Colossians 3:24
- (KJV)
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance:
for ye serve the Lord Christ.
(1611 KJV) Knowing, that of the Lord yee shall receiue the
reward of the inheritance: for
ye serue the Lord Christ.
(1587 Geneva Bible) Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receiue
the reward of the inheritance: for
ye serue the Lord Christ.
(1568 Bishops Bible) Knowyng, that of the Lorde ye shall
receaue the rewarde of inheritaunce, for
ye serue the Lorde Christe:
(1526 Tyndale) knowe that of the lorde ye shall receave the
rewarde of inheritaunce for ye
serve the lorde Christ.
Counterfeit Versions
(1881 RV) knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the
inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ.
(1901 ASV) knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the
inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ.
(AMP) Knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men]
that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One
Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah).
(CEB) You know that you will receive an inheritance as a reward. You serve the
Lord Christ.
(CEV) In fact, the Lord Christ is the one you are really serving, and you know
that he will reward you.
(CSB) knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the
Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.
- (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition) Knowing that you shall receive of the Lord
the reward of inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ.
(ERV) Remember that you will receive your reward from the Lord, who will give
you what he promised his people. Yes, you are serving Christ. He is your real
Master.
(ESV) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your
reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
(HCSB) knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord.
You serve the Lord Christ.
(LEB) because you know that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the
inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.
(LB) remembering that it is the Lord Christ who is going to pay you, giving you
your full portion of all he owns. He is the one you are really working for.
(NABRE) knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the
inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ.
(NASV) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the
inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
(NCV) Remember that you will receive your reward from the Lord, which he
promised to his people. You are serving the Lord Christ.
(NET) because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as
the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.
(NIRV) Work because you know that you will finally receive as a reward what the
Lord wants you to have. You are slaves of the Lord Christ.
(NIV) since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a
reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
(NLV) Remember that you will get your reward from the Lord. He will give you
what you should receive. You are working for the Lord Christ.
(NRSV) since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as
your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.
(RSV) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your
reward; you are serving the Lord Christ.
(VOICE) because you know your reward is the Lord’s inheritance. You serve the
Lord, the Anointed One, and
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) for you know that it is from Jehovah you will receive
the inheritance as a reward. Slave for the Master, Christ.
Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
ειδοτες οτι απο κυριου αποληψεσθε την ανταποδοσιν της κληρονομιας τω
γαρ κυριω χριστω δουλευετε
Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
ειδοτες οτι απο κυριου απολημψεσθε την ανταποδοσιν της κληρονομιας τω κυριω
χριστω δουλευετε
Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century
Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century
D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century (original)
33 (Minuscule) - Ninth Century
Manuscripts Which Agree With The Textus
Receptus For This Verse
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century (corrected)
K 018 - Ninth century
L 020 - Ninth century
Published Critical Greek Texts with
Corruptions
Omits “for” before “ye serve”
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Wordsworth, Christopher - 1856 revised in 1870
Westcott and Hort - 1881
Weiss, Bernhard - 1894
Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941
Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition
Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition
United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition
Affected Teaching
Here is where Paul is stating that the saved slave will receive their reward. On
earth, a slave was the lowest social class and it was totally rare that they
would receive any tangible recompense for their service. Paul is encouraging
them that since they are serving the Lord Jesus Christ, they too will receive
that reward of the inheritance. (1 Pet 1:3-4 KJV) Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath
begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead, {4} To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth
not away, reserved in heaven for you, When we look at what the inheritance
is, we see that it is the inheritance of Heaven. No longer would the slave be a
slave but instead they would be Kings and Priests in the Kingdom of God.
(Rev 1:6 KJV) And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him
be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:6 makes this
abundantly clear. On earth, the Christian who works for a living or was a slave
to a master would receive very little or no compensation but in Heaven all of
that will change and that is why Paul wants them to keep their eye focused on
Christ because He is the one who gives out the true reward, which is eternal
life. (Luke 18:29-30 KJV) And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you,
There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or
children, for the kingdom of God's sake, {30} Who shall not receive manifold
more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. The
modern versions, by omitting “for” break the continuity of thought which that
conjunction provides. The modern versions create a second sentence and make it
sound like they need to start serving Christ instead of acknowledging the fact
that the Colossian believers are already serving Christ.
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