Devine Scripture

Colossians 2:14

What does Colossians 2:14 mean?

A plain-English look at Colossians 2:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Colossians 2:14 means

God has erased the record of debt that stood against us, written in ordinances and hostile to us. He did not merely set it aside; He took it away, nailing it to the cross. The image is of our IOU, with all its charges, publicly fastened to Christ’s cross and paid in full by His death. The law’s demands against sinners were real, but Christ bore the penalty. This is why believers are free from condemnation and from systems that keep the debt alive through rituals. The cross is the definitive act that cancels our liability and silences every accusation against those in Christ.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Having put an end to the handwriting of the law which was against us, taking it out of the way by nailing it to his cross;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

having blotted out the handwriting in the ordinances that is against us, that was contrary to us, and he hath taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

having effaced the handwriting in ordinances which [stood out] against us, which was contrary to us, he has taken it also out of the way, having nailed it to the cross;

Context

Here Paul deepens verse 13’s theme of forgiveness using legal imagery. With the debt canceled at the cross, verse 15 can proclaim Christ’s victory over spiritual powers—who often accuse and enslave through guilt. This double triumph (debt removed, enemies disarmed) grounds the exhortations that follow in verses 16–17: do not let anyone judge you regarding ceremonial observances, since Christ’s work has fulfilled and surpassed them.

v.13And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;

v.14This passage

v.15having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Daniel 5:7

    The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

  • Luke 1:6

    And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

  • Ephesians 2:14

    For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition,

  • Isaiah 44:22

    I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

  • Hebrews 8:13

    In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away.

  • Colossians 2:20

    If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances,

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