What Does Colossians 1:14 Mean in the King James?
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Redemption and forgiveness name one movement: release comes through his blood, and what you have missed is let go.
THE MEANING
In him, you have redemption through his blood. The phrase “forgiveness of sins” names this redemption as release from what you have missed. The missing does not get the last word; release does.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that what you have missed can never be released and must define you.
THE ROOT
ἄφεσις
áphesis
GROWS FROM
ἀφίημι (aphiēmi), from ἀπό (apó, away) + ἵημι (híēmi, send or let go)
Send away; release, let go.
“forgiveness” in this verse is áphesis. The word carries the sense of release and letting go. Set beside redemption, it shows that the ransom here includes release from what has been missed.
ALSO GROWS
aphiēmi: Send away, let go, forgive.
ἀφίημι
This verb reveals the action inside “forgiveness”: what is held is released.
áphesis: Release, remission.
ἄφεσις
The same word names release for captives in Luke 4:18, showing that this release is freedom, not merely a change in status.
ἀπολύτρωσις
apolýtrōsis
GROWS FROM
λυ-/λυτρ- (ly-/lytr-), from λύω (lyō, loosen or release)
Loosen and release; ransom that secures release.
“redemption” in this verse is apolýtrōsis. The word holds liberation and ransom together. “Through his blood” keeps the release bound to the cost named in the verse.
ALSO GROWS
lyō: Loosen, release.
λύω
This root brings the sense of being loosened from what holds you.
lytron: Ransom; the means of release.
λύτρον
It connects redemption with the price or means by which release comes.
lytroō: Ransom, redeem, set free.
λυτρόω
This verb makes the link between ransom and liberation explicit.
ἁμαρτιῶν
hamartiōn
GROWS FROM
ἁμαρτ- (hamart-), from ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō)
Miss, fail to reach.
“sins” in this verse is hamartiōn. The word comes from a verb meaning to miss or go wrong; its plural keeps the focus on the misses themselves. Beside release, those misses do not become the reader’s whole identity.
ALSO GROWS
hamartanō: Miss, err, go wrong.
ἁμαρτάνω
The verb makes “sins” concrete as acts of missing or going wrong.
hamartēma: An error or misdeed; a particular missing.
ἁμάρτημα
This branch points to individual misses that the verse says can be released.
THE PATTERN
Deliverance moves a person out from under what holds them, and scripture names that movement as release.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,THE THREAD
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.Matthew 26:28 repeats the phrase ἄφεσις ἁμαρτιῶν (áphesis hamartiōn, release of missing) and also names his blood. The repeated wording shows redemption through blood being described as release from what has been missed.
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