What Does Colossians 2:16 Mean in the King James?
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
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 verse removes another person’s authority to make your food and sacred days a verdict on your standing.
THE MEANING
Your standing is not settled by someone else’s judgment of what you eat or drink, or which days you observe. The verse names these judgments and denies them authority to define you.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that someone else’s criticism of your food or calendar proves you are unfaithful loses its force here.
THE ROOT
κρινέτω
krinetō
GROWS FROM
κριν-
The Greek stem κριν- means to separate, decide, or judge.
The verb κρινέτω (krinetō, “let someone judge”) comes from κριν- (krin-, “separate, decide”). Its word family holds deciding and distinguishing together, so the verse addresses another person’s verdict over these observances without erasing the broader capacity to discern.
ALSO GROWS
krisis: judgment, a decision
κρίσις
This noun makes the verdict dimension of judging visible: the verse refuses others authority to decide what your observances mean about you.
kritēs: judge, one who decides
κριτής
This word names the person who gives the verdict, bringing the verse’s focus onto who claims authority to judge you.
diakrinō: distinguish, discern, judge
διακρίνω
This compound retains the κριν- stem and shows how judging can involve making distinctions, the very act another person applies to your food and sacred days.
THE PATTERN
Human evaluation of outward practices does not determine the standing God recognizes.
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.Judge not, that ye be not judged.Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.THE THREAD
Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.Romans 14:4 uses the same Greek word family, κρίνω (krinō, “to judge”), and asks who has authority to decide another servant’s standing. Colossians names food and sacred days; Romans makes clear that the servant stands before their own master.
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