What Does Colossians 2:14 Mean in the King James?
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
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
The thing removed is the written charge itself: it is erased, lifted out of the way, and nailed to the cross.
THE MEANING
The written record that stands against us is erased, lifted from the middle, and nailed to the cross. The verse places the removal on the charge itself, clearing what had stood in the reader’s way.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that the charge against you must remain permanently in your way.
THE ROOT
χειρόγραφον
cheirógraphon
GROWS FROM
γραφ-
graph-
Write, inscribe; joined to the element for “hand,” the compound names something written by hand.
“handwriting” in this verse is cheirógraphon. In legal usage, this word can denote a handwritten bond or acknowledgment of debt; here it is tied to decrees that stand against us. The action falls on the written claim itself, a document that can be erased and taken away.
ALSO GROWS
graphō: Write; inscribe
γράφω
This root names the act that makes a record visible on the page.
graphē: Writing; a written text
γραφή
The written record in this verse belongs to the same word family as writing itself.
gramma: Letter; written character
γράμμα
A charge made of written decrees is composed of the marks and characters this family names.
ἐξαλείψας
exaleipsas
GROWS FROM
ἀλειφ-
aleiph-
The base carries the sense of smearing or anointing; with the prefix meaning “out,” this verb means to wipe away or erase.
“blotting out” in this verse is exaleipsas. The verb makes the removal concrete: the mark itself is wiped from the surface, so the record no longer remains legible as a charge. The same verb is used for tears being wiped away, joining the erasure of the charge to the removal of grief.
ALSO GROWS
aleiphō: Anoint; smear
ἀλείφω
This related verb preserves the image of applying something across a surface.
exaleiphō: Wipe away; erase
ἐξαλείφω
This is the verb used here, and again for blotting out in Acts 3:19 and wiping away tears in Revelation 21:4.
ἦρκεν
ērken
GROWS FROM
αἴρ-
air-
Lift, take up, carry away, remove.
“took it out of the way” in this verse is ērken. The wording pictures the record lifted from the midst and carried away. Erasure and removal work together: the page is cleared, then the obstacle is taken out of the center.
ALSO GROWS
airōn: Taking away; carrying off
αἴρων
In John 1:29, the same verb describes what is taken away, preserving the sense of active removal.
aron: Take up; lift
ἆρον
In Mark 2:9, the same verb is used to lift a bed, showing the physical motion beneath “take away.”
THE PATTERN
Scripture pictures what burdens a person as something that can be blotted out or wiped away.
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.THE THREAD
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;Acts uses the same verb for “blotted out,” applying erasure to the reader’s missing. That shared wording makes the removal concrete: the written charge is erased from the person’s way.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us