing to” and after “against the” (marked …). Latin of Migne’s parallel column, read as Greek letters, was removed; other slips are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 1.9 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/1-9). ## On Col 1:10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/0/#p-1-10 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that the Son of God's love is the true and beloved Son, through whom we have redemption and forgiveness in baptism. ### Greek text τ. ε Ὃς ἐῤῥύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότοὺς, καὶ μετέστησεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὑτοῦ. » ᾿Εξουσίαν σκότους, τοῦ διαβόλου τὴν δυναστείαν ἐκάλεσεν. Υἱὸν δὲ ἀγάπης τὸν Δεσκότην Χριστὸν προσηγόρευσε " διδάσκων ὅτι οὐκ ὡς κτίσμα καὶ δοῦλος, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς Υἱὸς ἀγαπᾶται. Οὐ γὰρ ἀγάπης Υἱὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ἀγαπητὸς Υἱὸς, τουτέστι Ὑνήσιος " οὕτω γὰρ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ ὠνομάζετο. ε Λάβε Ὑὰρ, ἔφη, τὸν υἱόν σου τὸν ἀγαπητὸν, » ἀντὶ τοῦ Ὑνήσιον, τὸν τῶν ἄλλων σοι τιμιώτατον. Τοῦ σκότους τοίνυν, φησὶν, ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσας, τῆς τοῦ Υἱοῦ βα-. σιλείας ἠξίωσε, Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Τιμόθεον ἔφη" « Εἰ ὑπομένωμεν, καὶ συμβασιλεύσομεν. » ιδ΄, « Ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν διὰ " τοῦ αἷἴ- 'μᾶτος, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν. » Οὐ γὰρ ὁ γόμος, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς, ἐψ:οὔ νόμον νομοθέτης, ταύτην ἡμῖν διὰ τοῦ σωτηρίου βαπτίσματος ἐδωρήσατο, Ταῦτα εἰρηκὼς, καὶ θεολογίας ἅπτεται, καὶ δείχγυσιν αὐτὸν τῶν ἁπάντων δημιουργόν. ### English translation (Claude) “Who rescued us from the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love.” He called the dominion of the devil the “authority of darkness.” And he called Christ the Master “Son of love,” teaching that he is loved not as a creature and a slave but as a Son. For it means not “son of love” but “beloved Son,” that is, genuine; for so too Isaac was named. “Take,” he said, “your beloved son,” instead of “your genuine son, the most precious to you of all.” Having freed us from darkness, then, he says, he counted us worthy of the kingdom of the Son. He said this also in the letter to Timothy: “If we endure, we shall also reign with him.” “In whom we have the redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” For it was not the law but Christ the Master, the lawgiver of the law, who gave us this through saving baptism. Having said this, he also touches on theology and shows him to be the creator of all things. ### Scripture references - Col 1:13–14: quotation, high confidence - Gen 22:2: quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 2:12: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 1:13 and 1:14, not Col 1:10. Quotations: Gen 22:2; 2 Tim 2:12. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 1.10 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/1-10). ## On Col 1:15 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/0/#p-1-15 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret argues that Christ, the image of the invisible God, shares the Father's being, and that "firstborn of all creation" means begotten before creation, not a creature. ### Greek text ιε΄. ς« Ὅς" ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου. » Ἐναργεῖς γὰρ φέρει τοῦ γεγεννηκότος τοὺς χαρακτῆρας. Τοῦτό ἔστι τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸς τὸν Φίλἶππὸν εἰρημένον " « Ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ ἑώρακε καὶ τὸν Πατέρα. » Καὶ ᾿Αδὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε κατὰ τὴν εἰκόνα αὑτοῦ, τουτέστι κατὰ πάντα αὐτῷ ἑοϊκότα, Ἔστε τοίνυν εἰκὼν δηλοῦσα τὸ ὁμοούσιον. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄψυχοι εἰκόνες οὐκ ἔχουσι τὴν οὐσίαν τούτων ὧνπερ εἰκόνες εἰσίν - ἡ δὲ ζῶσα εἰκὼν, καὶ τὸ ἀπαράλλακτον ἔχουσα, τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει φύσιν τῷ ἀρχετύπῳ. ε Πρωτότοκος ᾽6 πάσης κτίσεως, » Εἰ μονογενὴς, πῶς πρωτότοκος; εἰ πρῳτότοκος, πῶς μονογενής; ᾿Αλλὰ μὴν μονογενὴς ἐν τοῖς θείοις Εὐαγγελίοις ὠνόμασται. Πρωτότοκος τοίνυν ἐστὶ τῆς κτίσεως, οὐκ ὡς ἀδελφὴν ἔχων τὴν κτίσιν ἀλλ᾽ ὡς πρὸ πάσης κτίσεως γεννηθείς. Πῶς γὰρ οἷόν τε καὶ ἀδελφὸν εἶναι τῆς κτίσεως καὶ δημιουργόν; Εἰ γὰρ, κατὰ τὸν τῶν αἱρετικῶν λόγον, κτίσμα ἐστὶν, ἀδελφὴν ἔχει τὴν γτίσιν. Οὐκ οἷόν τε δὲ κατὰ ταυτὸν ταύτης αὐτὸν καὶ ἀδελφὸν εἶναι καὶ δημιουργόν " δημιουργὸν δὲ αὐτὸν ἡ θεία καλεῖ Γραφή εἰ δὲ δημιουργὸς, οὐκ ἄρα καὶ ἀδελφός " εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἀδελφὸς, οὐ κτίσμα. "Αλλως τε οὐδὲ πρωπόχτιστον αὐτὸν εἶπεν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, ἀλλὰ πρωτότοκον, τουτέστι, πρῶτον. Οὕτω καὶ πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν " πρῶτος γὰρ ἀνέστη. Οὕτω καὶ Ἐκκλησίαν πρωτοτόκων τὸν τῶν ἁγίων σύλλογον ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος προσηγόρευσεν " οὐκ ἐπειδὴ φύσει πάντες ἕλυσαν πρῶτοι τὰς τῶν μητέρων ὠδῖνας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ πλείων τις ἀφώριστο τοῖς πρωτοτόκοις κατὰ τὸν νόμον τιμὴ, τὸ τίμιον αὑτῶν διὰ τῆσδε τῆς προσηγορίας δεδήλωκεν. Ὅτι δὲ ὁ Μονογενὴς οὐ τῆς κτίσεως ἀδελφὸς, ἀλλὰ τῆς κτίσεως ὑπάρχει ποιητὴς, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς διδάσκει" ### English translation (Claude) “Who is the image of the invisible God.” For he bears clear marks of the one who begot him. This is what was said by the Lord to Philip: “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” And Adam begot according to his own image, that is, one like him in every respect. The image, then, signifies the sameness of being. For lifeless images do not have the being of those of whom they are images; but the living image, which also has exact likeness, has the same nature as the archetype. “The firstborn of all creation.” If he is only-begotten, how is he firstborn? If firstborn, how only-begotten? Yet he is named only-begotten in the divine Gospels. He is firstborn of creation, then, not as having creation as a sister, but as begotten before all creation. For how could one be both brother and creator of creation? For if, as the heretics say, he is a creature, he has creation as his sister. But one cannot at the same time be both its brother and its creator; and divine Scripture calls him creator. If, then, he is creator, he is not a brother; and if not a brother, not a creature. Besides, the divine Apostle did not call him first-created but firstborn, that is, first. So also he is “firstborn from the dead,” for he rose first. So also the divine Apostle called the assembly of the saints “the church of the firstborn,” not because all of them by nature were the first to loose their mothers’ birth pangs, but because a greater honor was set apart for the firstborn under the law; by this title he showed how precious they are. That the Only-begotten is not the brother of creation but its maker, what follows also teaches: ### Scripture references - Col 1:15: quotation, high confidence - John 14:9: quotation, high confidence - Gen 5:3: allusion, high confidence - Col 1:18: quotation, high confidence - Heb 12:23: quotation, high confidence - John 1:14: allusion, low confidence ### Translation notes - Lemma Col 1:15. Theodoret reads “image” as signifying sameness of being (τὸ ὁμοούσιον) and argues against those who made the Son a creature (the Arians); translated as written. Quotations: John 14:9; Gen 5:3; Col 1:18; Heb 12:23. Latin of Migne’s parallel column, footnotes, and apparatus, read as Greek letters, were removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 1.15 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/1-15). ## On Col 1:16 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/0/#p-1-16 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that the Son created all things visible and invisible, including the angelic powers, renews them through his incarnation, and exists before all things. ### Greek text ις΄. ε Ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ "' ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα. ν» Ποῖα; « Τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα. ν Καὶ ἐπειδή ἔστι καὶ ἐν οὐρανοῖς ὁρατὰ, ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη, καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες, διδάσκει σαφέστερον τίνα καλεῖ οὐράνια, εἴτε ὁρατὰ, εἴτε ἀόρατα. Εἶτα ὡς τῶν ὁρατῶν δήλων ἅπασιν ὄντων, καὶ παρὰ τοῦ θειοτάτου Μωσέως πάντων μὲμαθηκότων, ὅτι τούτων ἐστὶ ποιητὴς ὁ Θεὸς, ταῦτα καταλιπὼν, τὸν τῶν ἀοράτων κατάλογον διεξέρχεται, « Εἴτε Θρόνοι, εἴτε Κυριότητες, εἴτε ᾿Αρκαὶ, εἴτε Ἐξουσίαι " τὰ πάντα δι᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἕκτισται. » Θρόγους ἡγοῦμαι τὰ Χερουβὶμ, αὐτὸν λέγειν᾽ τούτοις γὰρ εἶδε τὸν θεῖον ἐπικείμενον θρόνον ὁ προφήτης Ἰεζεχιήλ Κυριότητας δὲ, καὶ ᾿Αρχὰς, καὶ ᾿Εξουσίας, τοὺς τῶν ἐθνῶν πεπιστευ μένους τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν. Καὶ γὰρ Μιχαὴλ ἦρχε τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ ὁ μακάριος Δανιὴλ ἄρχοντα λέγει Περσῶν, καὶ ἄρχοντα Ἑλλήνων. Τὸ δὲ, Πάντα δι᾽ αὑτοῦ ἔκτισται, τὴν πρώτην δημιουργίαν δηλοῖ, Τὸ δὲ, εἰς αὐτὸν, τὴν διὰ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως αὐτοῦ γενομένην ἐνέργειαν. «Εἴ τις γὰρ ἐν Χριστῷ, φησὶ, καινὴ κτίσις. » Καὶ πάλιν’ « ᾿Ανακεφαλαιώσασθαι τὰ πάντα ἐν τῷ "5 Χριστῷ.» Καὶ ὁ Προφήτης " « Ἔσται ὁ οὐρανὸς καινὸς, καὶ ἡ γῆ καινή. » Καί ε Τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν, ἰδοὺ γέγονε τὰ πάντα καινά. » Ἐν ἐλπίσι δὲ ἔχομεν τὴν τούτων. μεταβολήν. « Καὶ αὐτὴ γὰρ ἡ κτίσις ἐλευθεν ρωθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέχνων τοῦ Θεοῦ. » Ὅτι δὲ ἐνταῦθα τὸ πρωτότοκος ὄνομα τὸ πρῶτον δηλοῖ, «ἃ ἑξῆς ἡμᾶς διδάτχει" ιζ΄, « Καὶ αὐτός ἐστι πρὸ πάντων. » Οὐκ εἶπεν, Αὐτὸς ἐγένετο πρὸ πάντων, ἀλλ᾽, Αὐτός ἐστι πρὸ πάντων. « Καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν. » Οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἐστὶν ἁπάντων δημιουργὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ προμηθεῖται ὧν ἐποίησε, καὶ κυβερνᾷ τὴν κτίσιν, καὶ διὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ σοφίαν καὶ δύναμιν ἕστηκε, ### English translation (Claude) “For in him all things were created.” What things? “Things in the heavens and things on the earth, visible and invisible.” And since there are visible things in the heavens too, such as the sun, the moon, and the stars, he teaches more clearly which heavenly things he means, whether visible or invisible. Then, since the visible things are plain to all, and all have learned from the most divine Moses that God is their maker, he leaves these aside and goes through the list of the invisible: “Whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities: all things were created through him and for him.” By “thrones” I think he means the cherubim, for the prophet Ezekiel saw the divine throne resting on them; and by “dominions,” “rulers,” and “authorities,” those entrusted with the care of the nations. For Michael ruled the Jews, and the blessed Daniel speaks of a ruler of the Persians and a ruler of the Greeks. “All things were created through him” shows the first creation; “for him,” the work that came about through his incarnation. “For if anyone is in Christ,” he says, “he is a new creation.” And again: “To sum up all things in Christ.” And the prophet: “The heaven will be new and the earth new.” And: “The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” We hold their change in hope. “For the creation itself will be set free from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” That here the name “firstborn” means “first,” what follows teaches us: “And he is before all things.” He did not say, “He came to be before all things,” but, “He is before all things.” “And all things hold together in him.” For he is not only the creator of all things but also provides for what he made, steers creation, and it stands firm through his wisdom and power. ### Scripture references - Col 1:16–17: quotation, high confidence - Ezek 10:1: allusion, medium confidence - Dan 10:13: allusion, high confidence - Dan 10:20–21: allusion, high confidence - 2 Cor 5:17: quotation, high confidence - Eph 1:10: quotation, high confidence - Isa 65:17: quotation, medium confidence - Rom 8:21: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 1:16a, 1:16b, 1:16c, 1:17a, and 1:17b. Quotations: 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 1:10; Isa 65:17; Rom 8:21; allusions to Ezek 10:1 and Dan 10:13, 20–21. Marginal letters were removed; letters misread by the OCR (χ for κ, δ for β) were corrected. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 1.16 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/1-16). ## On Col 1:18 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/0/#p-1-18 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that Christ is head of the church according to his humanity and firstborn from the dead as the first to rise. ### Greek text ιη΄. « Καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. » ᾿Απὸ τῆς θεολογίας εἰς τὴν οἰκονομίαν μετέβη. Κεφαλὴ γὰρ ἡμῶν κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον" ὁμοούσιος δὲ ἡ κεφαλὴ τῷ σώματι " οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς ἡμῖν ὡς ἄνθρωπος ὁμοούσιος. « Ὅς ἐστιν ἀρχή.» ᾿Αντὶ τοῦ, πρῶτος ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγήγερται. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπάγει " ε Πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν "5. » Πρῶτος γὰρ τὰς ὠδῖνας ἔλυσε τοῦ θανάτου. Αἰνίττεται δὲ ὁ λόγος καὶ τὴν πάντων ἡμῶν ἀνάστατιν. « Ἵνα γένηται ἂν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων.» Καὶ γὰρ ὡς Θεὸς, πρὸ πάντων ἐστὶ, καὶ σὺν τῷ Πατρί ἐστι - καὶ ὡς ἄνθρωπος, πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ τοῦ σώματὸς κεφαλή. ### English translation (Claude) “And he is the head of the body, the church.” From theology he passed to the economy. For he is our head according to his humanity; and the head is of the same being as the body; so he too, as man, is of the same being as we are. “Who is the beginning.” That is, he has been raised first from the dead. For he adds this: “the firstborn from the dead.” For he was the first to loose the pangs of death. The word also hints at the resurrection of us all. “That in all things he might be preeminent.” For as God he is before all things and is with the Father; and as man he is firstborn from the dead and head of the body. ### Scripture references - Col 1:18: quotation, high confidence - Acts 2:24: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 1:18a, 1:18b, 1:18c, and 1:18d. Allusion to Acts 2:24. Apparatus notes and Latin of Migne’s parallel column, read as Greek letters, were removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 1.18 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/1-18). ## On Col 1:19 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/0/#p-1-19 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains the reconciliation of all things through Christ's blood, the Colossians' share in it, and Paul's sufferings that complete what remained of Christ's afflictions by preaching to the Gentiles. ### Greek text ιθ΄. ε« Ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησε πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι. » Πλήρωμα τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἐφεσίους ἐκάλεσεν, ὡς τῶν θείων χαρισμάτων πεπληρωμένων. Ταύτην ἔφη εὐδοκῆσαι τὸν Θεὸν ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ κατοικῇσαι, τουτέστιν αὐτῷ “συνῆφθαι, ὑπὸ τὴν αὑτοῦ σκέπην εἶναι, τοῖς αὐτοῦ γόμοις ἀκολουθεῖν. χ', ε Καὶ δι᾽ αὑτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν. » Λέγει δὲ καὶ τῆς καταλλαγῆς τὸν τρόπον. « Εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ, εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῇ: γῆς, εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. » Αὐτὸς ἐπραγματεύσατο τὰς ἡμετέρας κατο αλλαγὰς, τὸ σωτήριον ὑπομείνας πάθος, καὶ τὸ αἷμα ἐκχέας, καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡ κῶν θυτίαν προσενεγκὼν, καὶ συνῆψε τοῖς ἐπιγείοις τὰ ἐπουράνια. ᾿Απεστρέφοντο γὰρ ἡμᾶς καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων οἱ δῆμοι, διὰ τὴν πολλὴν πονηρίαν. Τούτου χάριν καὶ τεχθέντος χορὸν συστησάμενοι τῷ Θεῷ τὸν ὕμνον προσέφερον, λέγοντες " « Δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις Θεῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη, ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία. ν» Οὕτω τὰ κοινῇ πᾶσιν παρασχεθέντα διηγητάμενος ἀγαθὰ, πρὸς αὑτοὺς μεταφέρει τὸν λόγον, καί φησι" χα’, κβ', «Καὶ ὑμᾶς ποτε ὄντας ἀπηλλοτριωμένου;, καὶ ἐχθροὺς τῇ διανοίᾳ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς. Νυνὶ δὲ ἀποκατήλλαξεν ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὑτοῦ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου παραστῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἁγίους, καὶ ἀμώμους, καὶ ἀνεγκλήτους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ. ν» ᾿Απὸ τῶν ὑμετέρων σκοπήσατε τὰ κοινά. Καὶ γὰρ ὑμεῖς πονηρίᾳ καὶ δυσσεβείᾳ συζῶντες, καὶ τοῦ τῆς θεο- ᾿κῷ Θεῷ, οὐ τοῦ νόμου τοῦτο ὑμῖν δωρησαμένου τὰ δῶρον, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ τὸ ὑμέτερον ἀποδεδωκότος χρέος, καὶ παραδεδωκότος τῷ θανάτῳ τὸ σῶμα - ὥστε ὑμᾶς ἀξιωθέντας τῆς κλήσεως ἁγίους καὶ μώμου παντὸς ἐλευθέρους ἀποφανθῆναι. Εἶτα καὶ αἰνίττεται τὴν γενομένην παῤατροπὴν, καὶ δεχγ'. «Εἴγε ἐπιμένετε τῇ πίστει τεθεμελιωμένοι, καὶ ἐδραῖοι, καὶ μὴ μετακινούμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, οὗ ἠκούσατε. ν» Ἔσεαθε δὲ ἅγιοι, καὶ ἄμωμοι, καὶ ἀνέγχλητοι ἐπιμένοντες οἷς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐδιδάχθητε, καὶ τὴν προσενεχθεῖσαν ὑμῖν διδασκαλίαν βεβαίαν φυλάττοντες. ᾿Ε.1πίδα δὲ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τὴν ἀνάστασιν καλεῖ, καὶ τὴν ζωὴν τὴν ἀθάνατον, καὶ τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν. Εἶτα διδάσκει ὡς οὐκ αὐτοῖς μόνοις, ἀλλὰ πᾶσι προσηνέχθη τὸ κήρῦγμα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. « Τοῦ κηρυχθέντος ἐν πάσῃ πῇ κτίσει τῇ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν, οὗ ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ Παῦλος διάκονος. » Αὐτὸς γὰρ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐπιστεύθη τὴν γεωργίαν. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἂν εἶπεν, εἴπερ αὐτοὺς ἀληθῶς οὐκ ἐθεάσατο πώποτε. Εἰ γὰρ τῶν ἐθνῶν, φησὶ, … κῆρυξ, τί δήποτε ἡμῶν κατεφρόνησας, καὶ τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν ἡμῖν διδασκαλίαν οὐ προσενήνοχας; Καὶ τὰ ἐπαγόμενα δὲ τῆς αὐτῆς ἔχεται διανοίας. κδ΄. ε Νῦν καίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ",, » Πῶς γὰρ εἶχε λόγον, τὸν μὴ τεθεαμένον αὐτοὺς, μηδὲ τὴν πνευματικὴν διδασκαλίαν προσενεγχόντα, διαῤῥήδην λέγειν ὡς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν τοὺς διαφόρους ὑπομένει κινδύνους; « Καὶ ἀνταναπληρῶ τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ὑπὲρ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ Ἐκκλησία. » Καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας κατεδέξατο θάνατον, καὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ τὴν ἀτιμίαν, καὶ τὰς ἐπὶ κόῤῥης πληγὰς, καὶ τὰς κατὰ τοῦ νώτου μάστιγας, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὅσα ὑπέμεινε" καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος ὡσαύτως ὑπὲρ αὑτῆς ὑπέστη τὰ ποικίλα παθήματα, καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡδονῆς ὑπέστη. Καίρω γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν. “Βδει γὰρ τὴν δὲ ἔφη τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὡς τὸ λειπόμενον πληρῶν, καὶ τῶν ὑπὲρ τούτου προ ἀνεχόμενος. Ἐλείπετο δὲ τὸ κηρύξαι τοῖς ἔθνεσι, καὶ δεῖξαι τῆς σωτηρίας τὸν μεγαλόδωρον χορηγόν. ### English translation (Claude) “For in him he was pleased that all the fullness should dwell.” In the letter to the Ephesians he called the church “fullness,” as filled with the divine gifts. He said that God was pleased that she should dwell in Christ, that is, be joined to him, be under his protection, and follow his laws. “And through him to reconcile all things to him.” He tells also the manner of the reconciliation: “Having made peace through the blood of his cross, through him, whether things on earth or things in the heavens.” He himself brought about our reconciliation, undergoing the saving passion, pouring out his blood, and offering the sacrifice for us; and he joined the heavenly things to the earthly. For even the hosts of angels turned away from us because of our great wickedness. That is why, when he was born, they formed a choir and offered the hymn to God, saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men.” Having thus related the good things granted to all in common, he turns his discourse to them and says: “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in mind in your evil works, he has now reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.” Consider the common blessings from your own case. For you too, living in wickedness and impiety, and [estranged] from the knowledge of God, … to God, not the law giving you this gift, but Christ the Master paying your debt and handing over his body to death, so that you, counted worthy of the calling, are shown to be holy and free from every blemish. Then he hints also at the turning aside that had occurred, and … “If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not shifted from the hope of the gospel which you heard.” You will be holy and blameless and above reproach if you remain in what you were taught from the beginning and keep firm the teaching offered to you. He calls the resurrection, the immortal life, and the kingdom of heaven the “hope of the gospel.” Then he teaches that the preaching was offered not to them alone but to all people: “Which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.” For he was entrusted with the cultivation of the Gentiles. He would not have said this if he had truly never seen them. For if [he was the herald] of the Gentiles, they would say, … “Herald, why did you despise us and not offer us the gospel teaching?” And what follows holds the same sense: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you.” For how would it make sense for one who had not seen them, nor offered them spiritual teaching, to say outright that he undergoes various dangers for them? “And I fill up what is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for the sake of his body, which is the church.” Christ the Master accepted death for the church, and the dishonor of the cross, the blows on the cheek, the scourges on the back, and all else that he endured; and the divine Apostle likewise underwent various sufferings for her, and underwent them with pleasure. For “I rejoice,” he says, “in my sufferings for you.” … He said “what is lacking of the afflictions of Christ” as one filling up what remained, and bearing … for this. What remained was to preach to the Gentiles and to show them the munificent provider of salvation. ### Scripture references - Col 1:19–24: quotation, high confidence - Eph 1:23: allusion, high confidence - Luke 2:14: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 1:19 through 1:24. Words are lost in the scan after “from the knowledge of God,” after “and …” before 1:23, after “the Gentiles, they would say,” after “For it was necessary” (ἔδει γὰρ τὴν…), and after “bearing” (marked …). Theodoret again argues that Paul had seen the Colossians. Quotations: Luke 2:14; allusion to Eph 1:23. Latin of Migne’s parallel column, read as Greek letters, was removed; letters misread by the OCR were corrected or translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 1.19 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/1-19). ## On Col 1:25 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/0/#p-1-25 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains Paul's ministry as steward of the mystery long hidden and now revealed to the Gentiles, through which Christ, not the law, makes people perfect. ### Greek text κε΄. ε Ἧς ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ διάκονος κατὰ τὴν οἶκονομίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς, πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ. » Τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐνεπιστεύθην τὴν σωτηρίαν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ κηρύγματος ἐνεχειρίσθην διακονίαν, ὥστε πάντας ὑμᾶς τῖς θείας ἐμπλῆσαι διδασκαλίας, Τὸ γὰρ, ὑμᾶς, οὐκ ( αὑτοὺς λέγει μόνους, ἀλλὰ τοὺς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην πιστούς. Δῆλον τοίνυν κάντευθεν, ὡς θεασάμενος αὐτοὺς ἔγραψε τὴν 'Ἐπιστολήν" εἰ γὰρ καὶ αὑτοὺς ἐνεχειρίσθη, οὐκ ἂν αὐτοὺς παρέδραμεν, εἰς τὴν Φρυγίαν παραγενόμενος, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο Λαοδικέας τοὺς τοῦ ἔθνους ἄρχοντας. Διδάσκει δὲ καὶ τίς ὁ τῆς οἰκονομίας τρόπος. ς΄’, κζ', ε Τὸ μυστήριον 15 τὸ ἀποχεχρυ μμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν, νυνὶ δὲ ἐφανερώθη τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ, οἷς ἠθέλησεν ὁ Θεὸς γνωρίσαι. » Μυστήριον ἐκάλεσε τῆς οἰκονομίας τὸ κήρυγμα, ὡς παρὰ πάντων ἀγνοούμενον πάλαι, μόνῳ δὲ τῷ θεῷ γινωσκόμενον. Τοῦτο δὲ, φησὶν, ὃ ἐν ταῖς προτέραις ἀπεχρύπτετο γενεαῖς, νῦν ἐφανέρωσεν οἷς ἠβουλήθη ἁγίοις, τουτέστι τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, καὶ τοῖς διὰ τούτων πεπιστευκόσι. Δείκνυσι δὲ διὰ τούτων τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τὴν ἀρχαιότητα, καὶ ὅτι πρὸ τοῦ νόμου, καὶ πρὸ τῆς τοῦ γόσμον συστάσεως, ταύτην ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τὴν οἰκονομίαν προώρισεν. Ἐγνώρισε δὲ ἡμῖν, φησὶ, τοῖς ἁγίοις, ε Τίς ὁ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτον ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. » Ὅτι τὰ ἔθνη ἐν σκότῳ καθήμενα, τὸν τῆς θεογνωσίας ἐδέξατο πλοῦτον, καὶ τῷ Χριστῷ κοινωνήσει τῆς δόξης. Πλοῦτον γὰρ. δόξης τὴν φιλοτιμίαν τῆς δόξης ἐκάλεσε. