NOTES: "peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) A C G I 104 614 630 1241 2495 Byz Lect three lat later vg cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NIVn CSBn

OTHER: "peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord."
EVIDENCE: P one lat syr(h+)

COMMENTS: The additional words "and the Lord Jesus Christ" are found at the beginning of most of Paul's other letters. It is likely that copyists added them here to make this letter begin in this way also.

Colossians 1:3:

NOTES: "thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"
EVIDENCE: D* F G
TRANSLATIONS: ASV? RSV? NRSV? ESV? NASV? NIV? NEB? REB? TEV? CSB?

NOTES: "thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) A C² D¹ I K L P Psi 075 33 81 104 614 630 1881 2495 Byz Lect most lat vg
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSV2021n

COMMENTS: Although a majority of the manuscript support includes the Greek word for "and," it is missing from early manuscripts of both the Alexandrian and Western text types. It is difficult to tell the underlying text in a number of English translations since most do not mark the word "the" as added.

Colossians 1:7:

NOTES: "He is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf"
EVIDENCE: p⁴⁶ Aleph(א)* A B D* G 2495 two lat
TRANSLATIONS: ASV RSV NRSV1989n NRSV2021 ESVn NASV NIV NEB REB TEV CSBn

COMMENTS: In later Greek the words "^plyour" and "our" were pronounced alike. Although the reading "our" is found in early manuscripts, the large number of early translations that read "^plyour" make it likely that copyists changed "^plyour" to "our" under the influence of the preceding "our" and the following "us."

Colossians 1:12:

NOTES: "giving thanks to God [the] Father"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) (G) most lat later vg syr(p) some cop
TRANSLATIONS: NRSV2021n

NOTES: "giving thanks to the God and Father"
EVIDENCE: C³ 81^c 104 614 1739^margin most Lect three lat
TRANSLATIONS: NRSV2021n

COMMENTS: The text reading is supported by early manuscripts of multiple text types. The evidence in braces adds the word "together."

Colossians 1:12:

NOTES: "who has called ^plyou"
EVIDENCE: {D*^,c} F {G 33 old lat} cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: NRSVn

OTHER: "who has called and made ^plyou sufficient"
EVIDENCE: B

COMMENTS: Apparently copyists mistakenly read the rare word "made sufficient" (elsewhere in 2 Corinthians 3:6) for the more common word "called." The difference between the words is three letters. The reading in manuscript B is a combination of the two readings. The evidence in braces reads "us"; see next entry.

Colossians 1:12:

NOTES: "who has made us sufficient" <or, "who has called us">
EVIDENCE: A C D G K P Psi 33 81^vid 614 630 1241 2495 Byz Lect lat vg syr(p,h) cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV NRSVn ESVn NASV NIVn CSBn

COMMENTS: In later Greek "^plyou" and "us" were pronounced alike. It is possible that copyists changed "^plyou" to "us" under the influence of the "us" in verse 13.

Colossians 1:14:

NOTES: "we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins."
EVIDENCE: 614 630 some Maj later vg syr(h)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSVn NIVn CSBn

COMMENTS: The phrase "through his blood" was apparently borrowed by some copyists from the parallel passage in Ephesians 1:7.

Colossians 1:20:

NOTES: "making peace through the blood of his cross, whether things on earth or things in heaven"
EVIDENCE: B D* G I 81 104 1241 1739 1881 some Byz lat vg cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: RSV NRSV ESV NASV2020 NIV REB TEV CSB

COMMENTS: The words "though him" are in brackets in the UBS text. Perhaps the repetition of "through him" is so awkward that copyists omitted it as redundant.

Colossians 1:22:

NOTES: "^plyou have thus now been reconciled in his body"
EVIDENCE: {p^46} B {33}
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn NRSVn

OTHER: "thus now being reconciled in his body"
EVIDENCE: D* G four lat

COMMENTS: The evidence listed in braces is misspelled. The passive readings are difficult grammatically. Although it is possible that the original reading was in the passive voice and was changed to make for smoother reading, the majority of the evidence seems to favor the active voice of the text reading.

Colossians 1:28:

NOTES: "present every man mature in Christ Jesus"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)² D¹ H K L P Psi 075 0278 104 630 Maj most lat syr(p) most cop
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSV2021n

COMMENTS: The text reading is supported by early manuscripts of both the Alexandrian and Western text types. Copyists had a tendency to add to divine names.

