Colossians 2 · Verse 12

Colossians 2:12

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Colossians 2:12, King James Version

Colossians 2:12 in other translations

BSBAnd having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.
WEBhaving been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
ASVhaving been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
YLTbeing buried with him in the baptism, in which also ye rose with him through the faith of the working of God, who did raise him out of the dead.
DARBYburied with him in baptism, in which ye have been also raised with him through faith of the working of God who raised him from among the dead.
BBEHaving been put to death with him in baptism, by which you came to life again with him, through faith in the working of God, who made him come back from the dead.
WebsterBuried with him in baptism, in which also ye are raised with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

What does Colossians 2:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. Translate, "Having been buried with Him in your baptism." The past participle is here coincident in time with the preceding verb, "ye were (Greek) circumcised." Baptism is regarded as the burial of the old carnal life, to which the act of immersion symbolically corresponds; and in warm climates where immersion is safe, it is the mode most accordant with the significance of the ordinance; but the spirit of the ordinance is kept by affusion, where immersion would be inconvenient or dangerous; to insist on literal immersion in all cases would be mere legal ceremonialism (Ro 6:3, 4). are risen--rather as Greek, "were raised with Him." through the faith, &c.--by means of your faith in the operation of God; so "faith of," for "faith in" (Ep 3:12; Php 3:9). Faith in God's mighty operation in raising again Jesus, is saving faith (Ro 4:24; 10:9); and it is wrought in the soul by His same "mighty working" whereby He "raised Jesus from the dead" (Ep 1:19, 20). Bengel seems to me (not as Alford understands him) to express the latter sense, namely, "Through the faith which is a work of the operation of God who," &c. Ep 1:19, 20 accords with this; the same mighty power of God is exercised in raising one spiritually dead to the life of faith, as was "wrought in Christ when God raised Him literally from the dead." However, "faith of" usually is "faith in" (Ro 3:22); but there is no grammatical impropriety in understanding it "the faith which is the effect of the operation of God" (Ep 2:8; 1Th 2:13). As His literal resurrection is the ground of the power put forth in our spiritual resurrection now, so it is a pledge of our literal resurrection hereafter (Ro 8:11).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. Buried with him in baptism. Rom 6:4.

Wherein also. In which ordinance, or by virtue of that which is signified by the ordinance.

Ye are risen with him. From the death of sin to the life of religion. Rom 6:4, Rom 6:5, Eph 2:5, Eph 2:6.

Through the faith of the operation of God. By a firm belief on the agency of God in raising him up; that is, a belief of the fact that God has raised him from the dead. The resurrection of Christ is often represented as the foundation of all our hopes; and, as he was raised from the grave to die no more, so, in virtue of that, we are raised from the death of sin to eternal spiritual life. The belief of this is shown by our baptism, whatever be the mode in which that ordinance is performed, and as well shown in one mode as another.

(d) "Buried" Rom 6:4,5 (e) "operation of God" Eph 1:19

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Buried with him in baptism - Alluding to the immersions practised in the case of adults, wherein the person appeared to be buried under the Water, as Christ was buried in the heart of the earth. His rising again the third any, and their emerging from the water, was an emblem of the resurrection of the body; and, in them, of a total change of life. The faith of the operation of God - They were quickened, changed, and saved, by means of faith in Christ Jesus; which faith was produced by the operation or energy of God. Believing is the act of the soul; but the grace or power to believe comes from God himself.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Colossians 2:8-17

There is a philosophy which rightly exercises our reasonable faculties; a study of the works of God, which leads us to the knowledge of God, and confirms our faith in him. But there is a philosophy which is vain and deceitful; and while it pleases men's fancies, hinders their faith: such are curious speculations about things above us, or no concern to us. Those who walk in the way of the world, are turned from…

Read the full comment on Colossians 2:8-17 →

Colossians 2:12 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.

συνταφέντεςsuntaphenteshaving been buried withG4916
αὐτῷautōHimG846
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtō<the>G3588
βαπτισμῷbaptismōbaptismG909
ἐνeninG1722
ᾧhōwhichG3739
καὶkaialsoG2532
συνηγέρθητεsunēgerthēteyou were raised with [Him]G4891
διὰdiathroughG1223
τῆςtēstheG3588
πίστεωςpisteōsfaithG4102
τῆςtēsof theG3588
ἐνεργείαςenergeiasworkingG1753
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦtheouof GodG2316
τοῦtouthe [One who]G3588
ἐγείραντοςegeirantoshaving raisedG1453
αὐτὸνautonHimG846
ἐκekout fromG1537
νεκρῶν.¶nekrōndead.G3498

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

Cross references for Colossians 2:12

  • Romans 6:3-5

    Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

  • Galatians 3:27

    For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

  • 1 Peter 3:21

    The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

  • Ephesians 2:4-6

    But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

  • Colossians 3:1-2

    If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

  • Ephesians 4:5

    One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

  • Acts 2:24

    Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

  • Romans 6:8-11

    Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

  • Romans 4:24

    But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

  • Ephesians 3:17

    That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

  • Ephesians 1:19-20

    And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

  • 1 Corinthians 15:20

    But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Buried.
Ro 6:4,5
baptism.
Ro 6:3; 1Co 12:13; Ga 3:27; Eph 4:5; Tit 3:5,6; Heb 6:2; 1Pe 3:21
wherein.
3:1,2; Ro 6:8-11; 7:4; 1Co 15:20; Eph 1:20; 2:4-6; 5:14; 1Pe 4:1-3
the faith.
Lu 17:5; *Gr:
Joh 1:12,13; 3:3-7; Ac 14:27; Eph 1:19; 2:8; 3:7,17; Php 1:29
Heb 12:2; Jas 1:16,17
who.
Ac 2:24; Ro 4:24; Heb 13:20,21

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

Context

  • Colossians 2:11

    In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

  • Colossians 2:12

    Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

  • Colossians 2:13

    And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Read all of Colossians 2

Colossians 2:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Sepultados juntamente con él en el bautismo, en el cual también resucitasteis con él, por la fe de la operación de Dios que le levantó de los muertos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
étant ensevelis avec lui dans le baptême, dans lequel aussi vous avez été ressuscités ensemble par la foi en l’opération de Dieu qui l’a ressuscité d’entre les morts.
German
Elberfelder 1871
mit ihm begraben in der Taufe, in welcher ihr auch mitauferweckt worden seid durch den Glauben an die wirksame Kraft Gottes, der ihn aus den Toten auferweckt hat.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
consepulti ei in baptismo, in quo et resurrexistis per fidem operationis Dei, qui suscitavit illum a mortuis.