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τὰ ἐπαγόμενα δηλοῖ" (κτ΄.) « Ὃν ἡμεῖς καταγγέλλομεν.;) Οὐ γὰρ αἱ τῶν ἡμερῶν καὶ τῶν βρωμάτων παρατηρήσεις, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς ἐκείνης ὑμᾶς ἀξιώσει τῆς δόξης. Ἐλπίδα γὰρ δόξης τὴν προσδοκωμένην ἐκάλεσε δόξαν. « Νουθετοῦντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον, καὶ διδάσκοντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ ἵνα παραστήσωμεν πάντα ἄνθρωπον τέλειον ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, (κθ’.) Εἰς ὃ καὶ χοπιῶ, ἀγωνιζόμενος κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὖτοῦ τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐν δυνάμει. » Πάντα δὲ πόνον ἀσπαστῶς ἀναδέχομαι ὑπὸ τῆς θείας βοηθούμενοι χάριτος, ὥστε πάντας ἀνθρώκους διὰ τῆς τοῦ κηρύγματος διδασκαλίας ἀποφῆναι τελείους. -Τελειότητα δὲ, οὐκ ὁ νὄμος, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ τοῦ κηρύγματος « Ὅς ἐστι Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης" σοφία χαρίζεται. Εἶτα καὶ ἣν ἔχει περὶ αὐτοὺς φι- Β ### English translation (Claude) “Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship of God given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God.” I was entrusted with the salvation of the church and charged with the ministry of the preaching, so as to fill you all with the divine teaching. For by “you” he means not them alone but the faithful throughout the world. It is plain from this too that he had seen them when he wrote the letter; for if he had been charged with them as well, he would not have passed them by when he came to Phrygia, nor after that the Laodiceans, the leading city of the region. He teaches also what the manner of the economy is. “The mystery hidden from the ages and from the generations, but now made manifest to his saints, to whom God willed to make known …” He called the preaching of the economy a mystery, as having been long unknown to all and known to God alone. This, he says, which was hidden in former generations, he has now revealed to the saints whom he wished, that is, to the apostles and to those who believed through them. Through this he shows the antiquity of the gospel, and that before the law and before the founding of the world the God of all predetermined this economy. He made known to us, the saints, he says, “what is the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles”: that the Gentiles, sitting in darkness, received the wealth of the knowledge of God and will share in the glory of Christ. For he called the munificence of glory the “wealth of glory.” What follows also shows this: “Which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, whom we proclaim.” For not the observances of days and foods, but Christ the Master will count you worthy of that glory. He called the expected glory the “hope of glory.” “Admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me in power.” I gladly take on every toil, helped by divine grace, so as to make all people perfect through the teaching of the preaching. It is not the law that bestows perfection, but the wisdom of the preaching. Then also the affection he has for them … ### Scripture references - Col 1:25–29: quotation, high confidence - Isa 9:2: allusion, low confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 1:25, 1:26–27a, 1:27b, 1:27c–28a, and 1:28b–29. In the scan text the lemma “which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27c) has slipped into the middle of a later sentence; it is translated in its place. The last sentence breaks off. Latin of Migne’s parallel column and apparatus, read as Greek letters, were removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 1.25 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/1-25). ## On Col 2:1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-2-1 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains Paul's concern for those who had not seen him and that the treasures of wisdom are hidden in Christ, not in the law's observances. ### Greek text α'. « Θέλω γὰρ ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι ἡλίκον ἀγῶνα ἔχω περὶ ὑμῶν, καὶ τῶν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ, καὶ ὅσοι οὐκ ἑωράχααι 15 τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ἐν σαρκί. » Πεπεῖσθαι γὰρ ὑμᾶς βούλομαι, ὡς πολλὴν ᾿περιφέρω φροντίδα, καὶ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, καὶ ὑπὲρ Λαοδικέων, καὶ οὐ μόνον ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ ὑπὲρ Λαοδικέων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντῶν τῶν μηδέπω με τεθεαμένων. Ὅτι δὲ ταῦτα κατὰ καύτην αὐτῷ τὴν διάνοιαν εἴρηται,. καὶ τὰ ἐπαγόμενα δηλοῖ" ᾿ β΄. ε ἵνα παραχληθῶσιν αἱ καρδίαι αὐτῶν. » Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ὑμῶν, ἀλλ᾽, Αὐτῶν " τουτέστι, τῶν μηδέπω πεθεαμένων. Τίς δὲ τῆς παρακλήσεως ὁ τρόπος; ε Συμβιβασθέντων ἐν ἀγάπῃ. ν» Ἵνα τὴν κατὰ Χριστὸν φυλάξωσι συμφωνίαν. ε Καὶ εἰς πάντα πλοῦτον «ἧς πληροφορίας τῆς συνέσεως. » Καὶ μετὰ πάσης πληροφορίας τὸν τοῦ κηρύγματος χαταδέξωνται πλοῦτον. ε Εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Παπρὸς, καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ “ (γ΄.) ἐν ᾧ εἰσι ᾽5᾽ πάντες οἱ θησαυροὶ τῆς σοφίας καὶ τῆς γνώσεως ἀπόκρυφοι. » Ἔδειξε κοινὸν τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τὸ τῆς οἶκονομίας μυστήριον" ἐν δὲ τῷ Χριστῷ ἔφη πάντας εἶναι τῆς σοφίας καὶ τῆς γνώσεως τοὺς θησαυροὺς ἀποχρύφοος᾽ ἐπειδὴ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὸν μέλλοντα βίον ἀποκαλύπτεται πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ὁ τῆς οἶκονομίας σκοπός. Ταῦτα μέντοι ἅπαντα εἴρηκε, τὴν ἐπισχήψασαν ἰατρεύων νόσον, καὶ διδάσκων ὡς οὐκ αἱ νομικαὶ παρατηρήσεις, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ εἰς τὸν Κύριον πίστις προξενεῖ τὴν ἀληθῆ σωτηρίαν, Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπήγαγε" ### English translation (Claude) “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh.” I want you to be persuaded that I carry great concern both for you and for the Laodiceans, and not only for you and the Laodiceans, but also for all who have not yet seen me. That this was said in this sense, what follows also shows: “That their hearts may be encouraged.” He did not say “your” but “their,” that is, of those who have not yet seen him. And what is the manner of the encouragement? “Being knit together in love,” so that they may keep the harmony that is in Christ. “And to all the wealth of the full assurance of understanding”: and may receive the wealth of the preaching with all full assurance. “To the knowledge of the mystery of God and the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” He showed that the mystery of the economy is common to the Father and the Son; and he said that in Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden, since through him the aim of the economy is revealed to all people in the life to come. He has said all this to heal the disease that had broken out, teaching that it is not the observances of the law but faith in the Lord that procures true salvation. For he added this: ### Scripture references - Col 2:1–3: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 2:1, 2:2a, 2:2b, 2:2c, and 2:2d–3. Theodoret takes “their hearts” as showing that those who had not seen Paul were others besides the Colossians. Latin of Migne’s parallel column, read as Greek letters, was removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 2.1 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1). ## On Col 2:4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-2-4 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that Paul writes to keep the Colossians from being deceived by persuasive words. ### Greek text δ΄. ε« Τοῦτο δὲ λέγω, ἵνα μὴ τις ὑμᾶς παραλογίζηται ἐν» πιθανηλογίζ. » Τούτοις δὲ ἐχρησάμην τοῖς χόγοις, παρακαλῶν ὑμᾶς, τοῖς ἀπατηλοῖς μὴ ὑπάγεσθαι λόγοις. ### English translation (Claude) “I say this so that no one may delude you with persuasive speech.” I have used these words to urge you not to be led away by deceitful words. ### Scripture references - Col 2:4: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotation: Col 2:4. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 2.4 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-4). ## On Col 2:5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-2-5 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains Paul's praise of the Colossians' order and his call to walk in Christ, rooted, built up, and abounding in thanksgiving. ### Greek text ε΄. « Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ ἄπειμι, ἀλλὰ τῷ πνεύματι σὺν ὑμῖν εἶμι, καίρων καὶ βλέπων ὑμῶν τὴν τάξιν, καὶ τὸ στερέωμα τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ὑμῶν. ν» Πάλιν ἀναμἔγνυσι τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τὰς εὐφημίας, καταθέλγων τὴν ἀκοὴν, καὶ τῇ παράινέσει προκατασκευάζων τὴν εἴσοδον. Καὶ διὰ τούτων δὲ τὸ πάλιν δεδήλωκεν, ὡς θεασάμενος αὐτοὺς ἔγραψε τὴν Ἐπιστολήν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ἔφη Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ ἄπειμι, ἀλλὰ τῷ πνεύματι σὺν ὑμῖν εἰμι" οὕτως καὶ Κορινθίοις ἐπέστειλεν. ε Ὡς ἀπὼν τῷ σώματι, παρὼν δὲ τῷ πνεύματι. » ς’, ζ΄. ε Ὡς οὖν παρελάβετε τὸν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν Κύριον, ἐν αὐτῷ περιπατεῖτε. Ἐῤῥιζωμένοι καὶ ἐποικοδομούμενοι ἐν αὑτῷ, καὶ βεβαιούμενοι ἐν τῇ πίστει, καθὼς ἐδιδάχθητε, περισσεύοντες ἐν αὐτῇ ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ. » ᾿Ακήρατον ἣν παρελάβετε διδασκαλίαν φυλάξατε, καὶ ταῖς εὐαγγελικαῖς ἀἁχολουθεῖτε νομοθεσίαις, βεβαίαν ἐπιδεικνύμενοι πίστιν ". τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει, ἐῤῥιζωμένοι " καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς προστιθέντες τὴν κτῆσιν" τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ, ἐποικοδομούμενγοι. Β Τὸ δὲ, περισσεύοντες ἐν τῇ πίστει, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Τιλείαν αὑτὴν ἔχετε, μηδὲν αὐτῇ ἐλλειπέτω, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀναδλυζέτω, καὶ περιττευέτω ἐν ὑμῖν ὥστε ὑμᾶς διὰ πάντα τὸν εὐεργέτην ὑμνεῖν, Τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει, ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ. ### English translation (Claude) “For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.” Again he mixes praise into the teaching, charming the ear and preparing the way for the exhortation. Through these words too he has shown again that he had seen them when he wrote the letter. For as here he said, “For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit,” so too he wrote to the Corinthians: “As absent in body but present in spirit.” “As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, as you were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” Keep unmixed the teaching you received, and follow the laws of the gospel, showing a firm faith (for this is what he means by “rooted”) and adding the acquisition of virtue (for this is what “built up” shows). “Abounding in the faith” means: have it perfect; let nothing be lacking to it, but let it even gush forth and overflow in you, so that you hymn your benefactor for everything. This is what he means by “with thanksgiving.” ### Scripture references - Col 2:5–7: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:3: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 2:5 and 2:6–7. Quotation: 1 Cor 5:3. Latin of Migne’s parallel column and an apparatus note, read as Greek letters, were removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 2.5 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-5). ## On Col 2:8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-2-8 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that the philosophy and elements Paul warns against are the untimely observance of the law and its days. ### Greek text η΄. ε« Βλέπετε μὴ τις ὑμᾶς ἔσται ὁ συλαγωγῶν διὰ "7 τῆς φιλοσοφίας καὶ κενῆς ἀπάτης, κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ οὗ κατὰ Χριστόν. » Ἣν ἄνω πιθανολο- Υίαν, ἐνταῦθα φιϊοσοφίαν ἐκάλεσε" κενὴν ὃ ἀπάτην, τὴν ματαίαν ἔφη καὶ βλαδερὰν παράδοσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οὐκ αὐτὸν τὸν νόμον, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἄκαιρον αὐτοῦ φυλακήν᾽ στοιχεῖα δὲ τοῦ κόσμου, τὴν τῶν ἡμερῶν παρατήρησιν" ἀπὸ γὰρ ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης ἡμέραι καὶ νύκτες. Παρεγγυᾷ τοίνυν αὖτοὺς "5 ἐγρηγορέναι καὶ νήφειν, καὶ τοὺς ἀποσυλᾷν τὴν πίστιν ἐπιχειροῦντας παντελῶς ἀποστρέφεσθαι, ὡς τοῦ μὲν Χριστοῦ ἰχωρίζοντας, ταῖς δὲ ἀχερδέσι ### English translation (Claude) “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.” What above he called persuasive speech, here he called philosophy; and by empty deceit he meant the vain and harmful tradition of men, not the law itself but its untimely observance; and by the elements of the world, the observance of days, for days and nights come from the sun and the moon. He urges them, then, to be watchful and sober, and to turn away altogether from those who try to rob them of the faith, as separating them from Christ and [binding them] to the unprofitable … ### Scripture references - Col 2:8: quotation, high confidence - Col 2:4: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Lemma Col 2:8. The end of the comment is lost in the scan. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 2.8 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-8). ## On Col 2:9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-2-9 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret argues that the fullness of the divinity dwells bodily in Christ, not in the church, since the Only-begotten's divinity is united to his visible body. ### Greek text θ΄. « Ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ" κατοικεῖ πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος σωματικῶς. » Τινὲς τῶν διδασκάλων ἐνταῦθα Χριστὸν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἔφησαν ὠνομᾶσθαι, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ κατοικεῖν πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος. Οὐκ οἶδα δὲ, εἰ καὶ σωματικῶς ἁρμόττει τῇ τοιαύτῃ τοῦ νοήματος θεωρίᾳ. Ἡγοῦμαι τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ κεφαλὴν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὠνόμασε τὸν Χριστὸν, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπειον ἡμῶν ἔστι κεφαλὴ, ὡς καὶ περὶ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ταῦτα εἰρῆσθαι, πᾶσαν ἐν αὑτῷ φέροντος τὴν θεότητα. Καὶ γὰρ δηλῶσαι θέλων ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος τοῦ νόμον καὶ τῆς χάριτος τὸ διάφορον, τῇ τῶν στοιχείων ᾿πτωχείᾳ παρατέθειχε τὸν Χριστόν" καὶ δεῖξαι τὴν ὑπερβολὴν ἐκ παραλλήλου βουλόμενος, προστέθεικεν" Ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ κατοῖκεῖ πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος σωματικῶς, τουτέστιν, ὡς ἐν ἰδίῳ σώματι. Οὐ γὰρ μερικήν τα χάριν, φησὶ, Μωσῇ παραπλησίως ἐδέξατο. θεὸς γάρ ἔστιν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τὸ ὁρώμενον τοῦτο πᾶσαν ἔχει ἠνωμένην τοῦ Μονογενοῦς τὴν θεότητα. Ταύτῃ δὲ τῇ διανοίᾳ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς συμφωνεῖ" υ. « Καὶ ἐστὲ ἐν αὐτῷ πεπληρωμένοι. ν Τῆς γὰρ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ χάριτος ἀπηλαύσατε, καὶ τὰς ἐκεῖθεν φερομένας ἀκτῖνας ἐδέξασθε. ε« Ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ πάσης ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας. » Καὶ ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὡς οὐ περὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐκεῖνα εἴρηκεν, ἀλλὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ, ὃς ἡμῶν μέν ἐστι κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπειον κεφαλὴ, ἀγγέλων δὲ καὶ ἀρχαγγέλων κατὰ τὴν θείαν φύσιν δεσπόζει. Ἐνταῦθα γὰρ τὸ, χεφψα.