Colossians 2:2:

NOTES: "knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ"
EVIDENCE: D* four lat
TRANSLATIONS: NRSV ESV NEB REB TEV

NOTES: "knowledge of the mystery of God, Father of Christ"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)* A C 048 four lat cop(north) some cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: TEVn

NOTES: "knowledge of the mystery of the God and Father and of Christ"
EVIDENCE: D^c K 104 614 630 2495 Byz Lect syr(h+) syr(p) ("God the Father")
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSVn NIVn TEVn CSBn

NOTES: "knowledge of God's mystery"
EVIDENCE: D^b H P 1881 one cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: TEVn

OTHER: "knowledge of the mystery of Christ"
EVIDENCE: 81 1241 1739

OTHER: "knowledge of the mystery of the God and Father of Christ"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)^b Psi syr(h)

COMMENTS: If the text reading is original, this offers the best explanation for the many other readings, most of which are expansions designed to remove the ambiguity of the text reading.

Colossians 2:7:

NOTES: "abounding in it in thanksgiving."
EVIDENCE: {Aleph(א)^b} B {D*} D^c H K 104 614 630 2495 Byz Lect {most lat} two lat {later vg} syr(p,h) cop(north) one cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASVn NASVn

OTHER: "abounding in it."
EVIDENCE: P Psi 048^vid

COMMENTS: The evidence listed in braces has "in him" instead of "in it." Although it is possible that "in it" was accidently omitted when copyists' eyes jumped from "in" to "in," it is also possible that "in it" was borrowed by copyists from 4:2. It is likely that "in it" was changed to "in him" under the influence of the two previous uses of "in him" in the sentence.

Colossians 2:11:

NOTES: "putting off the body of the sins of the flesh"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)² D¹ K L Psi 075 (0278) 104 630 Maj (one lat) syr
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSV2021n TEV?

COMMENTS: The text reading is supported by the majority of early manuscripts of both Alexandrian and Western text types.

Colossians 2:13:

NOTES: "[God] made us alive together with him"
EVIDENCE: p⁴⁶ B 33 Lect one lat syr(pal)
TRANSLATIONS: NRSVn NIVn

NOTES: "[God] made alive together with him"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)^c D G P Psi 0208 104 1241 Byz most lat vg
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV RSV NRSVn ESV

COMMENTS: The words "us" and "^plyou" in Greek came to be pronounced alike, thus leading to confusion on the part of copyists. A majority of the UBS committee preferred "^plyou," thinking that it was either omitted as not needed or changed to "us" under the influence of the following "us."

Colossians 2:16:

NOTES: "eating or drinking"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) A C D F G I K L P Psi 075 0278 33 81 104 630 1241supp Maj most lat most vg syr(h)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV NRSV2021 NASV95 NIV TEV NEB REB

COMMENTS: It is more likely that copyists changed "and" to "or" to agree with the other three uses of "or" in the list than vice versa.

Colossians 2:18:

NOTES: "taking his stand on what he has not seen"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)^c C D^c {F G} K P Psi 104 614 630 1241 1881 2495 Byz Lect most lat vg syr(p,h)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASVn NRSVn

COMMENTS: The evidence listed in braces uses a different word for "not" than that used in most witnesses that have it. The word is missing from early manuscripts of both the Alexandrian and Western types of ancient text. Perhaps it was added by copyists under the influence of the word "vainly."

Colossians 3:4:

NOTES: "Whenever Christ [who is] our life appears"
EVIDENCE: B D^c H K 614 630 1241 1739 2495 Byz Lect syr(p,h) cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASV RSV NRSVn ESVn NASV NIVn NEB REB CSBn

COMMENTS: In later Greek "^plyour" and "our" were pronounced alike, so the two readings are due to a mistake of the ear. Although it is possible that "our" was misunderstood as "^plyour" due to the surrounding uses of "^plyour" and "^plyou," the text reading is supported by early manuscripts of both the Alexandrian and Western kinds of ancient text.

Colossians 3:6:

NOTES: "wrath of God is coming."
EVIDENCE: p⁴⁶ B D*^vid cop(south)
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn RSV NRSVn ESV NASV73 NASV95n NIV NEB REB TEVn CSBn

COMMENTS: The words "on the sons of disobedience" are enclosed in brackets in the UBS text. While it is possible that they were borrowed by copyists from the parallel passage in Ephesians 5:6, the fact that they are missing from only a few manuscripts makes it possible that they are original.

Colossians 3:13:

NOTES: "just as Christ has forgiven ^plyou"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)^c C D K P Psi 81 104 614 630 1241 1739 1881 2495 Byz Lect two lat syr(p,h) cop
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV ASVn NRSVn

OTHER: "just as God has forgiven ^plyou"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)*

OTHER: "just as God in Christ has forgiven ^plyou"
EVIDENCE: 33

COMMENTS: The readings "God" and "God in Christ" were apparently taken from Ephesians 4:32. Perhaps the reading "Christ" was influenced by the use of that name in verses 15 and 16. The text reading is supported by early manuscripts of both the Alexandrian and Western types of ancient text.

