For I testify about him that he has great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.
Parallel Translations
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For I testify about him that he has great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.
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I beare him recorde that he hath a fervet mynde towarde you and towarde them of Laodicia and them of Hierapolis.
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For I beare him record, that he hath a great zeale for you, and for them of Laodicea, and them of Hierapolis.
Cross-references (6)
Passages linked to Colossians 4:13 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Colossians 2:1 For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
- Romans 10:2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
- 2 Corinthians 8:3 For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,
- Colossians 4:15-16 Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the assembly that is in his house. When this letter has been read among you, cause it to be read also in the assembly of the Laodiceans, and that you also read the letter from Laodicea.
- Revelation 1:11 saying, “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
- Revelation 3:14-18 “To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: “The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of God’s creation, says these things: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 13 For I bear him record, that he hath…
13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
Ver. 13. And them that are in Laodicea] A minister must be like the sun, that shineth not only within its own orb, but illighteneth all round about it and within the reach of it.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain For I bear him record, that he hath a…
For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you; for, saith the apostle, though I am not privy to his secret prayers, yet I can bear him witness, and do give him mine own testimony, that he hath a most ardent and special affection for you Christians at Colosse.
And them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis; yea, and for those also in your neighbour cities; see the argumeut, and Col 2:1; viz. Laodicea, the last of the seven churches, to whom excellent epistles were written, recorded by John the divine, Rev 1:11; 3:14; and Hierapolis, or the holy city, about six miles distant from the former, say geographers.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain For I bear him record,.... The apostle was an…
For I bear him record,.... The apostle was an eye and ear witness of his fervent prayers, his labour of love, and zealous affection for these saints and others; and therefore, as he judged he ought, he bears a testimony for him,
that he hath a great zeal for you; for their spiritual welfare, that the Gospel might continue with them, and they in that, against false teachers, and their attempts to subvert them; that they might grow in the grace of the Gospel, and walk worthy of it, and be at peace among themselves:
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and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis; cities in Phrygia, which lay near to Colosse, the one being situated by the river Lycus, and the other by the Maeander; here were many believers, for whom Epaphras had a like zeal and affections as for the Colossians, and to whom very likely he had been useful, either in conversion or edification, or both. The apostle takes no notice to the Colossians of Epaphras being his fellow prisoner, as, he does in his epistle to Plm 1:23 it may be for this reason, lest they should be over much distressed and cast down with it.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 13. He hath a great zeal for you]…
Verse 13. He hath a great zeal for you] Instead of ζηλον πολυν, much zeal, ABCD**, several others, with versions and fathers, read πολυν πονον, much labour; they are here nearly of the same meaning, though the latter appears to be the better and genuine reading.
Laodicea, and-Hierapolis] These were both cities of Phrygia, between which Colosse, or the city of Colassa, was situated. See Col 2:1. The latter was called Hierapolis, or the holy city, from the multitude of its temples. Apollo, Diana, AEsculapius, and Hygeia, were all worshipped here, as appears by the coins of this city still extant.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain For I bear him record - Paul had had…
For I bear him record - Paul had had abundant opportunity to know what were his feelings in regard to these churches.
A great zeal for you - A great desire to promote your welfare.
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And them that are in Laodicea - Laodicea was the capital of Phrygia, and not far from Colossae, There was a church there. See the Introduction, and the notes at Col 4:16.
And them in Hierapolis - This was also a city in Phrygia, and not far from Laodicea and Colossae. It was situated under a hill to the north, and had on the south a large plain about five miles over. On the south of that plain, and opposite to Hierapolis, was Laodicea, with the river Lycus running between them, nearer to Laodicea than to Hierapolls. This place is now called by the Turks Pambuck-Kulasi, or the Cotton-Tower, on account of the white cliffs which lie round about it. It is now utterly forsaken and desolate, but the ruins are so magnificent as to show that it was once one of the most splendid cities in the East. It was celebrated for the hot springs in its vicinity; and on account of the numerous temples erected there, it received the name of Hierapolis, or the holy city. The principal deity worshipped there was Apollo. See Travels by T. Smith. B. D. 1678. Compare the notes at Col 4:16. From the allusion to it here, it would seem that there were Christians there in the time of Paul, though there is no mention of a church there. It is nowhere else mentioned in the New Testament.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain a great zeal--The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate have "much…
a great zeal--The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate have "much labor."
for you--lest you should be seduced (Col 2:4); a motive why you should be anxious for yourselves.