λὴ, ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἀρχὴ, τέθεικε. Καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς δείκνυσιν, ὡς οὐ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἄνω Χριστὸν ἔκάλεσεν. ### English translation (Claude) “For in him dwells all the fullness of the divinity bodily.” Some of the teachers said that here the church is named Christ, and that in it dwells all the fullness of the divinity. But I do not know whether “bodily” fits such an understanding of the thought. I think, then, since he named Christ the head of the church, and it is plain that he is our head according to his humanity, that these words too were said about the man, who bears all the divinity in himself. For the divine Apostle, wishing to show the difference between the law and grace, set Christ beside the poverty of the elements; and wishing to show the surpassing greatness by comparison, he added: “For in him dwells all the fullness of the divinity bodily,” that is, as in his own body. For he did not, he says, receive a partial grace, as Moses did. For he is God [and] man, and this visible [body] has the divinity of the Only-begotten united to it. With this interpretation what follows also agrees: “And you are filled in him.” For you have enjoyed the grace that comes from him and received the rays that come from there. “Who is the head of all rule and authority.” From this too it is plain that he said those things not about the church but about Christ the Master himself, who is our head according to his humanity, and rules over angels and archangels according to the divine nature. For here he used “head” in place of “ruler.” And what follows shows that above he did not call the church Christ. ### Scripture references - Col 2:9–10: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 2:9, 2:10a, and 2:10b. Theodoret rejects a reading (by unnamed teachers) that took “Christ” here as the church. He speaks of “the man” who bears all the divinity, the divinity of the Only-begotten being united to his body; translated as written. Latin of Migne’s parallel column and apparatus, read as Greek letters, were removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 2.9 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-9). ## On Col 2:11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-2-11 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that the circumcision of Christ is baptism, a spiritual putting off of sin that foreshadows the incorruption to come. ### Greek text ια΄. « Ἐν ᾧ καὶ περιετμήθητε περιτομῇ ἀχειροποιήτῳ, ἐν τῇ ἀπεκδύσει τοῦ σώματος τῶν ἀμαρτιῶν Ν᾽ τῆς σαρκὸς, ἐν τῇ περιτομῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. » Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑπαχθέντες τὴν νομικὴν πολιτείαν ἡσπάσαντο, διδάσκει πάλιν τῆς περιτομῆς τὴν διαφοράν. Οὐ γάρ ἔστι, φησὶ, σαρκικὴ, ἀλλὰ πνευματικὴ, οὐδὲ χειροποίητος, ἀλλὰ θεία, οὐδὲ σμικροῦ σώματος ἀφαίρεσις, ἀλλὰ πάσης ἀπαλλαγὴ τῆς φθορᾶς. Τούτων δὲ αἴτιος οὐκ ὁ νόμος, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς, ὁ τοῦ νόμου νομοθέτης. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπεν, ἐν ᾧ καὶ περιετμήθητε" καὶ πάλιν, ἐν τῇ περιτομῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. ᾿Απέχδυσιν δὲ τοῦ σώματος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τῆς σαρκὸς, τὸ σωτήριον ἐκάλεσε βάπτισμα" ἐν ἐκείνῳ γὰρ ἀποδυόμεθα τὸν ἐῤῥυπωμένον τῆς ἁμαρτίας χιτῶνα. Τύπος δὲ τῶν μελλόντων, τὸ πανάγιον βάπτισμα. Ἐν δὲ τῷ μελλόντι βίῳ, ἄφθαρτον καὶ ἀθάνατον τὸ σῶμα γενόμενον, οὐκ ἔτι δέξασθαι δύνάται τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸν ῥύπον. Ὅτι δὲ περὶ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἐκεῖνα εἴρηκε, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς μαρτυρεῖ" ### English translation (Claude) “In whom also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ.” Since, led astray, they had embraced the way of life of the law, he teaches again the difference in circumcision. For it is not fleshly, he says, but spiritual; not made with hands, but divine; not the removal of a small part of the body, but release from all corruption. And the cause of these things is not the law but Christ the Master, the lawgiver of the law. For this is what he said: “in whom also you were circumcised”; and again, “in the circumcision of Christ.” He called saving baptism “the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh”; for in it we strip off the tunic soiled by sin. The all-holy baptism is a type of the things to come. In the life to come the body, having become incorruptible and immortal, can no longer receive the filth of sin. That he said those things about baptism, what follows also testifies: ### Scripture references - Col 2:11: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Lemma Col 2:11. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 2.11 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-11). ## On Col 2:12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-2-12 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that baptism is a type of burial with Christ and a pledge of the resurrection awaited in faith. ### Greek text ιβ΄. «Συνταφέντες αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι. » Ἐπειδὴ δὲ θανάτου τύπον ἐκάλεσε τὸ σωτήριον βάπτισμα (τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπε, συνταφέντες), εὐαγγελίζετα τὴν ἀνάστασιν" « Ἐν ᾧ καὶ συνηγέρθητε. ν» Καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἔτι θνητὴν ἔχομεν φύσιν, ἐπήγαγε" ε Διὰ -ἧς πίστεως τῆς ἐνεργείας τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ ἐγείραντος αὑτὸν ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν. » Πιστεύοντες γὰρ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμει προσμένομεν τὴν ἀνάστασιν, ἐνέχυρον ἔχοντες τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ τὴν ἀνάστασιν. ### English translation (Claude) “Buried with him in baptism.” Since he called saving baptism a type of death (for this is what he meant by “buried with him”), he announces the resurrection: “In which you were also raised with him.” And since we still have a mortal nature, he added: “Through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” For believing in the power of God we await the resurrection, having the resurrection of Christ the Master as a pledge. ### Scripture references - Col 2:12: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Lemma Col 2:12. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 2.12 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-12). ## On Col 2:13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-2-13 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that God gave the Colossians life and forgiveness, and that the true uncircumcision to be removed is wickedness, not the body's foreskin. ### Greek text ιγ΄. «Καὶ ὑμᾶς 3", νεκροὺς ὄντας ἐν τοῖς παραπτώμασι, καὶ τῇ ἀκροβυστίᾳ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν, συνεξωοποίησε ᾽5 σὺν αὐτῷ, χαρισάμενος ὑμῖν πάντα «ἁ παραπτώματα. ν» Πάντας ἡμᾶς ἀνεῖλεν ἡ ἁμαρτία. Αὔτη γὰρ ἡμῖν τοῦ θανάτου τὴν ψῆφον ἐπήνεγκεν. Ἂλλ᾽ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς κοινωνοὺς ἡμᾶς ἀπέφηνε τῆς τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ ζωῆς, καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἡμῖν ἄφεσιν ἐδωρήσατο. ᾿Αχροθυστίαν δὲ τῆς σαρκὸς, τὴν πονηρίαν ἐκάλεσε, διδάσκων ὡς ἡ μὲν τοῦ σώματος ἀχροθδυστία οὐδὲν λωβᾶται τοῖς ἔχουσιν, ἣ ὃΣ τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ σώματι λυμαίνεται καὶ ψυχῇ. Ἐκ δὲ τούτου δείκνυσιν, ὡς ἡ τοῦ σώματος περιτομὴ οὐδὲν τοὺς περιτεμνομένους ὀνίνησιν " ἡ δὲ τῆς πονηρίας ἀφαίρεσις, τὴν ἀληθῆ πραγματεύεται σωτηρίαν. ὴ ### English translation (Claude) “And you, being dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” Sin destroyed us all, for it brought on us the sentence of death. But the God of all made us sharers in the life of Christ the Master and granted us the forgiveness of sins. He called wickedness “the uncircumcision of the flesh,” teaching that the uncircumcision of the body does no harm to those who have it, but that of the soul injures both body and soul. From this he shows that the circumcision of the body profits the circumcised nothing, while the removal of wickedness achieves true salvation. ### Scripture references - Col 2:13: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Lemma Col 2:13. Latin of Migne’s parallel column and footnotes, read as Greek letters, were removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 2.13 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-13). ## On Col 2:14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-2-14 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains the cancelled handwriting as the debt of our sinful body paid on the cross, rejects food laws, feasts and angel worship as shadows or conceit, and urges seeking the things above. ### Greek text ιδ΄. ε Ἐξαλείψας τὸ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν χειρόγραφον τοῖς ᾿ δόγμασιν, ὃ ἦν ὑπεναντίον ἡμῖν, καὶ αὐτὸ ἧρεν ἐκ τῷ μέσου, προσηλώσας αὐτὸ τῷ σταυρῷ ""΄.» Χειρόγραφον τινὲς τὸν νόμον ἔφασαν : μετὰ γὰρ τὴν τοὺποῦ ἀρὰν, « Εἶπε, φησὶν, ὁ λαός " Πάντα ὅσα εἶπε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ποιήσομεν, καὶ ἀχουσόμεβα.» ᾿Αλλὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων χειρόγραφον ἦν, οὐ πάντω! ἀνθρώπων. Ἡγοῦμαι τοίνυν καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἡμῶν καλεῖσθαι χειρόγραφον. Διὰ τούτου γὰρ πᾶσαν παράνομὸν τολμῶμεν πρᾶξιν" διὰ μὲν τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἀκολάστως ὁρῶντες, διὰ δὲ τῆς γλώττης φθεγγόμενοι τὰ μὴ δέοντα, διὰ ὃὲ τῶν ἀκοῶν βλαδερὲν διδασκαλίαν δεχόμενοι, ταῖς δὲ χερσὶ κλοπὴν, χεὶ πλεονεξίαν, καὶ μιαιφονίαν τολμῶντες. Ὁ τοίνυν Θεὸς Λόγος, τὴν ἡμετέραν φύσιν ἀναλαβὼν, αὐτὴν ἁμαρτίας ἐλευθέραν ἐφύλαξε, καὶ ἐξήλειψε τὰ κακῶς ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐν αὑτῇ γενόμενα τῶν ὀφλημάτω γράμματα. Ταύτην δὲ συγχωρήσας τῷ σταυρῷ προσηλωθῆναι, τὸ πάντων ἡμῶν ἐξέτισε χρέος" καὶ τὸν νόμον πεπληρωκὼς, ἐκεῖνον μὲν ἔπαυσεν, ὦ; Ἰουδαίοις μὲν πάλαι μόνους γενόμενον χρήδιβοι, ἡμῖν δὲ οὐδαμῶς ἐπιτήδειον, "Ἔδωκε δὲ ἡμῖν τὸ εὐαγγελικὰ δόγματα, ἐν τῇ τούτων φυλακῇ τὴν ὦ" ι΄, εΛπεχδυσάμενος τὰς ἀρχὰς, καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας, ἐδειγμάτισεν ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ, θριαμβεύσας αὐτοὺς ἐν αὑτῷ.» Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ διὰ τῶν τοῦ σώματος παθῶν εἶχον καθ᾽ ἡμῶν τὴν δυναστείαν οἱ δαίμονες, αὐτὸς δὲ σῶμα περικείμενος κρείττων ἁμαρτίας ἐγένετο᾽ κατέλυσε τῶν ἐναντίων τὴν δυναστείαν, καὶ δήλην αὐτῶν ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις τὴν ἀσθένειαν ἔδειξε, διὰ ποῦ οἰκείου σώματος πᾶσιν ἡμῖν τὴν κατ' αὐτῶν χαρισάμενος νίκῃν. τς", τὺ, ε Μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω ἐν βρώσει, ἢ ἐν πόσει, ἣ ἐν μέρει ἑορτῆς, ἢ Νουμηνίας, ἢ Σαύδάτων, ἅ ἐστι σκιὰ τῶν μελλόντων. » Πεπαῦσθαι τοίνυν μεμαθηκότες τὸν νόμον, μηδαμῶς ὑπάγεσθε ποῖς τὰς νομικὰς παρατηρήσεις ἐν ὑμῖν παρασκείρειν ἐπιχειροῦσι. Καλῶς δὲ προστέθεικε καὶ τὸ, ἐν μέσαι ἑορτῆς" οὐδὲ γὰρ ἠδύναντο ταύτας πληροῦν. Πῶς γὰρ οἷόν τε ἦν τρὶς τοῦ ἕτους ἀπὸ τῆς Φρυγίας εἰς πὴν Ἰουδαίαν τρέχειν, ἵν᾽ ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐπιτελέσωσι κατὰ τὸν νόμον τὰς ἑορτὰς, καὶ μάλιστα τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς πελαζούσης τῷ Πάσχα; Πλειόνων γάρ ἔστιν ἢ πεντήκοντα ἡμερῶν ὁδός. Σαιὰν δὶ τῶν μελλόντων τὸν νόμον ἐκάλεσε, διδάσκων ὡ; ἐκείνῳ προετυπώθη τῆς Καινῆς Διαθήκης ἡ χάρι: Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐπήγαγε " « Τὸ δὲ σῶμα Χριστοῦ." Τουτέστιν ἡ εὐαγγελικὴ πολιτεία σώματος ἐπέχει πάξιν͵ ὁ δὲ νόμος σκιᾶς. Προλαμβάνει δὲ ἡ σκιὰ τὸ σῶμα, ἀνίσχοντος τοῦ φωτός " ὡς εἶναι σκιὰν μὲν τὸν νόμον, σῶμα δὲ τὴν χάριν, φῶς δὲ τὸν Δεσπότην Χριστόν. ιη΄, « Μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς χαταδραθευέτω.» καλοῦσι τοὺς τῶν ἀγωνιζομένων κριτάς " οὗτοι γὰρ «τοῖς νικῶσι τῆς νίκης τὴν ψῆφον ὁρέγουσι, Καταἐραδεύειν δὲ ἔστι, τὸ ἀδίκως βραδεύξιν, Ἐπειδὴ ποίνυν καὶ οἱ τὰς νομικὰς παρατηρήσεις τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ παραμιγνύντες ἀπὸ τῶν κρειττόνων αὐτοὺς ἐτὶ τὰ ἐλάττω μετέφερον, εἰκότως ἔφη" Μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω. Εἶτα διδάσκει τὴν γενομένην βλάβην σαφέστερον. ε θέλων ἐν παπεινοφροσύνῃ καὶ θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἃ μὴ ἑώρακεν ἐμθδατεύων, εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ἀπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὑτοῦ. » Οἱ τῷ νόμῳ συνηγοροῦντες, καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους σθαι τὸν νόμον. Ἔμεινε δὲ τοῦτο τὸ πάθος ἐν τῇ Φρυγίᾳ καὶ Πισιδίᾳ μέχρι πολλοῦ. Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ αὐυνελθοῦσα σύνοδος ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ τῆς Φρυγίας, νόμῳ χεχώλυχς τὸ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις προτεύχεσθαι " καὶ μέχρι δὲ τοῦ νῦν εὐκτήρια τοῦ ἁγίου Μιχαὴλ παρ᾽ ἐκείνοις καὶ τοῖς ὁμόροις ἐκείνων ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, Τοῦτο τοίνυν συνεδούλευνον ἐκεῖνοι γίνεσθαι, ταπεινοφροσύνῃ δῆθεν κεχρη μένοι, καὶ λέγοντες ὡς ἀόρατος ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἀνέφικτός τε καὶ ἀκατάληπτος, καὶ προσήκει διὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων τὴν θείαν εὐμένειαν πραγματεύεσθαι. Ἰοῦτο λέγει, ἐν ταπειγορροσύνῃ καὶ θρησκείᾳ φροσύνῃ ἑναντίον οὐκ ἔστι" τὴν μὲν γὰρ ἐσχήπτοντο, τοῦ δὲ τύφου τὸ πάθος ἀκριβῶς περιέκειντο. Τὸ δὲ, ἃ μὴ ἑώρακεν ἐμβατεύων, ἀντὶ τοῦ, λογισμοῖς οἰκείοις χρώμενος. