I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.
Summary: Paul’s use of the word “contend” challenges us to think hard about what he means.
Every once in a while, Paul uses a word that is so difficult to translate that nobody seems to agree on what he is saying.
In this case, the NIV translation uses the word “contending” to translate the Greek “agōn.” Other translations use words like:
• Struggle (ESV)*
• Conflict (BRG)
• Combat (Darby)
• “trying very hard” (ERV)
• “doing a difficult work” (EASY)
• Agonized (NLT)
• Strive (RSV)So what was Paul trying to say?
Continue reading “Colossians 2:1 – Giving His All”