The Meaning of Colossians 2:4 Explained

Colossians 2:4

KJV: And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

YLT: and this I say, that no one may beguile you in enticing words,

Darby: And I say this to the end that no one may delude you by persuasive speech.

ASV: This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  this  I say,  lest  any man  should beguile  you  with  enticing words. 

What does Colossians 2:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Colossians 2:1-12 - Established In Their Faith
If you know Christ, you can lay your hand on the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. They are matters of daily experience. The Apostle's aim in this chapter is to put his converts on their guard against those who might divert them from their simple faith in Jesus, and their sufficiency in Him. The keynotes are Take heed and Let no one.
The first act of the Christian life is to receive Christ, and every moment afterward we must continue receiving Him. The act must become an attitude. Breathe in the love and power of Jesus. Take deep breaths. Then we shall be rooted in Him in secret, and built up in Him in our outward walk and behavior. If we have Christ, we have all God's fullness, and this is easily accessible. Like Jacob's ladder, He links us with God. What need have we for celestial beings, like those invented by the Gnostics, or for the rite of circumcision, as insisted on by the Jews? We have everything in Jesus. He has fulfilled the Law in all respects on our behalf. Let us put the waters of entire surrender and consecration between our past, our sins, and the world, and rise into His life, the life of resurrection glory and power. [source]

Chapter Summary: Colossians 2

1  Paul still exhorts them to be constant in Christ;
8  to beware of philosophy, and vain traditions;
18  worshipping of angels;
20  and legal ceremonies, which are ended in Christ

Greek Commentary for Colossians 2:4

This I say [τουτο λεγω]
Paul explains why he has made this great claim for Christ at this point in his discussion. [source]
May delude [παραλογιζηται]
Present middle subjunctive of παραλογιζομαι — paralogizomai old verb, only here in N.T., from παρα — para and λογιζομαι — logizomai to count aside and so wrong, to cheat by false reckoning, to deceive by false reasoning (Epictetus). With persuasiveness of speech (εν πιτανολογιαι — en pithanologiāi). Rare word (Plato) from πιτανος — pithanos and λογος — logos speech, adapted to persuade, then speciously leading astray. Only here in N.T. One papyrus example. The art of persuasion is the height of oratory, but it easily degenerates into trickery and momentary and flashy deceit such as Paul disclaimed in 1 Corinthians 2:4 (ουκ εν πιτοις σοπιας λογοις — ouk en pithois sophias logois) where he uses the very adjective πιτος — pithos (persuasive) of which πιτανος — pithanos (both from πειτω — peithō) is another form. It is curious how winning champions of error, like the Gnostics and modern faddists, can be with plausibility that catches the gullible. [source]
With persuasiveness of speech [εν πιτανολογιαι]
Rare word (Plato) from πιτανος — pithanos and λογος — logos speech, adapted to persuade, then speciously leading astray. Only here in N.T. One papyrus example. The art of persuasion is the height of oratory, but it easily degenerates into trickery and momentary and flashy deceit such as Paul disclaimed in 1 Corinthians 2:4 (ουκ εν πιτοις σοπιας λογοις — ouk en pithois sophias logois) where he uses the very adjective πιτος — pithos (persuasive) of which πιτανος — pithanos (both from πειτω — peithō) is another form. It is curious how winning champions of error, like the Gnostics and modern faddists, can be with plausibility that catches the gullible. [source]
Beguile [παραλογίζηται]
Only here and James 1:22. See note. Rev., delude. So Ignatius, speaking of the duty of obedience to the bishop, says: “He that fails in this, does not deceive the visible bishop, but attempts to cheat ( παραλογίζεται ) the Invisible” (Epistle to Magnesians, 3). The word is found in the Septuagint, Joshua 9:22; 1 Samuel 19:17; 2 Samuel 21:5. [source]
Enticing words [πιθανολογίᾳ]
Rev., persuasiveness of speech. Only here in the New Testament. In classical Greek, of probable argument as opposed to demonstration. So Plato: “Reflect whether you are disposed to admit of probability ( πιθανολογίᾳ ) and figures of speech in matters of such importance” (“Theaetetus,” 163). Compare 1 Corinthians 2:4. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Colossians 2:4

1 Corinthians 2:4 Not in persuasive words of wisdom [ουκ εν πιτοις σοπιας λογοις]
This looks like a false disclaimer or mock modesty, for surely the preacher desires to be persuasive. This adjective πιτος — pithos (MSS. πειτος — peithos) has not yet been found elsewhere. It seems to be formed directly from πειτω — peithō to persuade, as πειδος — pheidos (πιδος — phidos) is from πειδομαι — pheidomai to spare. The old Greek form πιτανος — pithanos is common enough and is used by Josephus (Ant. VIII. 9. 1) of “the plausible words of the lying prophet” in 1 Kings 13. The kindred word πιτανολογια — pithanologia occurs in Colossians 2:4 for the specious and plausible Gnostic philosophers. And gullible people are easy marks for these plausible pulpiteers. Corinth put a premium on the veneer of false rhetoric and thin thinking. [source]
Ephesians 5:6 With empty words [κενοις λογοις]
Instrumental case. Probably Paul has in mind the same Gnostic praters as in Colossians 2:4. See note on Ephesians 2:2. [source]
Colossians 2:3 Hid [ἀπόκρυφοι]
Only here, Mark 4:22; Luke 8:17. Compare 1 Corinthians 2:7. Not to be joined with are, as A.V. Its position at the end of the sentence, and so far from are, shows that it is added as an emphatic secondary predicate. Hence, as Rev., in whom are all the treasures, etc., hidden. For a similar construction, see Colossians 3:1, “where Christ is on the right hand of God seated (there).” James 1:17, “Every perfect gift is from above, coming down.” Grammatically, hidden may be taken as an attribute of treasures; “in whom the hidden treasures are contained;” but the other is preferable. The words which immediately follow in Colossians 2:4, suggest the possibility that hidden may convey an allusion to the Apocrypha or secret writings of the Essenes, whose doctrines entered into the Colossian heresy. Such writings, which, later, were peculiar also to the Gnostics, contained the authoritative secret wisdom, the esoteric teaching for the learned few. If such is Paul's allusion, the word suggests a contrast with the treasures of christian wisdom which are accessible to all in Christ. [source]
1 Timothy 1:3 Some [τισὶν]
Note the indefinite designation of the errorists, and comp. 1 Timothy 1:6; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 Timothy 5:15, 1 Timothy 5:24; 1 Timothy 6:21. The expression is contemptuous. It is assumed that Timothy knows who they are. This is after the Pauline manner. See Galatians 1:7; Galatians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 4:18; 1 Corinthians 15:12; 2 Corinthians 3:1; Colossians 2:4, Colossians 2:8. [source]
James 1:22 Doers of the word [ποιηται λογου]
Old word for agent Old word for agent again from ακροαμαι — akroamai (to be a hearer), in N.T. only here and Romans 2:13.Deluding yourselves Present middle (direct) participle of παραλογιζομαι — paralogizomai to reckon aside (παρα — para) and so wrong, to cheat, to deceive. Redundant reflexive εαυτους — heautous with the middle. In N.T. only here and Colossians 2:4. Such a man does not delude anyone but himself. [source]
James 1:22 Deluding yourselves [παραλογιζομενοι εαυτους]
Present middle (direct) participle of παραλογιζομαι — paralogizomai to reckon aside (παρα — para) and so wrong, to cheat, to deceive. Redundant reflexive εαυτους — heautous with the middle. In N.T. only here and Colossians 2:4. Such a man does not delude anyone but himself. [source]

What do the individual words in Colossians 2:4 mean?

This I say so that no one you might delude by persuasive speech
Τοῦτο λέγω ἵνα μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς παραλογίζηται ἐν πιθανολογίᾳ

Τοῦτο  This 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
λέγω  I  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
μηδεὶς  no  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: μηδείς 
Sense: nobody, no one, nothing.
παραλογίζηται  might  delude 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παραλογίζομαι  
Sense: to reckon wrong, miscount.
πιθανολογίᾳ  persuasive  speech 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: πιθανολογία  
Sense: speech adapted to persuade, discourse in which probable arguments are adduced.