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπήγαγεν " « Εἰκῆ φυσιούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαργὸς αὐτοῦ. (:9.) «Καὶ οὐ κρατῶν τὴν κεφαλὴν, ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα διὰ τῶν ἀφῶν ") καὶ συνδέσμων ἐπιχορηγού-. μενον καὶ συμβιβαζόμενον αὔξει τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ Θεοῦ.» Πάλιν κεφαλὴν ὠνόμασε τὸν Δεσπότην Χριστὸν, σῶμα δὲ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὸ σύστημα. Μεταφορικῶς δὲ ἅπαν τέθεικεν. “Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματος ῥίζα τῶν νεύρων ἐστὶν ὁ ἐγκέφαλος, διὰ δὲ τῶν νεύρων ἔχει τὰς αἰσθήσεις τὸ σῶμα " οὕτω παρὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ, καὶ τὰς τῆς διδασκαλίας πιγὰς, καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας τὰς ἀφορμὰς δέχεται τῆς Ἔκκλησίας τὸ σῶμα. “Ὅπερ δέ εἰσιν ἐν τῷ σώματι σύνδεσμοι, τοῦτο ἀπόστολοι, καὶ προφῆται, καὶ διδάσκαλοι ἐν τῷ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας συστήματι, Εἴτα καὶ ἑτέρωθεν ἀποδείκνυσιν οὐδαμῶς αὐτοῖς προσἔχουσαν τοῦ νόμου τὴν φυλακήν, χ΄-κβ', ε Εἰ οὖν ἀπεθάνετε σὺν Χριστῷ ἀπὸ τῶν στοιχείων τοῦ κόσμου, τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ δογματίζεσθε; Μὴ ἅψῃ, μηδὲ γεύσῃ, μηδὲ θίγῃς, ἃ ἐστι πάντα εἰς φθορὰν τῇ ἀποχρήσει, κατὰ τὰ ἐντάλματα καὶ διδασκαλίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ».Ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι συνετάφητε τῷ Χριστῷ, νεκροὶ τῷ νόμῳ γεγένησθε" πῶς τοίνυν τῶν ταῦτα διδασκόντων ἀνέχεσθε, καὶ νομίζετε τινὰ μὲν τῶν ἐδεσμάτων ἕνγομα, τινὰ δὲ παράνομα, καὶ οὐ σκοπεῖτε ὡς νόμιμον τούτων πᾶς δὰ ἰπ 56 οὐδέν; Ἐς κόπρον γὰρ ἅπαντα μεταβάλλεται, ᾿Εντάλματα δὲ καὶ διᾷισκαλίας οὐ τὸν νόμον ξχάλεσεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἄκαιρον τούτων διδασκαλίαν. κγ΄. « “τινά ἐστι λόγον μὲν ἔχοντα σοφίας ἐν ἐθελοθρησκείᾳ καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καὶ ἀφειδείᾳ σώματος, οὐκ ἐν τιμῇ τινι πρὸς πλησμονὴν τῆς σαρκός.» Ἔδειξε σχῆμα περικειμένους, οὐκ ἀλήθειαν, Ἢ γὰρ ἐθεοθρησκεία τοῦτο αἰνίττεται, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ἴδιον εἰσφέρουσι δόγμα, οὐκ ἀκολουθοῦσι τῷ τοῦ νόμου σκοπῷ" καὶ τῇ κομψείᾳ τῶν λόγων ἐξαπατῶσι, καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνην καλοῦσι τοῦ νόμου τὴν φυλακὴν, λέγοντες μὴ δεῖν παραβαίνειν τὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ δεδομένον, καὶ ἀφείδειαν σώματος τὸ. μὴ πάντων ἔχειν ἀδεῶς τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν. Τοῦτο δὲ προφανὴς βουλεί;, καὶ τῆς τιμῆς τῆς δεδομένης ἀφαίρεσις. Γνώμῃ γὰρ ἀπέχεσθαι δεῖ, οὐκ ὡς βδελυκτῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐδίστων. α', β΄. ε Εἰ οὖν συνηγέρθητε τῷ Χριστῷ τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖτε, οὗ ὁ Χριστός ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Θεοῦ χαῦἥμενος. Τὰ ἄνω φρονεῖτε, μὴ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.» Ἐχοινωνήσατε τῷ Χριστῷ τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Πάντων δὲ οὗτος ὑπέρτατος ἐν τοῖς οὐρανίοις τῷ Πατρὶ συνεδρεύων. Τὴν ἄνω τοίνυν πολιτείαν μιμεῖσθε. γ', δ΄. « ᾿Απεθάνετε γάρ, καὶ ἢ ζωὴ " ὑμῶν κέκρυπται σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν τῷ Θεῷ. “Ὅταν ὁ Χριστὸς σ φανερωθῇ ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν, τότε καὶ. ὑμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ φανερωθήσεσθε ἐν δόξῃ. » Νεκροὶ γεγένησθε τῷ παρὄντι βίῳ " συνετάφητε γὰρ ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι τῷ Χριστῷ, ἐδέξασθε δὲ τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει, Η ζωὴ ὑμῶν κέκρυπται σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν τῷ Θεῷ. Ἑκεΐνου γὰρ ἀναστάντος, πάντες ἠγέρθημεν. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδέπω ὁρῶμεν τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν ἔχβασιν " κέκρυπται δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀναστάσεως τὸ μυστήριον. Ὅταν τοίνυν ἐπιφανῇ τὸ δεύτερον, τηνικαῦτα τευξόμεθα τῆς ἀναστάσεως, καὶ ἀπολαυσόμεθα τῆς ἀθανάτου ζωῆς. !Αγαν δὲ ἀρμ᾽δίως καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, φραγερωθῇ, εἴρηκεν. Οὔτε γὰρ ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν ὁρᾶται, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀπίστων παντελῶς ἀγνοεῖται. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν τέθεικε" Φαγερωθήσεσθε, φησὶν, ἐν δόξῃ. Ἐν ἐλπίσι γὰρ ἔχον μεν τὰς ἐπαγγελίας τῶν ἀγαθῶν" τότε δῆλα ἔσττιι τὰ νῦν ἀγνοούμενα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὰς νομικὰς παρατηρήσεις ἐξέδαλεν, ἵνα μὴ νομίσωσιν ἄδειαν ἔχειν τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν, ἀναγκαίως καὶ περὶ τούτου σοφῶς ὑποτίθεται τὰ προσήκοντα. ### English translation (Claude) “Having wiped out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.” Some have said that the handwriting is the law; for after the reading of the … “The people,” he says, “said: All that the Lord our God has said we will do and hear.” But that was the handwriting of the Jews, not of all people. I think, then, that our body too is called a handwriting. For through it we dare every lawless deed: looking licentiously with the eyes, uttering with the tongue what we ought not, receiving harmful teaching through the ears, daring theft, greed, and murder with the hands. God the Word, then, having assumed our nature, kept it free from sin, and wiped out the written records of the debts wickedly incurred by us in it. And having allowed it to be nailed to the cross, he paid the debt of us all; and having fulfilled the law, he made it cease, since formerly it had been useful to the Jews alone, but for us is in no way suitable. He gave us the gospel ordinances, [placing] in the keeping of them the … “Having stripped off the rulers and the authorities, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in himself.” For since the demons had their power over us through the passions of the body, while he, clothed in a body, proved stronger than sin, he destroyed the power of the adversaries and made their weakness plain to all people, granting us all victory over them through his own body. “Let no one, then, judge you in food or in drink or in respect of a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of the things to come.” Having learned, then, that the law has ceased, do not in any way be led on by those who try to sow the observances of the law among you. He did well to add also “in respect of a festival,” for they could not even fulfill these. For how could they run three times a year from Phrygia to Judea to celebrate the feasts in Jerusalem according to the law, especially since Pentecost comes close upon the Passover? For the journey takes more than fifty days. He called the law a shadow of things to come, teaching that the grace of the New Covenant was prefigured in it. And he added this: “But the body is Christ’s.” That is, the gospel way of life holds the place of the body, the law that of the shadow. The shadow runs ahead of the body when the light is rising; so that the law is the shadow, grace the body, and Christ the Master the light. “Let no one rob you of your prize.” They call the judges of the contestants “umpires,” for these hand the victors the vote of victory; and to “rob of the prize” is to award the prize unjustly. Since those who mixed the observances of the law into the gospel were carrying them from the better to the lesser, he fittingly said, “Let no one rob you of your prize.” Then he teaches more clearly the harm that had been done: “delighting in humility and the worship of angels, intruding into things he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh.” Those who pleaded for the law [counseled them to worship] the angels too, [saying that] the law [had been given through them]. This disease remained in Phrygia and Pisidia for a long time. For this reason a synod that met at Laodicea in Phrygia forbade by law praying to the angels; and to this day oratories of Saint Michael can be seen among them and their neighbors. They counseled this, then, using humility, forsooth, and saying that the God of all is invisible, unapproachable, and incomprehensible, and that it is fitting to win the divine favor through the angels. This is what he means by “in humility and the worship of angels” … is not contrary to humility; for they pretended to the one, but were thoroughly wrapped in the passion of conceit. “Intruding into things he has not seen” means using his own reasonings. For he added this: “vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh.” “And not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, supplied and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with the growth of God.” Again he named Christ the Master the head, and the community of the church the body. He put it all metaphorically. For as in the body the brain is the root of the nerves, and through the nerves the body has its senses, so the body of the church receives from Christ the Master both the springs of teaching and the means of salvation. And what the ligaments are in the body, apostles, prophets, and teachers are in the community of the church. Then from another angle he proves that the keeping of the law in no way pertains to them: “If then you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you submit to ordinances: Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, things which all perish in the using, according to the commandments and teachings of men?” In baptism you were buried with Christ; you have become dead to the law. How then do you put up with those who teach these things, and think some foods lawful and others unlawful, and do not consider that none of them is lawful [or unlawful] in itself? For all of them are changed into dung. By “commandments and teachings” he did not mean the law, but the untimely teaching of these things. “Which have indeed a show of wisdom in self-made worship and humility and severity to the body, not in any honor, to the satisfying of the flesh.” He showed that they wore an appearance, not the truth. For “self-made worship” hints at this: they bring in a doctrine of their own and do not follow the aim of the law; they deceive with elegant words, and call the keeping of the law “humility,” saying that one must not transgress what was given by God, and call not enjoying all things freely “severity to the body.” But this is plain slavery and a taking away of the honor that has been given. For one ought to abstain by choice, not as from abominable things but as from foods that may be eaten. “If then you were raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on the earth.” You shared in Christ’s resurrection. And he is the highest of all, sitting with the Father in the heavens. Imitate, then, the way of life above. “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your life, is made manifest, then you too will be made manifest with him in glory.” You have become dead to the present life; for you were buried with Christ in baptism, and you received the hope of the resurrection. This is what he means by “your life is hidden with Christ in God.” For when he rose, we were all raised. But we do not yet see the outcome of the realities; the mystery of our resurrection is hidden in him. When, then, he appears the second time, we shall attain the resurrection and enjoy the immortal life. Very fittingly he said “is made manifest” also of Christ. For he is not seen by you, and by the unbelievers he is altogether unknown. He said this also of us: “You will be made manifest,” he says, “in glory.” For we hold in hope the promises of good things; then what is now unknown will be plain. Since he had cast out the observances of the law, so that they might not think they had license to sin, he necessarily and wisely sets out what is fitting about this too. ### Scripture references - Col 2:14–3:4: quotation, high confidence - Exod 24:7: quotation, high confidence - Exod 23:17: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Cor 12:28: allusion, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Conc. Laod. 35 (Canons of the Council of Laodicea): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 2:14 through 3:4, not only Col 2:14. Theodoret prefers to take the “handwriting” as our body rather than the law (Exod 24:7). He reports that the Synod of Laodicea forbade praying to angels (canon 35) and that oratories of Michael still stood in Phrygia; translated as written. Words are lost in the scan after “the reading of the,” after “in the keeping of them the,” in the account of the angel-worshipers (supplied in brackets by sense), and after “the worship of angels” (marked …). Allusions: Exod 23:17; 1 Cor 12:28. Latin of Migne’s parallel column and footnotes, read as Greek letters, were removed; letters misread by the OCR were corrected or translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 2.14 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-14). ## On Col 3:5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-3-5 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that the members to be put to death are sinful inclinations worked through the body, and that covetousness is idolatry because it serves wealth as a god. ### Greek text ε΄. «Νεκρώσατε "" οὖν τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν τὰ ἐπὶ τῆ; γῆς, πορνείαν, ἀκαθαρσίαν, πάθος, ἐπιθυμίαν κακὴν. καὶ τὴν πλεονεξίαν, ἥτις ἐστὶν εἰδωλολατρεία.» Μέζη ταῦτα τοῦ σώματος