Colossians 1 · Verse 26

Colossians 1:26

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Colossians 1:26, King James Version

Colossians 1:26 in other translations

BSBthe mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints.
WEBthe mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints,
ASVeven the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints,
YLTthe secret that hath been hid from the ages and from the generations, but now was manifested to his saints,
DARBYthe mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been made manifest to his saints;
BBEThe secret which has been kept from all times and generations, but has now been made clear to his saints,
WebsterEven the mystery which hath been hid from ages, and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

What does Colossians 1:26 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
26. the mystery--(See on Ep 1:9, 10; Ep 3:5-9). The mystery, once hidden, now revealed, is redemption for the whole Gentile world, as well as for the Jews, "Christ in you (Gentiles) the hope of glory" (Col 1:27). from ages--"from," according to Alford, refers to time, not "hidden from": from the time of the ages; still what is meant is that the mystery was hidden from the beings living in those "ages." The "ages" are the vast successive periods marked by successive orders of beings and stages of creation. Greek, "Æons," a word used by the Gnostics for angelic beings emanating from God. The Spirit by Paul presciently, in opposition to Gnostic error already beginning (Col 2:18), teaches, that the mystery of redemption was hidden in God's purposes in Christ, alike from the angelic beings (compare Ep 3:10) of the pre-Adamic "ages," and from the subsequent human "generations." Translate as Greek, "the ages ... the generations." made manifest to his saints--to His apostles and prophets primarily (Ep 3:5), and through them to all His saints.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 26. Even the mystery. To make that mystery fully known. Eph 3:2, and Eph 3:3-9. The great doctrine, that salvation was to be proclaimed to all mankind, Paul says, had been concealed for many generations. Hence it was called a mystery, or a hidden truth.

But now is made manifest to his saints. It was communicated especially to the apostles who were appointed to proclaim it, and through them to all the saints. Paul says that he regarded himself as specially called to make this truth known, as far as possible, to mankind.

(c) "mystery" Eph 3:9 (d) "now is made" 2Ti 1:10

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 The mystery which hath been hid - The mystery is this: that God had designed to grant the Gentiles the same privileges with the Jews, and make them his people who were not his people. That this is what St. Paul means by the mystery, see Eph 3:3, etc. Made manifest to his saints - It is fully known to all who have embraced the doctrine of Christ crucified; to all Christians.

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 1:26 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.

τὸtotheG3588
μυστήριονmustērionmysteryG3466
τὸtowhichG3588
ἀποκεκρυμμένονapokekrummenonhiddenG613
ἀπὸapofromG575
τῶνtōntheG3588
αἰώνωνaiōnōnagesG165
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀπὸapofromG575
τῶνtōntheG3588
γενεῶν,geneōngenerations,G1074
νῦνnunnowG3568
δὲdehoweverG1161
ἐφανερώθηephanerōthēhaving been manifestedG5319
τοῖςtoisto theG3588
ἁγίοιςhagioissaintsG40
αὐτοῦ·autouof Him;G846

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

Cross references for Colossians 1:26

  • Luke 8:10

    And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

  • Romans 16:25-26

    Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

  • Ephesians 3:3-10

    How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: …

  • 1 Corinthians 2:7

    But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

  • Matthew 13:11

    He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

  • Psalms 25:14

    The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

  • 2 Timothy 1:10

    But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

  • Mark 4:11

    And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the mystery.
Ro 16:25,26; 1Co 2:7; Eph 3:3-10
now.
Ps 25:14; Mt 13:11; Mr 4:11; Lu 8:10; 2Ti 1:10

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

Context

  • 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:

  • Colossians 1:27

    To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Read all of Colossians 1

Colossians 1:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		A saber, el misterio que había estado oculto desde los siglos y edades, mas ahora ha sido manifestado á sus santos:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		savoir le mystère qui avait été caché dès les siècles et dès les générations, mais qui a été maintenant manifesté à ses saints,
German
Elberfelder 1871		das Geheimnis, welches von den Zeitaltern und von den Geschlechtern her verborgen war, jetzt aber seinen Heiligen geoffenbart worden ist,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		mysterium, quod absconditum fuit a sæculis, et generationibus, nunc autem manifestatum est sanctis ejus,