Colossians 2:13 Meaning and Explanation
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →We were as good as dead in our sin, and God made us alive with Christ, forgiving every last wrong.
The Context of Colossians 2:13
Paul is reminding the Colossians, many of them non-Jews once outside the covenant, of the state they were in before Christ and of the staggering change God worked. He has just spoken of being buried and raised with Christ in baptism, and now he names what that resurrection means for them.
What Does Colossians 2:13 Mean?
Paul does not soften the diagnosis. We were dead, all the way lifeless in our sins, well past sickness or weakness, with no power to revive ourselves. A dead person cannot reach for help. Then comes the turn that only God could make: He quickened us, made us alive, and He did it together with Christ. The same act that raised Jesus raised us. And He named the reason in plain words, having forgiven us all our trespasses, every one, holding nothing back.
The word for all is the heart of the comfort. He forgave all of them, the whole record, the small sins and the ones we have managed to put behind us alike. God did not bring us halfway to life and leave the debt standing. He raised us with His Son and wiped the account clean. The life is His gift, and so is the forgiveness that makes the new life possible.
Colossians 2:13 in the Original Language
suzoopoieo (συζωοποιέω), 'quickened together' -- to make alive along with another, to share one resurrection.
How to Apply Colossians 2:13 Today
However buried our past feels, this verse meets us there. God makes the spiritually dead alive, and He forgives every one of our trespasses, the whole of them. The slate is wholly clean, because He raised us with His Son.
Frequently Asked Questions About Colossians 2:13
What does Colossians 2:13 mean?
We were as good as dead in our sin, and God made us alive with Christ, forgiving every last wrong.
What is the context of Colossians 2:13?
Paul is reminding the Colossians, many of them non-Jews once outside the covenant, of the state they were in before Christ and of the staggering change God worked. He has just spoken of being buried and raised with Christ in baptism, and now he names what that resurrection means for them.
How can I apply Colossians 2:13 today?
However buried our past feels, this verse meets us there. God makes the spiritually dead alive, and He forgives every one of our trespasses, the whole of them. The slate is wholly clean, because He raised us with His Son.