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them that are in Laodicea . . . Hierapolis--churches probably founded by Epaphras, as the Church in Colosse was. Laodicea, called from Laodice, queen of Antiochus II, on the river Lycus, was, according to the subscription to First Timothy, "the chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana" (Ti1 6:21). All the three cities were destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 62 [TACITUS, Annals, 14.27]. Hierapolis was six Roman miles north of Laodicea.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 13. Record—This testimony of the apostle was calculated to…
13. Record—This testimony of the apostle was calculated to tenderly touch their hearts and move them to fidelity.
Laodicea—See on Col_2:1.
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Hierapolis—Sacred city—so called from the multitude of its temples. It is a city of Phrygia, about six miles north of Laodicea, and about twenty northwest of Colosse. The three were all in the basin of the Maeander. The Church there was probably founded by Epaphras, and exposed to about the same influences with that at Colosse. The place was destroyed by an earthquake A.D. 62, at the same time with Laodicea, and afterward restored. Its modern name is Pambouk-Kalessi, “Cotton Castle,” so called from its beautiful calcareous deposits, that have the appearance of frozen cascades. Mr. Riggs, an American missionary, describes them as consisting of a “deposit of carbonate of lime, white as the driven snow, assuming, when closely examined, various forms, and covering nearly the whole southern and western declivities of the elevation on which Pambouk-Kalessi is built.”
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 13. zeal] Labour, R.V. (so Latin Versions; Wyclif, “traveil”),…
13. zeal] Labour, R.V. (so Latin Versions; Wyclif, “traveil”), adopting a somewhat better supported reading, of which that represented in A.V. is probably a transcriber’s explanation.
Laodicea] See on Col_2:1; and Introd. p. 13.
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Hierapolis] The third mission-station in the valley of the Lycus, looking across the river, southward, a distance of about six miles, to Laodicea. See Introd., ch. 1.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (13) On the natural union of Laodicea and Hierapolis…
(13) On the natural union of Laodicea and Hierapolis with Colossæ, partly local and historical, partly, no doubt, having reference to their conversion by the same instrumentality (of Epaphras), see Note on Col_2:1 and Introduction. Epaphras is said to have great “zeal” (properly, great labour) of anxiety—finding vent in the wrestling in prayer noted above—for all three cities, for which he evidently still felt himself responsible. In such responsibility, as in the charges of Timothy and Titus, we see the link between the apostolate of this period and the episcopacy of the future.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain For I hear witness to him that he hath…
For I hear witness to him that he hath much labour (ponon for zhlon, Revised Text) for you (Col_1:29 Col_2:1; Php_2:19-23; 1Th_5:12, 1Th_5:13; 1Co_16:15, 1Co_16:16) Ponov occurs in the New Testament besides only in Rev_16:10, 11 21:4, where it means "pain;" in classical Greek it implies "painful, distressful exertion". (comp. kopiw, Col_1:29) It indicates the deep anxiety of Epaphras for this beloved and endangered Church. There is nothing here to point to "outward toil" (Lightfoot), any more than in Col_2:1. The apostle loves to commend his fellow labourers (Col_1:7; Php_2:20-22, 25, 26; 2Co_8:16-23) And for those in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis. (vers. 15-17; Col_2:1) The Church in Hierapolis is added to that of Laodicea, singled out in Col_2:1 as a special object of the apostle"s concern (on these cities, see Introduction, Whether Epaphras were the official head of these Churches or not, he could not but be deeply concerned in their welfare. Ver. 17 indicates the existence of a personal link between the Churches of Colossus and of Laodicea.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 13. Them that are in Laodicea. The sister city…
13. Them that are in Laodicea. The sister city near at hand across the valley of the Lycus. Hierapolis. Another city close at hand, in which a church had been planted. Probably Epaphras planted it also.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 4:13 Laodicea and Hierapolis were the two most important…
4:13 Laodicea and Hierapolis were the two most important cities in the Lycus River valley. The fact that Epaphras prayed for the believers in Colosse and in these nearby cities suggests that he was the pioneering evangelist in all three cities.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.