προσηγόρευσεν, ἐπειδὴ διὰ τούτου ἐνεργεῖται: ταῦτα. Τούτου χάριν ἐχρήσατο τῷ διορισμῷ λαὶ οὐκ εἶπε, τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ προσ- «ἐθειχε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆςι τουτέστι τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω «οὐ φρονήματος ῥοπὴν" ἀντὶ τοῦ, Μηκέτ: τὸ σῶμα ἐνεργείτω τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Τὴν μέντοι πιϊεονεξίαν εἰδωλολατρείαν ἐκάλεσεν, ἐπειδὴ τὸν μαμμωνᾷ κύριον ἃ Σωτὴρ προσηγόρευσε, διδάσκων ὡς ὁ τῷ πάθε: τῆς πλεονεξίας δουλεύων, ὡς Θεὸν τὸν πλοῦτον τιμᾷ. ᾿ ### English translation (Claude) “Put to death, therefore, your members that are on the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” He called these members of the body, since it is through the body that these are worked. For this reason he used the qualification and did not say “your members,” but added “that are on the earth,” that is, the inclination of the mind toward what is worse; meaning: let the body no longer work sin. He called covetousness idolatry, since the Savior called mammon a lord, teaching that the one enslaved to the passion of covetousness honors wealth as God. ### Scripture references - Col 3:5: quotation, high confidence - Matt 6:24: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Lemma Col 3:5. Allusion to Matt 6:24 (Luke 16:13). Latin of Migne’s parallel column and apparatus, read as Greek letters, were removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 3.5 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/3-5). ## On Col 3:6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-3-6 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret notes that Paul adds a threat of God's wrath to his exhortation. ### Greek text ς΄. «Δι᾿ ἃ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς “«ἢς ἀπειθείας. ν» ᾿λναγκαίως καὶ τὴν ἀπειλὴν τῷ; ### English translation (Claude) “Because of which the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” Necessarily he [added] the threat to … ### Scripture references - Col 3:6: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Lemma Col 3:6. The rest of the comment is lost in the scan. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 3.6 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/3-6). ## On Col 3:7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-3-7 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret compares Paul's reminder of the Colossians' former life with his words to the Corinthians about being washed and sanctified. ### Greek text ζ΄. ε Ἐν οἷς καὶ ὑμεῖς περιεπατήσατέ ποτε, ὅτε ἔζητε ἐν αὑτοῖς. » Οὕτω καὶ Κοριυθίοις ἐπιστέλλων εἴρηκε" « Καὶ ταῦτά τίνες ἧτς, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπελούσασθε, ὄλλ᾽ ἡγιάσθητε, ἀλλ᾽ ἐδικαιώθητε, » καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ### English translation (Claude) “In which you also once walked, when you lived in them.” So too, writing to the Corinthians, he said: “And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified,” and what follows. ### Scripture references - Col 3:7: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:11: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Col 3:7; 1 Cor 6:11. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 3.7 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/3-7). ## On Col 3:8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-3-8 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that the old man put off in baptism is the former way of life, and the new man renews in us the image that sin had corrupted. ### Greek text η΄. ε Νυνὶ ὁὲ ἀπόθεσθε καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰ πάντα. ν ἘΠπα λέγει ποῖα ταῦτα. ᾿ « Ὅργὴν, θυμὸν, κακίαν, βλασφημίαν, αἷσχρο- “ογίαν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν. (θ'.) Μὴ ψεύδεσθε εἰς ἀλλήλους. » Οὕτω διδάξας τίνα ἐκάλεσε τοῦ σώματος μέλη, δείχνυσε καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ σῶμα, οὗ ταῦτα τὰ μέλη. « ᾿Απεχδυσάμενι ᾽5 τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον σὺν ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτοῦ, » Παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον τὴν προτέραν ἐκάλεσε πολιτείαν. ᾽Εν οἷς γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ὑμεῖς περιεπατήσατέ ποτε͵ ὅτε ἐζῆτε ἐν αὐτοῖς. Τοῦτον ἐξ ἀπεχδύσασῦςε ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι. «΄. « Καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν νέον, τὸν ἀνχκαινούμενον εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν κατ᾽ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτόν». » ΤἌνωθεν γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐδημιούργησεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, καὶ τοὺς τῆς τία διέφθειρεν, ἀκριβέστερον ἐν ἡμῖν ἐξετύπωσε. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἔφη" ε Οὖς προἐγὼ καὶ προώρισε συμμόρφους τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ γιοῦ αὑτοῦ,» Καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Φιλιππησίους " ε Ὅς ιπτααχηματίσει τὸ σῶμα τῆς. ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸ σύμμορφον τῷ σώματι τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ.» ### English translation (Claude) “But now you also put away all these.” Then he says what they are: “Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another.” Having thus taught what he called the members of the body, he shows also the body itself whose members these are: “Having put off the old man with his deeds.” He called the former way of life the “old man.” For “in which,” he says, “you also once walked, when you lived in them.” This you put off in baptism. “And having put on the new, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him.” For the God of all created us in the beginning, and the marks [of the image], which sin had corrupted, he has impressed in us more exactly. He said this also in the letter to the Romans: “Whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” And in the letter to the Philippians: “Who will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory.” ### Scripture references - Col 3:8–10: quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:29: quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:21: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 3:8a, 3:8b–9a, 3:9b, and 3:10. A few words are lost in the scan (τοὺς τῆς … τία διέφθειρεν) and supplied in brackets by sense. Quotations: Rom 8:29; Phil 3:21. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 3.8 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/3-8). ## On Col 3:11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-3-11 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that the life to come, of which baptism is the type, knows no distinctions of race or rank, and urges forgiveness after Christ's example. ### Greek text ια΄. ε Ὅπου οὐκ ἕνι Ἕλλην καὶ Ἰουδαῖος "1, περιτομὴ καὶ ἀκροβυστία, βάρδαρης, Σκύθης", δοῦλος, ἐλεύθερος" ἀλλὰ τὰ πάντα, καὶ ἐν πᾶτι Χριστός. » Ἀπὸ τοῦ τύπου εἰς τὸν" ἀρχέτυπον τὸν λόγον ἦνεγκε. Περὶ γὰρ τοῦ παναγίον βαπτίσματος δια- ἢ λεγόμενος, τοῦ μέλλοντος βίου τὴν πολιτείαν ἡ μᾶς διδάσκει. Οὐδεμίαν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τοιαύτην ἔχει διαφοξάν" ἀλλὰ, τῆ: ἁμαρτίας πεπαυμένης, τὸ βούλῆμα τὸ θεῖον ἐν ἅπασιν ἐκτελεῖται. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπε, τὰ πάντα καὶ" ἐν πᾶσι Χριστός. Οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὺς Μορινθίους "εἰ Ἵνα ἢ ὁ θεὸ; τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν.» Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τοίνυν τῷ βίῳ τὸν νέον ἀκριβῶς ἄνθρωτον ἐνδυόμεθα. Ἐν ἐκείνῳ γὰρ τῆς φθορᾶ: ἀπαλλαττόμιύα, καὶ τῆν ἀφθαρσίαν ἀμφιεννύμεθα. Ἐν δὲ τῷ βοπτίς σματι τὸν ἐκείνου τοῦ βίου τύπον ἀποπληροῦμεν. ιϑ,, ιγ͵. « Ἐνδύσασθε οὖν, ὡς ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἅγιο! καὶ ἠἢγαπημένοι, σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμῶν, χρητοῖς, ἐάν τις πρός τινὰ ἔχη μομφήν. » Εἶτα ἀπὸ τοῦ ᾿παραδείγματος τὴν παραίνεσιν βεύαιοῖ, ε Καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὺς ἐχαρίσατο ἡμῖν " οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς.» Αποβλέψατε εἰς τὴν τοῦ Δεσπότου φιλανθρωπίαν, πόσων ὑμῖν ἁμαρτημάτων ἄφεσιν ἐδωρήσατο. Μιμεὶσθε τοίνυν τὸν Δεσπότην, καὶ συγχωρεῖτε ἔκαστος τὰ εἰς αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ πλημμελούμενα. ### English translation (Claude) “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.” From the type he carried the discourse to the archetype. For while speaking about the all-holy baptism, he teaches us the way of life of the life to come. For that life has no such distinction; but, sin having ceased, the divine will is carried out in all. This is what he meant by “Christ is all and in all.” So too in the letter to the Corinthians: “That God may be all in all.” In that life, then, we put on the new man exactly. For in it we are freed from corruption and clothed with incorruption; but in baptism we fulfill the type of that life. “Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, … if anyone has a complaint against anyone.” Then he confirms the exhortation from the example: “Just as Christ forgave us, so you also.” Look at the Master’s love for humankind, how many sins he forgave you. Imitate the Master, then, and let each forgive the wrongs done to him by his brother. ### Scripture references - Col 3:11–13: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:28: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 3:11, 3:12–13a, and 3:13b. Part of the lemma of 3:12–13 is lost in the scan (marked …). Quotation: 1 Cor 15:28. Latin of Migne’s parallel column and footnotes, read as Greek letters, were removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 3.11 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/3-11). ## On Col 3:14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-3-14 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains love as the bond that guards the other commandments and holds the body together. ### Greek text ἰδ. ε« Ἐπὶ πᾶσιν δὲ τούτοις τὴν ἀγάπην, ἢτις ἐστὶ σύνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητὺς. Αὕτη γὰρ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐστὶν ἐντολῶν καὶ φύλαξ καὶ συνεργός" καὶ ὥσπερ αἱ ἱμαντίαι τὰς οἰκοδομίας συνέχουσιν, οὕτως αὕτη τὴν τελειότητα προξενεῖ, καὶ συνάπτει τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος. ᾿ ### English translation (Claude) “And above all these, [put on] love, which is the bond of perfection.” For love is both the guardian and the helper of the other commandments; and as tie-beams hold buildings together, so love procures perfection and joins together the members of the body. ### Scripture references - Col 3:14: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotation: Col 3:14. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 3.14 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/3-14). ## On Col 3:15 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-3-15 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains the peace of God as umpire of the church's concord and urges constant meditation on Scripture and the singing of spiritual songs. ### Greek text ιε΄. « Καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Θεοῦ βραδενέτω ἕν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, εἰς ἣν καὶ ἐκλήθητε ἐν ἐνὶ σώματι. ν Ἕν σῶμα ἐκ πάντων ὑμῶν ὁ καλέσας ὑμᾶς θεὸς συνεστήσατο " μὴ τοίνυν τοῦτο μερίζετε" ἀλλὰ κᾶν τις λυπηροῦ τινος παρά τινος πειρασθῇ, ἐχέτω τὴν εἰρήνην ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, ἀγωνοθετοῦσάν τε καὶ βρι- Θεύουσαν, καὶ τὴν Θεῷ. φίλην πραγματευομένην ὁμόνοιαν. « Καὶ εὐχάριστοι γίνεσθε. » Δι᾽ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων ὁμολογεῖτε τῷ Δεσπότῃ τὰς χάριτας. «ς΄. « Ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνοικείτω ἐν ὑμῖν πλουσίως, ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ διδάσκοντες, καὶ νουϑετοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς, ψαλμοῖς, καὶ ὕμνοις καὶ ᾧδαὶς πνευματικαῖς ἐν τῇ γάριτι ἄδοντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ » Τὴν διηνεκῆ τῶν θείων λογίων μελέτην καὶ ὁ παλαιὸς νόμος παρεγγυᾷ. ε« Μελετήσεις γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν μενος, καὶ πορευόμενος ἐν ὁδῷ. » Τοῦτο παρακελεύεται καὶ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Αγόστολος, ὥστε ἡμᾶς τὴν τοῦ Χριτθοῦ διδασκαλίαν ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ περιφέρειν ἀεὶ, ὑμνεῖν τὲ αὑτὸν, καὶ ταῖς πνευματικαῖς ᾧδαῖς ἁγιάζειν εἶν γλῶτταν. Τὸ δὲ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις, ἀντὶ τοῦ, μὴ μόνὸν τῷ στόματι. ᾿ ### English translation (Claude) “And let the peace of God rule as umpire in your hearts, to which you were also called in one body.” The God who called you formed one body out of you all; do not, then, divide it. But even if someone suffers something painful from another, let him have peace in his heart, presiding over the contest and awarding the prize, and bringing about the concord that is dear to God. “And be thankful.” By your very deeds confess your thanks to the Master. “Let the word of God dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing yourselves, with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.” The old law too enjoins continual meditation on the divine oracles: “For you shall meditate,” it says, “in [them, sitting in your house] and going on the way.” The divine Apostle commands this too, so that we may always carry the teaching of Christ in our soul, hymn him, and sanctify our tongue with spiritual songs. “In your hearts” means “not only with the mouth.” ### Scripture references - Col 3:15–16: quotation, high confidence - Deut 6:7: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 3:15a, 3:15b, and 3:16. Theodoret’s text of 3:16 reads “the word of God” (most manuscripts “of Christ”), though his comment speaks of the teaching of Christ. Words of Deut 6:7 are lost in the scan and supplied in brackets. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 3.15 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/3-15). ## On Col 3:17 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-3-17 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains that thanks must be offered to God through Christ, not through angels, as the Synod of Laodicea also ruled, and that wives' subjection is limited by the Lord's law. ### Greek text ιζ΄. « Καὶ πᾶν ὅ τι ἂν ποιῆτε ἐν λόγῳ ἦ ἐν ἔργῳ, πάντα ἐν ὀνόματι. Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ δι᾿ αὐτοῦ. » Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι τοὺς γυᾷ, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς λόγους, καὶ τὰ ἔργα χυσμῆσαι τῇ μνήμῃ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ " Καὶ τῷ θεῷ δὲ καὶ Πατρὶ τὴν εὐχαριστίαν δι᾽ αὐτοῦ, φησὶν, ἀναπὲμπετε, μὴ διὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων. Τούτῳ ἐπομένη τῷ νόμῳ καὶ ἡ ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ σύνοδος, καὶ τὸ παλαιὸν ἐχεῖν» πάθος θεραπεῦσαι βουλομένη, ἐνομοθέτησε μὴ εὔχεσθαι ἀγγέλοις, μηδὲ καταλιμπάνειν τὸν Κύριυν ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν. Ἔντεῦθεν λοιπὸν κατ᾽ εἶδος τ΄, « Αἱ γυναῖκες, ὑποτάσσεσθε τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν, ὡς ἀνῆκεν, ἐν Κυρίῳ, ν Ἐπειδὴ συνέβαινε δυστὰν διορισμὸν τέϑειχεν. Ἔν Νυρίῳ γὰρ εἶπεν, ἀντὶ ᾿ φρῦ, ὡς ὁ τοῦ Κυρίον παρακελεύεται νόμος. ### English translation (Claude) “And whatever you do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” For since those men … the angels, he urges them to adorn both their words and their deeds with the remembrance of Christ the Master. And to God the Father, he says, send up thanksgiving through him, not through the angels. Following this law, the synod at Laodicea too, wishing to heal that old disease, legislated that one must not pray to angels nor abandon our Lord Jesus Christ. From here, then, he gives his exhortation case by case. “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.” Since it happened that … he set down the qualification. For he said “in the Lord,” meaning “as the law of the Lord commands.” ### Scripture references - Col 3:17–18: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Conc. Laod. 35 (Canons of the Council of Laodicea): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 3:17 and 3:18. Words are lost in the scan after “those men” (probably urging them to honor the angels) and after “it happened that” (probably some had unbelieving husbands); marked …. Theodoret cites the Synod of Laodicea, canon 35, against praying to angels. Latin debris was removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 3.17 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/3-17). ## On Col 3:19 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/2-1/#p-3-19 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains the duties of husbands, children, fathers, slaves, and masters, stressing that slaves serve the Lord and that masters owe fitting care. ### Greek text ιθ΄. ε Οἱ ἄνδρες, ἀγαπᾶτε τὰς γυναῖκας, καὶ μῇ πικραίνεσθε πρὸς αὑτάς. ν Ταῖς γυναιξὶ. τὴν ὑποταγὴν, τοῖς ἀνδράσι τὴν ἀγάπην ἐνομσθέτησεν, ἡμέρὼς αὑταῖς πιοσφέρεσθαι, καὶ ὡς μέλεσιν οἰκείοις χ᾽. « Τὰ τέχνα, ὑπακούετε τοῖς γονεῦσι κατὰ πάντα’ τοῦτο γάρ ἔστιν εὐάρεστον ἐν Κυρίῳ.» Τοῦτο γὰρ χλὶ νομοθετῶν προσέταξεν ὁ Θεός. κα΄. « Οἱ πατέρες, μὴ ἐρεθίξετε"" τὰ τέχνα ὑμῶν, ἵνα μὴ ἀθυμῶσι. ν Προσήκει δὲ καὶ ὑμᾶς μὴ λυπεῖν τπτέχνα, ἀλλὰ τὴν προσήχουταν αὐτοῖς θερα κείαν προσφέρειν. ς χϑ΄. «δὲ δοῦλοι, ὑπακούετε γατὰ πάντα τοῖς κατὰ πάρχα κυρίοις. ν "Ἐδειξε τὴν ψυχὴν ἐλευθέραν, τὸ σῶμα δὲ μόνον ὑποκείμενον τῇ δουλείᾳ. ει Μὴ ἐν ὀφθαλμοδουλεία:ς, ὡς ἀνθρωπάρεσκοϊ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἀπλόπττι τῆς καρδίας, φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεόν. ν ἈΪετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης εὑνοία; θεραπεύετε τοὺς δεσπότας, πάσης κακοηθείας ἀπηλλαγμένοι, Καὶ ἑομηνεύων τὸ, μὴ κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοδουλείαν, ἐπήγαγε" κγ΄. «Καὶ πᾶ" ὅ τι ἐὰν ποιῆτε, ἐκ ψυχῆς ἐργάπροστέθειχεν. «- Ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ 3", καὶ οὖκ ἀνθρώποις. » ᾿Απόκειται γὰρ ὑμῖν ὑπὲρ τούτου μισθός. Καὶ “ποὔτο δηλοῖ τὰ ἑξῆς, κδ΄. «ὁ Εἰδότες ὅτι ἀπὸ Κυρίου λέφεσθε τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν τῖ;ς χλτρονομίας ὑμῶν. Τῷ γὰρ Κυρίῳ Χρι- «τῷ δουλεύετε. » ᾿Ικανὴ ψυχαγωγία, τὸ τοὺς δηυλεύοντας εἰδέναι, ὡς οὐκ ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ δουλεύουσι. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ συμδῥαίνει ἀδίπγυς εἶναι χε’. « Ὁ δὲ ἀδικῶν κομίσεται ὃ Ἡδίχῃησε, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι προσωποληψία. » “Ὥστε, φησὶ, κἂν μὴ τύχητε ἀγαϑῶν ἀντιδόσεων παρὰ τῶν δεσποτῶν, ἔστι διχαιοχρίτης ὃς οὐκ οἷδε δούλου καὶ δεσπότου διαφορὰν, ἀλλὰ δικαίαν εἰσφέρει δ᾽ τὴν ψῆφον. α΄... ὍΙϊ κύριοι, τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὴν ἰσότητα τοῖς δούλοι; καρέχεσθε, εἰδότες ὅτι καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔχετε Κύϑιον ἐν οὐρανοῖς. » Ἰσότητα οὐ τὶ; ἰσοτιμίαν ἐκάλεσεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν προσήκουσαν ἐπιμέλειαν, ἧς παρὰ τῶν δισποτῶν ἀπολαύει") χρὴ τοὺς οἰκέτας. ### English translation (Claude) “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.” To wives he legislated subjection, to husbands love, [bidding them] treat their wives gently and [care for them] as their own members. “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.” For God also commanded this when he gave the law. “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they lose heart.” It is fitting for you too not to grieve your children, but to give them the care that is fitting. “Slaves, obey in everything your masters according to the flesh.” He showed that the soul is free, and only the body is subject to slavery. “Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.” Serve your masters with fitting goodwill, free of all malice. And interpreting “not with eye-service,” he added: “And whatever you do, work at it from the soul” … he added. “As to the Lord and not to men.” For a reward is laid up for you for this. And what follows shows this: “Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” It is ample comfort for those who serve to know that they serve not men but the Lord. And since it happens that [masters] are unjust: “But he who does wrong will receive back the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.” So, he says, even if you do not obtain good returns from your masters, there is a just judge who knows no difference between slave and master, but brings in a just verdict. “Masters, grant your slaves what is just and equal, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.” By “equality” he did not mean equal honor, but the fitting care that household servants ought to enjoy from their masters. ### Scripture references - Col 3:19–4:1: quotation, high confidence - Exod 20:12: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 3:19 through 4:1. Words are lost in the scan after the lemma of 3:23a (marked …) and in the comment on 3:19 (supplied in brackets). Allusion to Exod 20:12. Theodoret’s comments on slavery are translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 3.19 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/3-19). ## On Col 4:2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-2/#p-4-2 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret notes that thanksgiving for gifts received should come before petition. ### Greek text β΄. « Τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτερεῖτε 35 γρηγοροῦντες ἐν αὑτῇ ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ. » Δεῖ γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῶν δεδομένον εὐχσριστεῖν πρότερον, καὶ τηνικαῦτα τὴν ἱκε- ### English translation (Claude) “Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving.” For we must first give thanks for what has been given, and then [offer] supplication … ### Scripture references - Col 4:2: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Lemma Col 4:2. The rest of the comment is lost in the scan. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 4.2 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-2). ## On Col 4:3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-2/#p-4-3 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret notes Paul's humility in asking for prayer and explains that his bonds make the preaching more manifest. ### Greek text Ὑ΄. « Προσευχόμενοι ἅμα καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν, ἵνα ὁ Θεὺς ἀνοίξῃ ἡμῖν θύραν τοῦ λόγου, λαλῖσα! τὸ μυστῆριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ. » Τὴν συνήθη μὲν ταπεινοφουσύντν ἔδειξε" διδάσκει δὲ καὶ ἡμᾶς, μὴ ἑαυτοῖς θαῤῥεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὴν παρ᾽ ἀλλήλων ἐπικουρίαν ξητεῖν. « Δι᾽ ὃ καὶ δέδεμαι, (δ'.) ἵνα φανερώσω αὐτὸ, ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι. ν» "Ἔδειξε τῶν δεσμῶν τὴν αἰτίαν. Ταῦτα γὰρ. φησὶ, ποιεῖ τὸ κήρυγμα φανερώτερον. Οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Φιλιππησίους ἔφη « Ὥστε τοὺς δεσμούς μου φανεροὺς γενέσθαι ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ πρχιτωρίῳ, καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς πᾶσιν. » ### English translation (Claude) “Praying at the same time for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ.” He showed his usual humility; and he teaches us too not to trust in ourselves but to seek help from one another. “For which I am also in bonds, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.” He showed the cause of his bonds. For these, he says, make the preaching more manifest. So too in the letter to the Philippians he said: “So that my bonds became manifest in the whole praetorium, and to all the rest.” ### Scripture references - Col 4:3–4: quotation, high confidence - Phil 1:13: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 4:3 and 4:4. Quotation: Phil 1:13. Latin of Migne’s parallel column and footnotes, read as Greek letters, were removed from inside the lemma. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 4.3 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-3). ## On Col 4:5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-2/#p-4-5 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret urges wise conduct toward unbelievers and the buying back of the present time with good deeds. ### Greek text ε΄. « Ἐν σοφίᾳ περυπατεῖτε πρὸς τοὺς ἔξω.» Τουτἐπτι, τοὺς μηδέπω πεπιστευκότα;. Μηδεμίαν, φησὶν, αὐτοῖς πρόφατιν δίδοτε βλάβης" πάντα ὑπὲο τς αὖτῶν μηχανᾶσθε σωτηρίας. ε Τὸν καιρὸν ἐξαγοραζόμενοι. » Οὐκ ὄστιν ὑμέτερο; ὁ παρὼν αἰών᾽ χρήσασθε ποίνυν αὐτῷ εἰς δέον, καὶ οἰκεῖον ποιήσασθε, διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν αὑτὸν ὠνούμενοι πράξεων, ### English translation (Claude) “Walk in wisdom toward those outside.” That is, those who have not yet believed. Give them, he says, no occasion of harm; contrive everything for their salvation. “Redeeming the time.” The present age is not yours; use it, then, as you ought, and make it your own, buying it with good deeds. ### Scripture references - Col 4:5: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Lemma Col 4:5. In the scan text this ref also held a duplicate copy of the following pages (Col 4:6–17, staged again as refs 4.6–4.14) and a second copy of Col 4:3–5; the duplicate was removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 4.5 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-5). ## On Col 4:6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-2/#p-4-6 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains speech seasoned with salt as spiritual understanding that fits its teaching to each hearer. ### Greek text ς΄. «Ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι ἄλαοτι ἐρτυμένος. » Τῇ πνευματικῇ συνέσει κοσμεῖσθε. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Κύριος τοῖς ἀποστόλοις ἅλας ἔχειν προτέταξι, καὶ ἅλας αὑτοὺς προσηγόρευσε. Διδάσκει δὲ καὶ τούτου τὸν τρόπον. « Εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι. » Δλλως γὰρ τῷ ἀπίστῳ, καὶ ἄλλως. τῷ πιστῷ, καὶ ἄλλως τῷ τελείῳ, καὶ ἄλλως τῷ ἀκελεῖ, καὶ ἑτέρως τῷ ἀσθενεῖ, καὶ ἄλλως τῷ ὑγιαίνοντι προσφέρειν τὴν διδασκαλίαν προσήκει. ### English translation (Claude) “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt.” Be adorned with spiritual understanding. So too the Lord commanded the apostles to have salt, and called them salt. He teaches also the manner of this: “To know how you ought to answer each one.” For teaching must be offered one way to the unbeliever and another to the believer, one way to the perfect and another to the imperfect, one way to the weak and another to the healthy. ### Scripture references - Col 4:6: quotation, high confidence - Mark 9:50: allusion, high confidence - Matt 5:13: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 4:6a and 4:6b. Allusions: Mark 9:50; Matt 5:13. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 4.6 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-6). ## On Col 4:7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-2/#p-4-7 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains why Paul sends Tychicus and the former slave Onesimus, and why Aristarchus and Mark are commended. ### Greek text ζ΄ -θ΄, ε Τὰ κατ᾽ ἐμὲ πάντα γνωρίσει ὑμῖν Τυχικὸς, ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἀδελφὸς, καὶ πιστὸς διάκονος, καὶ σύνδουλος ἐν Κυρίῳ 5. ὃν ἔπεμψα πρὸς ὑμᾶ; εἰς ς αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ἵνα γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν, καὶ παρτκαλέσῃ τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, σὺν Ὀνησίμῳ τῷ πιστῷ καὶ ἀγαπητῷ ἀδελφῷ, ὅς ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν " πάντα ὑμῖν γνωριοῦσι ᾽ τὰ ὧδε. » Ὁ Ὀνήσιμος τοῦ Φιλὴμόνος ἦν οἰκέτης, Τοῦτον ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ κατηχήσας ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, ἔπεμψε τῷ δεσπότῃ· ἐπειδὴ ᾽5 γράφων εἶπεν, ὡς ἐβουλήθη μὲν αὐτὸν. κατασχεῖν, παρὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκείνου γνώμην τοῦτο οὐκ ἠθέλησε πρᾶξαι. ᾿Απέστειλεν, ὡς 3 εἰκὸς, ὁ Φιλήμων " ἀλλὰ τοῦτον σὺν τῷ Τυχιχῷ πάλιν ἔπεμψεν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολο;, ὡς ὑπουργὸν λοιπὸν γενόμενον τοῦ κηρύγματος. Ἔστι δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὶν σοφίαν καταμαθεῖν, Τὸ μὲν γὰρ μηνῦσαι τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν, κοινὸν πεποίηκεν ἀμφοτέρων ". Πάντα γὰρ ὑμῖν, φησὶ, γγνωριοῦσι" τὰ ὧδε. Τὲ δὲ παρακαλέσαι μόνῳ ἀπένειμεν τῷ Τυχιχῷ ᾿ Ἵνα γνῷ Ὑλρ. φησὶ, τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν, καὶ παρακαλέσῃ τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἔδεισαν τὸν Ὁνήσιμον δοῦλον, καὶ εἰκὸς ἣν δυσχερᾶναι, ὅτι ὁ χθὲς καὶ πρώην δου" λεύων, ἐχανὸς ἐξαπίνης γέγονεν Ἐκκλησίαν ὅλην παρακαλέσαι τε καὶ διδάξαι, μόνον ἔφη τὸν Τυχικὸν εἰς τοῦτο πεπομφέναι. Τὸ δέ γε μηνῦσαι τὰ κατ' αὐτὸν ἀμφοτέροις συνήρμοσε, καὶ τοῦτον ταῦτῇ “ἐμῶν, καὶ ἐκείνους οὐ πλέττων. ε ᾿Ασπάζεται ὑμᾶς ᾿Αρίσταρχος ὁ συναιχμάλωπόξ μου. ν Θεπσαλονιχεὺς ἦν, ὡς ὁ μακάριος διδάσκει “Αλυχᾶς' συναπῆλθε δὲ αὐτῷ εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν. Ἐκεῖθεν συνεξεδήμησεν εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην. Συναιχμάλωτον δὲ αὐτὸν κέκληκεν, ὡς κοινωνὸν τῶν παθημάτων γενόμενον. « Καὶ Μάρκος ὁ ἀνεψιὸς Βαρνάβα, περὶ οὗ ἐλάβετε ἐντολάς" ἐὰν ἔλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, δέξασθε αὐτόν. » Καὶ τοῦτο δελοῖ, ὡς τεθεαμένος αὐτοὺς ἔγραψε τὴν ἐπιστολήν. Μετὰ γὰρ τὴν γεγενημένην αὐτῷ τε καὶ τῷ μακαρίῳ Βαρνέσᾳ περὶ τοῦ Μάρκου φιλονεικίαν, τῇ Φρυγίᾳ καὶ τῇ Γαλατίᾳ τὴν διδασκαλίαν προσήνεγκεν. Εἰκὸ; οὖν ὅτι τότε τὰς περὶ αὖτῶν δέδωκεν ἐντολάς, Τοῦτον κελεύει παραγενόμενον ### English translation (Claude) “Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord, will make known to you all my affairs; I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs and that he may comfort your hearts, with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you; they will make known to you everything here.” Onesimus was Philemon’s household slave. Having instructed him in the prison, the divine Apostle sent him to his master; for when writing he said that he had wished to keep him, but did not want to do this against his master’s will. Philemon, as is likely, sent him back; and the divine Apostle sent him again with Tychicus, as one who had now become an assistant in the preaching. Here too one may observe his wisdom. For the reporting of his affairs he made common to both: “They will make known to you,” he says, “everything here.” But the comforting he assigned to Tychicus alone: “That he may know,” he says, “our affairs and comfort your hearts.” For since they had known Onesimus as a slave, and they were likely to be vexed that one who was a slave yesterday and the day before had suddenly become able to comfort and teach a whole church, he said that he had sent Tychicus alone for this. But the reporting of his affairs he assigned to both, honoring the one in this way and not wounding the others. “Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you.” He was a Thessalonian, as the blessed Luke teaches; and he went with him to Judea, and from there traveled with him to Rome. He called him fellow prisoner as one who had become a sharer in his sufferings. “And Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, receive him.” This too shows that he wrote the letter having seen them. For after the quarrel that arose between him and the blessed Barnabas about Mark, he brought the teaching to Phrygia and Galatia. It is likely, then, that he gave the instructions about them at that time. He bids them [honor] him when he arrives … ### Scripture references - Col 4:7–10: quotation, high confidence - Phlm 1:13–14: allusion, high confidence - Acts 20:4: allusion, medium confidence - Acts 27:2: allusion, high confidence - Acts 15:37–39: allusion, high confidence - Acts 16:6: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 4:7–9, 4:10a, and 4:10b. Words lost at a page break in this copy (“having instructed him … sent him to his master”) were restored from the duplicate copy of the same page in the scan (see ref 4.5). The last words are lost. Allusions: Phlm 13–14; Acts 20:4; 27:2; 15:37–39; 16:6. Apparatus notes and Latin of Migne’s parallel column, read as Greek letters, were removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 4.7 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-7). ## On Col 4:11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-2/#p-4-11 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret notes the high praise of those who comforted Paul. ### Greek text ια΄. ε Καὶ Ἰησηῦς ὁ λεγόμενος ᾿Ἰοῦστός, οἱ ὄντες ἐκ περιτομῆς, Οὗτοι μόνοι συνεργοὶ εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θ:οῦ, οἵτινες ἐγενήθησάν μοι παρηγορία. ν» Μέγιστον ἐγκώμιον τὸ τῷ ᾿Αποστόλῳ γενέσθαι θυμηδίας πρόξενον. ὃ ### English translation (Claude) “And Jesus who is called Justus. These, of the circumcision, are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God; they have been a comfort to me.” It is the greatest praise to have been the cause of delight to the Apostle. ### Scripture references - Col 4:11: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotation: Col 4:11. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 4.11 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-11). ## On Col 4:12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-2/#p-4-12 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains Paul's commendation of Epaphras's prayers and zeal for the churches of Phrygia. ### Greek text ιβ΄. «᾿Ασπάζεται ὑμᾶς Ἐπαφρᾶς, ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν διῦλος Χριστοῦ, » Πολίτης αὐτῶν ἦν ὁ Ἑπαφρᾶς, ὡς καὶ Ἄδη προειρέχαμεν. ε Πάντοτε ἀγωνιξόμενος ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐν ταῖς προτευχαῖς, ἵνα στῆτε τέλειοι καὶ πε- πληρωμένοι ἐν παντὶ θελήματι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ν ᾽Αναγ-" καΐως αὐτοῦ τὴν περὶ αὐτοὺς ἔδειξεν εὔνοιαν, ἵνα προθυμότερον αὑτοῦ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ προσέχωσι. ΕὙΥ. « Μαρτυρῶ γὰρ αὐτῷ, ὅτι ἔχει ζῆλον πολὺν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, καὶ τῶν ἐν Λαροδιχείᾳ, καὶ τῶν ἐν Ἵεραπόλει. » Πελάξζουσιν ἀλλήλαις αὐταὶ αἱ πόλεις- πᾶσα: δὲ τῆ; Φρυγίας εἰσίν. ### English translation (Claude) “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, greets you.” Epaphras was their fellow citizen, as we have already said. “Always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” He necessarily showed Epaphras’s goodwill toward them, so that they might attend to his teaching more eagerly. “For I bear him witness that he has much zeal for you and for those in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis.” These cities are near one another, and all are in Phrygia. ### Scripture references - Col 4:12–13: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 4:12a, 4:12b, and 4:13. Latin of Migne’s parallel column and footnotes, read as Greek letters, were removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 4.12 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-12). ## On Col 4:14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-2/#p-4-14 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains the closing greetings, argues that the letter "from Laodicea" was written to Paul, not by him, and places Archippus at Colossae. ### Greek text ιδ΄. « ᾿Ααπάξεται ὑμᾶς Λουκᾶς ἰατρὸς ὁ ἀγαπητὸς, καὶ Δημᾶς. » Οὗτος καὶ τὸ θεῖον συνέγραψεν Εὐαγγέλιον, καὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν τῶν Πράξεων. Καὶ ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὡς ἐσχάτη πασῶν Ἐπιστολῶν ἡ δευτέρα πρὸς Τιμόθεον ἐγράφη. Ἔχεϊ γὰρ περὶ τοῦ Δημᾶ λέγει" ε Δημᾶς με ἐγκατέλιπεν ἀγαπήσας τὸν νῦν αἰῶνα. » "ε΄, ε ᾿Αλσπάσασθε τοὺ; ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ ἀδελφοὺς, καὶ Νυμφᾶν "", καὶ τὴν κατ᾽ οἶκον αὐτοῦ Ἐκκλησίαν. » Οὗτος, ὡς ἔτιχε, τῶν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ. πιστῶν ἐτύγχανεν ὧν, ὃς καὶ τὴν οἰκίαν Ἐκκλησίαν ἀπέφηνεν, εὑσεθδείᾳ ταύτην κοσμήσας. 'ς΄. ε Καὶ ὅταν ἀναγνωσθῇ παρ᾽ ὑμῖν ἡ ἐπιστολῇ, τοιῆσατε ἵνα καὶ ἐν τῇ Λαοδικέων ἀναγνωσθῇ, καὶ τὴν ἐκ Λαοδικείας ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀναγνῶτε, » Τινὲς ὑπέλαβον καὶ πρὸς Λαοδικέας αὑτὸν γεγραφέναι" αὖτίκα τοίνυν καὶ προσφέρουσι πεπλασμένην λήν. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος οὐκ ἔφη, Καὶ τὴν πρὸς Δαοδιχέας, ἀλλὰ, καὶ τὴν ἐκ Λαοδικείας. ᾿Ἐκεῖνα: γὰρ πρὸς αὑτὸν περί τινων ἔγραψαν. Εἰκὸς δὲ αὐτοὺς ἢ τὰ ἐν Κολοσσαΐς γενόμενα αἰτιάσασθαι, ἢ τὰ αὐτὰ τούτοις νενοσηχένα:. Διὸ καὶ ταύτην εἶπε τὴν ἐπιστολὴν κἀκείνοις ἀναγνωσθῆναι, ᾿ξ ε Καὶ εἴπατε " ᾿Αρχίππῳ" Βλέπετε " τὴν … ἐν Κυρίῳ, ἵνα αὐτὴν πληροῖς.» Τινὲς ἔφασαν τοῦτον Λαοδικείας γεγενῆσθαι διδάσκαλον. ᾿Α)λ᾽ ἡ πρὸς Φιλήμονα πιστολὴ διδάσκει ὡς ἐν Κολοσσαῖς οὗτος ῴᾧχει" τῷ γὰρ Φιλήμονε καὶ τοῦτον συντάττει. ν ### English translation (Claude) “Luke the beloved physician greets you, and Demas.” Luke wrote both the divine Gospel and the history of the Acts. From this too it is plain that the second letter to Timothy was written last of all the letters. For there he says of Demas: “Demas has forsaken me, having loved the present age.” “Greet the brothers in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church in his house.” This man, as it happens, was one of the faithful in Laodicea; he made his household a church, adorning it with piety. “And when the letter has been read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you also read the one from Laodicea.” Some supposed that he also wrote to the Laodiceans, and so they produce a forged letter. But the divine Apostle did not say “the one to the Laodiceans” but “the one from Laodicea.” For they had written to him about certain matters. It is likely that they either complained of what had happened at Colossae or had fallen sick of the same disease as these. That is why he said that this letter should be read to them too. “And say to Archippus: See to the … in the Lord, that you fulfill it.” Some said that this man had been the teacher of Laodicea. But the letter to Philemon teaches that he lived at Colossae, for it ranks him with Philemon. ### Scripture references - Col 4:14–17: quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 4:10: quotation, high confidence - Phlm 1:2: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 4:14, 4:15, 4:16, and 4:17. Theodoret rejects a letter of Paul to the Laodiceans circulating in his day as a forgery. Part of the lemma of 4:17 (“the ministry which you received”) is lost in the scan (marked …). Quotations: 2 Tim 4:10; allusion to Phlm 2. Latin of Migne’s parallel column, read as Greek letters, was removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 4.14 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-14). ## On Col 4:18 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-2/#p-4-18 - Source: PG 82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12 Summary: Theodoret explains Paul's autograph greeting and urges remembering his bonds, bearing trials, and relying on grace. ### Greek text ιη΄. « Ὁ ἀσπασμὸς, τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλον. » Ἰοὺτὸν "" προστέθεικε, διδάσκων ὡς σὺν παῤῥησίᾳ χελεύεν μὴ φυλάττειν τὸν νόμον. ἐ Μνημονεύετέ μὸν τῶν δεσμῶν. ν ᾿Αντὶ τοῦ, Ζηλοῦτε καὶ μιμεῖσθε, καὶ τὰ προσπίπτοντα λυπηρὰ φέρετε καρτερῶς. ᾿ι Ἡ χάρις μεθ' ὁμῶν. ᾿Αμήν. ν Τούτων καὶ ἡνᾶς προσ’ ἧχει τῶν δεσμῶν μνημονεύειν ἀεὶ, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς μνήμης ὠφέλειαν καρποῦσθαι" καὶ προσεύχεσθαι μὲν μὴ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς πειρασμόν" εἰ δὲ τοῦτο γεγένη" ται, στέργειν τὴν θείαν οἰκονομίαν, καὶ δεικνύναι τὴν οἰκείαν ἀνδρείαν, καὶ τὴν θείαν χάριν εἰς συμμαχίαν καλεῖν. Οὕτω γὰρ δυνατὸν ἀγωνίσασθαι, καὶ καὶ τυχεῖν τῶν ἀνσῤῥήσεων ἐν Χριστῷ" μεθ᾽ οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ δόξα πρέπει καὶ μεγαλοπρέπεια, σὺν δ᾽ τῷ -παναγίῳ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ### English translation (Claude) “The greeting by my own hand, Paul’s.” He added this to teach that he boldly bids them not to keep the law. “Remember my bonds.” That is: emulate and imitate them, and bear firmly the painful things that befall you. “Grace be with you. Amen.” It is fitting for us too always to remember these bonds and to reap the benefit of remembering them; to pray not to enter into temptation, but if this has happened, to accept the divine economy, to show our own courage, and to call on divine grace as our ally. For so it is possible to contend and to obtain the rewards in Christ, with whom glory and majesty befit the Father, with the all-holy Spirit, now and always and for ever and ever. ### Scripture references - Col 4:18: quotation, high confidence - Matt 26:41: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The ref holds the lemmas Col 4:18a, 4:18b, and 4:18c. “Rewards” renders the garbled ἀνσῤῥήσεων by sense. Allusion to Matt 26:41. Latin of Migne’s parallel column, read as Greek letters, was removed. ### Citation (SBL) Theodoret, Interp. Col. 4.18 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-colossenses/4-18).