Colossians 3:15:

NOTES: "the peace of God"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)² C² D² K L Psi 33 104 630 1881 Maj some vg
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSV2021n

COMMENTS: The text reading is supported by the majority of early manuscripts of both the Alexandrian and Western text types.

Colossians 3:16:

NOTES: "The word of the Lord must be indwelling"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)* I most cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn NRSVn NASVn

NOTES: "The word of God must be indwelling"
EVIDENCE: A C* 33 104 1241
TRANSLATIONS: ASVn NRSVn NASV73n

COMMENTS: Both the phrase "the word of the Lord" and "the word of God" are more common than "the word of Christ." It is probable therefore that the less common phrase was replaced by a more common phrase.

Colossians 3:16:

NOTES: "singing with thankfulness in ^plyour hearts to the Lord."
EVIDENCE: C² D^c K Psi* 104 614 630 1241 2495 Byz Lect four lat some cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSVn NEBn

COMMENTS: Apparently the reading "the Lord" was borrowed by copyists from the parallel passage in Ephesians 5:19.

Colossians 3:21:

NOTES: "do not be provoking ^plyour children to anger"
EVIDENCE: A C D* F G L 0198 33 81 104 1175 1241(supp) 1739^margin 2495 some vg
TRANSLATIONS: NASV73n

COMMENTS: Apparently the reading "provoking to anger" was borrowed by copyists from the parallel passage in Ephesians 6:4.

Colossians 4:8:

NOTES: "so that he may know the [circumstances] about ^plyou"
EVIDENCE: p⁴⁶ Aleph(א)^c C D^c K Psi 104 614 630 1739 1881 2495 Byz Lect some lat vg syr(p,h) cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSV2021n CSBn

OTHER: "so that ^plyou may know the [circumstances] about ^plyou""
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)* 1241

OTHER: "so that he may know the [circumstances] about us"
EVIDENCE: 330 451

COMMENTS: The words "us" and "^plyou" in Greek came to be pronounced alike, thus leading to confusion on the part of copyists. The change from "^plyou" to "he" seems to be due to a mistake of the eye when GNŌTETA was read as GNŌTA, the eye jumping from T to T. The text reading is supported by early manuscripts of multiple text types.

Colossians 4:12:

NOTES: "a slave of Christ"
EVIDENCE: p⁴⁶ D F G K Psi 075 630 1739 1881 Maj old lat some vg syr
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSV NEB REB

COMMENTS: The name "Jesus" is in brackets in the UBS text. The evidence and translation listed in braces has the order "Jesus Christ." Although copyists had a tendency to add to divine names, the omission of "Jesus" may be due to a mistake of the eye since both "Christ" and "Jesus" here end with the same two letters in Greek.

Colossians 4:12:

NOTES: "that ^plyou may stand mature and complete in all the will of God"
EVIDENCE: p⁴⁶ D¹ K L P Psi 075 0278 630 Maj syr
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSV2021n NEBn CSBn

COMMENTS: This is apparently a mistake of the eye involving two similarly spelled words. The text reading is supported by the majority of early manuscripts of both Alexandrian and Western text types.

Colossians 4:13:

NOTES: "he has much zeal for ^plyou"
EVIDENCE: (D¹) K L Psi (075 33) Maj syr
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV CSBn

OTHER: "he has much labor for ^plyou"
EVIDENCE: D* F G

OTHER: "he has much love for ^plyou"
EVIDENCE: 1739 1881

OTHER: "he has much longing for ^plyou"
EVIDENCE: 104

COMMENTS: This variation involves multiple five-letter words in Greek. The text reading is supported by the earliest manuscripts. Early Western manuscripts use a synonym of the word in the text reading.

Colossians 4:15:

NOTES: "the brothers at Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church in his house."
EVIDENCE: D G K Psi 614 630 1241 2495 Byz Lect lat? vg? syr(p)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSV2021n NEBn REBn TEVn

NOTES: "the brothers at Laodicea, and Nympha and the church in their house."
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א) A C P 33 81 104 one syr(pal) cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: ASV NRSV2021n NASVn

COMMENTS: The names "Nymphas" (masculine) and "Nympha" (feminine) are spelled alike in the accusative case, except for accent marks, which are not used in the early manuscripts. The confusion in spelling caused some copyists to either change either "his" to "her" or "her" to "his." Copyists would probably be more likely to change "her" to "his" than vice versa. The reading "their" apparently came from copyists taking "the brothers" as the noun to which to the pronoun refers.

Colossians 4:18:

NOTES: "Grace [be] with ^plyou. Amen"
EVIDENCE: Aleph(א)^c D K P Psi 104 614 630 1241 1739 2495 Byz Lect most lat vg most syr some cop(north)
TRANSLATIONS: KJV NKJV NRSVn CSBn

COMMENTS: Copyists often added "Amen" to the end of a book they had copied.