What Does Colossians 3:10 Mean in the King James?
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
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 uses different Greek words for the self put on as new and the ongoing work of making it fresh in the Creator’s image.
THE MEANING
You have put on a new self, and its renewal is happening as you know and perceive the One who made you. Your life is being brought into correspondence with the Creator’s image; the verse describes an identity already present and a freshness still unfolding.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that renewal requires manufacturing a different identity falls away: the text describes a self already put on and continually renewed according to its Creator’s image.
THE ROOT
ἀνακαινούμενον
anakainoumenon
GROWS FROM
καιν-
kain-
Newness or freshness; the quality of being made new.
The Greek verb for “renewed” comes from the kainos family, while “new man” is νέος (neos, new or recent). The self is put on as new, while its freshness continues to unfold in knowing.
ALSO GROWS
kainoō: Make new; renew.
καινόω
This verb names the continuing renewal described here.
anakainōsis: Renewal; a making new.
ἀνακαίνωσις
Romans 12:2 uses this related noun for the renewal through which transformation takes shape.
ἐπίγνωσις
epignōsis
GROWS FROM
γινώσκ-
ginōsk-
Knowing, perceiving, or recognizing.
“knowledge” in this verse is epignōsis. This word belongs to the γινώσκω (ginōskō, know or perceive) family. The renewal is bound to perceiving the Creator’s image, not simply collecting information about it.
ALSO GROWS
ginōskō: Know; perceive; recognize.
γινώσκω
The verb family gives “knowledge” the shade of knowing through perception.
epiginōskō: Recognize; know fully.
ἐπιγινώσκω
This related verb makes recognition part of the same family as the knowledge in which renewal occurs.
εἰκόνα
eikona
GROWS FROM
εἰκ-
eik-
Likeness or resemblance.
The image is the pattern according to which renewal takes shape. The verse presents the Creator’s likeness as the measure of the renewed self.
ALSO GROWS
eikōn: Image; likeness.
εἰκών
This is the noun used for the Creator’s image in the verse.
eikazō: Liken; compare; represent as similar.
εἰκάζω
This related word makes the family’s emphasis on resemblance visible.
THE PATTERN
The self named new is renewed in knowing and brought into the Creator’s image.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.THE THREAD
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.Both verses use εἰκών (eikōn, image): Colossians says renewal follows the Creator’s image, and Corinthians says we are changed into that same image. The thread between them is seeing and becoming: the image perceived is also the pattern of renewal.
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