The Meaning of Colossians 4:17 Explained

Colossians 4:17

KJV: And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

YLT: and say to Archippus, 'See to the ministration that thou didst receive in the Lord, that thou mayest fulfil it.'

Darby: And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, to the end that thou fulfil it.

ASV: And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  say  to Archippus,  Take heed  to the ministry  which  thou hast received  in  the Lord,  that  thou fulfil  it. 

What does Colossians 4:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Archippus seems to have been Philemon"s son ( Philemon 1:2). Perhaps he was a gifted young man whom Paul wished to encourage. The idea that he was the present leader of the Colossian church is a possibility that some commentators have suggested.

Context Summary

Colossians 4:10-18 - Christian Greetings
What a noble group had gathered round the Apostle in his enforced residence in Rome! That hired room of his must have been filled time after time with most interesting groups; and each friend was dear to the lion-heart, and intent on some act of loving devotion. Aristarchus had been with him in the Ephesian riot; Mark was endeavoring to make good his former lapse of courage; Epaphras, who had come from Colosse, was remarkable for his soul-agony and prayer-labor on his friends' behalf; Luke, the beloved physician, always on the alert to minister to the malaria or other malady that afflicted him; and Demas, of whom perhaps he had begun to have suspicions, 2 Timothy 4:10. Archippus is believed to have been a son of Philemon, and chief presbyter of Laodicea. Does the injunction, Colossians 4:16, imply that already the church there had begun to grow cold, Revelation 3:15? The closing words were probably written in autograph. The clumsy handwriting was accounted for by the weight of the fetters on the poor wrists, yet his heart was full of love and joy [source]

Chapter Summary: Colossians 4

1  He exhorts them to be fervent in prayer;
5  to walk wisely toward those who are not yet come to the true knowledge of Christ
10  He salutes them, and wishes them all prosperity

Greek Commentary for Colossians 4:17

Take heed [βλεπε]
Keep an eye on. [source]
Thou hast received in the Lord [παρελαβες εν Κυριωι]
Second aorist active indicative of παραλαμβανω — paralambanō the verb used by Paul of getting his message from the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:3). Clearly Archippus had a call “in the Lord” as every preacher should have. That thou fulfil it (ινα αυτην πληροις — hina autēn plērois). Present active subjunctive of πληροω — plēroō “that thou keep on filling it full.” It is a life-time job. [source]
That thou fulfil it [ινα αυτην πληροις]
Present active subjunctive of πληροω — plēroō “that thou keep on filling it full.” It is a life-time job. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Colossians 4:17

John 14:3 And receive [παραλήψομαι]
Here the future tense, will receive. Rev., therefore, much better: I come again and will receive you. The change of tense is intentional, the future pointing to the future personal reception of the believer through death. Christ is with the disciple alway, continually “coming” to him, unto the end of the world. Then He will receive him into that immediate fellowship, where he “shall see Him as He is.” The verb παραλαμβάνω is used in the New Testament of taking along with (Matthew 4:5, note; Matthew 17:1, note; Acts 16:33, note): of taking to (Matthew 1:20; John 14:3): of taking from, receiving by transmission; so mostly in Paul (Galatians 1:12; Colossians 2:6; Colossians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13, etc. See also Matthew 24:40, Matthew 24:41). It is scarcely fanciful to see the first two meanings blended in the use of the verb in this passage. Jesus, by the Spirit, takes His own along with Him through life, and then takes them to His side at death. He himself conducts them to Himself. [source]
2 Timothy 4:5 Suffer hardship [κακοπατησον]
See note on 2 Timothy 2:9. Do the work of an evangelist (εργον ποιησον ευαγγελιστου — ergon poiēson euaggelistou). See note on 1 Corinthians 1:17; Ephesians 4:11 for ευαγγελιστης — euaggelistēs gospelizer. Fulfil First aorist active imperative of πληροπορεω — plērophoreō for which see note on Colossians 4:12. In Colossians 4:17 Paul uses πληροω — plēroō to Archippus about his ministry as he here employs πληροπορεω — plērophoreō Both verbs mean to fill full. [source]
2 Timothy 4:5 Fulfil [πληροπορησον]
First aorist active imperative of πληροπορεω — plērophoreō for which see note on Colossians 4:12. In Colossians 4:17 Paul uses πληροω — plēroō to Archippus about his ministry as he here employs πληροπορεω — plērophoreō Both verbs mean to fill full. [source]
Philemon 1:2 Archippus []
Possibly the son of Philemon and Apphia. From Colossians 4:17he would appear to have held some important office in the church, either at Colossae or at Laodicaea, which lay very near. In Colossians his name occurs immediately after the salutation to the Laodicaeans. [source]
Philemon 1:2 To Archippus [Αρχιππωι]
Dative case in address. It is uncertain whether he is the son of Philemon or not. Apparently he is prominent in the church in Colossae, possibly even pastor, probably not in Laodicea as some understand Colossians 4:17 to imply. Fellow-soldier (συνστρατιωτηι — sunstratiōtēi). Old word, only here and Philemon 2:25 in N.T. In metaphorical sense. Perhaps while Paul was in Ephesus. To the church in thy house The church that met in the house of Philemon. In large cities there would be several meeting-places. Before the third century there is no certain evidence of special church buildings for worship (White, Exp. Grk. T.). See note on Acts 12:12 for Mary‘s house in Jerusalem, 1 Corinthians 16:19 for the house of Aquila and Prisca in Ephesus, Romans 16:5 for the house of Prisca and Aquila in Rome, Colossians 4:15 for the house of Nympha in Laodicea. [source]

What do the individual words in Colossians 4:17 mean?

And say to Archippus Take heed to the ministry that you have received in [the] Lord that it you may fulfill
Καὶ εἴπατε Ἀρχίππῳ Βλέπε τὴν διακονίαν ἣν παρέλαβες ἐν Κυρίῳ ἵνα αὐτὴν πληροῖς

εἴπατε  say 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Ἀρχίππῳ  to  Archippus 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἄρχιππος  
Sense: a certain Christian teacher in Colosse.
Βλέπε  Take  heed  to 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: βλέπω  
Sense: to see, discern, of the bodily eye.
διακονίαν  ministry 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: διακονία 
Sense: service, ministering, esp.
ἣν  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
παρέλαβες  you  have  received 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: παραλαμβάνω  
Sense: to take to, to take with one’s self, to join to one’s self.
Κυρίῳ  [the]  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
ἵνα  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
πληροῖς  you  may  fulfill 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: πληρόω  
Sense: to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full.