Colossians 1 · Verse 25

Colossians 1:25

Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Colossians 1:25, King James Version

Colossians 1:25 in other translations

BSB	I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God,
WEB	of which I was made a servant according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you to fulfill the word of God,
ASV	whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God,
YLT	of which I--I did become a ministrant according to the dispensation of God, that was given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God,
DARBY	of which I became minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given me towards you to complete the word of God,
BBE	Of which I became a servant by the purpose of God which was given to me for you, to give effect to the word of God,
Webster	Of which I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God;

What does Colossians 1:25 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

25. am--Greek, "I was made a minister": resuming Col 1:23, "whereof I Paul was made a minister." dispensation--the stewardship committed to me to dispense in the house of God, the Church, to the whole family of believers, the goods of my Master (Lu 12:42; 1Co 4:1, 2; 9:17; Ep 3:2). which is given--Greek, "which was given." for you--with a view to you, Gentiles (Col 1:27; Ro 15:16). to fulfil--to bring it fully to all: the end of his stewardship: "fully preached" (Ro 15:19). "The fulness of Christ (Col 1:19), and of the times (Ep 1:10) required him so to do" [Bengel].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 25. According to the dispensation of God. The arrangement which God has made. That is, he designed that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, and, in accordance with that arrangement, he has called me to be a minister. Eph 3:2.

To fulfil the word of God. Marg., "fully to preach." The Greek is, "to fill up the word of God;" the meaning is, "fully to teach and promulgate the gospel." Rom 15:19.

(1) "to fulfill" "to fully preach"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 25 Whereof I am made a minister - Having received especial commission from God to preach salvation to the Gentiles. According to the dispensation - Κατα την οικονομιαν· According to the Gospel economy or institution; the scheme or plan of salvation by Christ crucified. To fulfill the word of God - The Greek πληρωσαι τον λογον του Θεου may be translated, fully to preach the doctrine of God. See Rom 15:19, and the note there. Were we to take the word in its common meaning, it might signify to accomplish the purpose of God, as predicted by the prophets.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Colossians 1:24-29

Both the sufferings of the Head and of the members are called the sufferings of Christ, and make up, as it were, one body of sufferings. But He suffered for the redemption of the church; we suffer on other accounts; for we do but slightly taste that cup of afflictions of which Christ first drank deeply. A Christian may be said to fill up that which remains of the sufferings of Christ, when he takes up his cross, and…

Read the full comment on Colossians 1:24-29 →

Colossians 1:25 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἧςhēsof whichG3739

ἐγενόμηνegenomēnbecameG1096

ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473

διάκονοςdiakonosa ministerG1249

κατὰkataaccording toG2596

τὴνtēntheG3588

οἰκονομίανoikonomianadministrationG3622

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦtheouof GodG2316

τὴνtēnwhichG3588

δοθεῖσάνdotheisanhaving been givenG1325

μοιmoimeG3165

εἰςeistowardG1519

ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771

πληρῶσαιplērōsaito completeG4137

τὸνtontheG3588

λόγονlogonwordG3056

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦ,theouof God,G2316

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Colossians 1:25

Ephesians 3:2
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
Colossians 1:23
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Galatians 2:7-8
But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
2 Timothy 4:2-5
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
1 Thessalonians 3:2
And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:
1 Timothy 4:6
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
Romans 15:15-19
Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, …
1 Corinthians 9:17
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I am.
23; 1Th 3:2; 1Ti 4:6
according.
Ro 15:15-18; 1Co 9:17; Ga 2:7,8; Eph 3:2
to fulfil. or, fully to preach.
Ro 15:19; 2Ti 4:2-5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Colossians 1:24
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
Colossians 1:25
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Colossians 1:26
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Read all of Colossians 1

Colossians 1:25 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	De la cual soy hecho ministro, según la dispensación de Dios que me fué dada en orden á vosotros, para que cumpla la palabra de Dios;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	de laquelle moi je suis devenu serviteur selon l’administration de Dieu qui m’a été donnée envers vous, pour compléter la parole de Dieu,
German Elberfelder 1871	deren Diener ich geworden bin nach der Verwaltung Gottes, die mir in Bezug auf euch gegeben ist, um das Wort Gottes zu vollenden:
Latin Clementine Vulgate	cujus factus sum ego minister secundum dispensationem Dei, quæ data est mihi in vos, ut impleam verbum Dei: