Colossians 1 · Verse 28

Colossians 1:28

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Colossians 1:28, King James Version

Colossians 1:28 in other translations

BSBWe proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
WEBWe proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;
ASVwhom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;
YLTwhom we proclaim, warning every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,
DARBYwhom we announce, admonishing every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, to the end that we may present every man perfect in Christ.
BBEWhom we are preaching; guiding and teaching every man in all wisdom, so that every man may be complete in Christ;
WebsterWhom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

What does Colossians 1:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
28. preach--rather as Greek, "announce" or "proclaim." warning ... teaching--"Warning" is connected with repentance, refers to one's conduct, and is addressed primarily to the heart. "Teaching" is connected with faith, refers to doctrines, and is addressed primarily to the intellect. These are the two heads of evangelical teaching. every ... every man--without distinction of Jew or Gentile, great or small (Ro 10:12, 13). in all wisdom--with all the wisdom in our method of teaching that we possess: so Alford. But Col 1:9; Col 3:16, favor Estius' view, which refers it to the wisdom communicated to those being taught: keeping back nothing, but instructing all in the perfect knowledge of the mysteries of faith which is the true wisdom (compare 1Co 2:6, 7; 12:8; Ep 1:17). present--(See on Col 1:22); at Christ's coming. every man--Paul is zealous lest the false teachers should seduce one single soul of Christ's people at Colosse. So each individual among them should be zealous for himself and his neighbor. Even one soul is of incalculable value. perfect in Christ--who is the element in living union with whom alone each believer can find perfection: perfectly instructed (Ep 4:13) in doctrine, and full grown or matured in faith and practice. "Jesus" is omitted in all the oldest manuscripts.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 28. Whom we preach, warning every man. This does not mean warning of danger, but "admonishing all of the claims of the gospel to attention." Our word warn is commonly used in the sense of cautioning against danger. The Greek word here means to put in mind; to admonish; to exhort. The idea of the apostle is, that he made it his great business to bring the offers of the gospel fairly before the mind of every man. As it had the same claims on all, as it might be freely offered to all, and as it furnished the only hope of glory, he made it the object of his life to apprize every man of it, as far as he could.

And teaching every man. Paul made it his business to instruct men, as well as to exhort them. Exhortation and warning are of little use where there is not sound instruction and a careful inculcation of the truth. It is one of the duties of the ministry to instruct men in those truths of which they were before ignorant. See Mt 28:19, 2Ti 2:25.

In all wisdom. Mt 10:16 Col 1:9. The meaning is, that he and his fellow-labourers endeavoured to manifest true wisdom in the method in which they instructed others.

That we may present every man. When we come to appear before God. 2Cor 11:2. Paul was anxious that no one to whom this gospel was preached should be lost. He believed it to be adapted to save every man; and as he expected to meet all his hearers at the bar of God, his aim was to present them made perfect by means of that gospel which he preached.

(f) "warning" Acts 20:28,31 (a) "every man" 2Ti 2:24,25 (b) "we may present" 2Cor 11:2

Albert Barnes, 1834 · 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 1:28 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.

ὃνhonwhomG3739
ἡμεῖςhēmeiswe ourselvesG3165
καταγγέλλομενkatangellomenpreachG2605
νουθετοῦντεςnouthetountesadmonishingG3560
πάνταpantaeveryG3956
ἄνθρωπονanthrōponmanG444
καὶkaiandG2532
διδάσκοντεςdidaskontesteachingG1321
πάνταpantaeveryG3956
ἄνθρωπονanthrōponmanG444
ἐνeninG1722
πάσῃpasēallG3956
σοφίᾳ,sophiawisdom,G4678
ἵναinaso thatG2443
παραστήσωμενparastēsōmenwe may presentG3936
πάνταpantaeveryG3956
ἄνθρωπονanthrōponmanG444
τέλειονteleionperfectG5046
ἐνeninG1722
ΧριστῷChristōChristG5547
Ἰησοῦ,IēsouJesusG2424

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

Cross references for Colossians 1:28

  • Ephesians 5:27

    That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

  • Jeremiah 3:15

    And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

  • Ephesians 4:11-13

    And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

  • Matthew 5:48

    Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

  • Colossians 3:16

    Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

  • 2 Timothy 2:24-25

    And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

  • 1 Corinthians 2:6

    Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

  • Colossians 1:22

    In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

  • Acts 20:31

    Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:2

    For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

  • 2 Corinthians 4:5

    For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

  • Acts 8:35

    Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Whom.
Ac 3:20; 5:42; 8:5,35; 9:20; 10:36; 11:20; 13:38; 17:3,18; Ro 16:25
1Co 1:23; 15:12; 2Co 4:5; 10:14; Eph 3:8; Php 1:15-18; 1Ti 3:16
warning.
Jer 6:10; Eze 3:17-21; 33:4-9; Mt 3:7; Ac 20:27,28,31; 1Co 4:14
1Th 4:6; 5:12-14
teaching.
De 4:5; Eze 7:10; Ec 12:9; Mt 28:20; Mr 6:34; Eph 4:11; 1Ti 3:2
2Ti 2:24,25
in all.
Pr 8:5; Jer 3:15; Lu 21:15; 1Co 2:6,15; 12:8; 2Pe 3:15
we may.
22; 2Co 11:2; Eph 5:27
perfect.
2:10; 1Co 1:30; Eph 4:12,13; Heb 10:14; 13:21

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

Context

  • 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:

  • Colossians 1:28

    Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

  • Colossians 1:29

    Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Read all of Colossians 1

Colossians 1:28 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El cual nosotros anunciamos, amonestando á todo hombre, y enseñando en toda sabiduría, para que presentemos á todo hombre perfecto en Cristo Jesús:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		lequel nous annonçons, exhortant tout homme et enseignant tout homme en toute sagesse, afin que nous présentions tout homme parfait en Christ:
German
Elberfelder 1871		den wir verkündigen, indem wir jeden Menschen ermahnen und jeden Menschen lehren in aller Weisheit, auf daß wir jeden Menschen vollkommen in Christo darstellen;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		quem nos annuntiamus, corripientes omnem hominem, et docentes omnem hominem, in omni sapientia, ut exhibeamus omnem hominem perfectum in Christo Jesu: