KJV: Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
YLT: your word always in grace -- with salt being seasoned -- to know how it behoveth you to answer each one.
Darby: Let your word be always with grace, seasoned with salt, so as to know how ye ought to answer each one.
ASV: Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.
| ὁ | - |
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Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| λόγος | [Let the] speech |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: λόγος Sense: of speech. |
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| ὑμῶν | of you |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Plural Root: σύ Sense: you. |
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| πάντοτε | [be] always |
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Parse: Adverb Root: πάντοτε Sense: at all times, always, ever. |
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| χάριτι | grace |
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Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular Root: χάρις Sense: grace. |
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| ἅλατι | with salt |
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Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular Root: ἅλα Sense: salt with which food is seasoned and sacrifices are sprinkled. |
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| ἠρτυμένος | having been seasoned |
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Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ἀρτύω Sense: to prepare, arrange, with respect to food. |
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| εἰδέναι | to know |
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Parse: Verb, Perfect Infinitive Active Root: οἶδα Sense: to see. |
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| πῶς | how |
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Parse: Adverb Root: πῶς Sense: how, in what way. |
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| δεῖ | it behooves |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: δεῖ Sense: it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper. |
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| ἑνὶ | one |
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Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Singular Root: εἷς Sense: one. |
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| ἑκάστῳ | each |
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Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Singular Root: ἕκαστος Sense: each, every. |
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| ἀποκρίνεσθαι | to answer |
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Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive Root: ἀποκρίνομαι Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer. |
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Greek Commentary for Colossians 4:6
The same verb αρτυω artuō (old verb from αιρω airō to fit, to arrange) about salt in Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34. Nowhere else in the N.T. Not too much salt, not too little. Plutarch uses salt of speech, the wit which flavours speech (cf. Attic salt). Our word salacious is this same word degenerated into vulgarity. Grace and salt (wit, sense) make an ideal combination. Every teacher will sympathize with Paul‘s desire “that ye know how ye must answer each one” Who does know? [source]
Both words only here in Paul. The metaphor is from the office of salt in rendering palatable. Both in Greek and Latin authors, salt was used to express the pungency and wittiness of speech. Horace speaks of having praised a poet for rubbing the city with abundant salt, i.e., for having wittily satirized certain parties so as to make them smart as if rubbed with salt, and so as to excite the laughter of those who are not hit (“Satires,” 1 x., 3). Lightfoot gives some interesting citations from Plutarch, in which, as here, grace and salt are combined. Thus: “The many call salt χάριτας gracesbecause, mingled with most things, it makes them agreeable and pleasant to the taste.” Seasoned is, literally, prepared. It is not likely that the fact has any connection with this expression, but it is interesting to recall Herodotus' story of a salt lake in the neighborhood of Colossae, which has been identified, and which still supplies the whole surrounding country with salt (vii., 30). The exhortation to well-seasoned and becoming speech is expanded in Ephesians 4:29; Ephesians 5:4, in a warning against corrupt communication. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Colossians 4:6
Grace. Same root as χαιρω chairō (rejoice) and χαριτοω charitoō in Luke 1:28. To find favour is a common O.T. phrase. Χαρις Charis is a very ancient and common word with a variety of applied meanings. They all come from the notion of sweetness, charm, loveliness, joy, delight, like words of grace, Luke 4:22, growing grace, Ephesians 4:29, with grace, Colossians 4:6. The notion of kindness is in it also, especially of God towards men as here. It is a favourite word for Christianity, the Gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24) in contrast with law or works (John 1:16). Gratitude is expressed also (Luke 6:32), especially to God (Romans 6:17). [source]
Present middle indicative of παρατιτημι paratithēmi old verb to place beside, middle, to deposit with one, to interest as in 1 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 2:2. Paul can now only do this, but he does it hopefully. Cf. 1 Peter 4:19. The word of his grace (τωι λογωι της χαριτος αυτου tōi logōi tēs charitos autou). The instrumentality through preaching and the Holy Spirit employed by God. Cf. Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:29. Which is able to build up God works through the word of his grace and so it is able to build up (edify); a favourite Pauline word (1 Corinthians 3:10-14; 1 Corinthians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Ephesians 2:20-22; 2 Timothy 3:15; etc.), and James 1:21. The very words “build” and “inheritance among the sanctified” will occur in Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 3:18 and which some may recall on reading. Cf. Colossians 1:12. Stephen in Acts 7:5 used the word “inheritance” (κληρονομιαν klēronomian), nowhere else in Acts, but in Ephesians 1:14, Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 5:5. In Ephesians 1:18 the very expression occurs “his inheritance among the saints “ (την κληρονομιαν αυτου εν τοις αγιοις tēn klēronomian autou en tois hagiois). [source]
The instrumentality through preaching and the Holy Spirit employed by God. Cf. Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:29. [source]
See on Luke 6:43, and see on Colossians 4:6. [source]