Word Studies - Part 11

Colossians 1:13-14 – He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (NKJV)

Strong’s # 629 apolytrosis (ap-ol-oo’-tro-sis)


Lexicons/Bible Dictionaries

Strong’s – compound of “apo” which means off or away, and “lutron” which means something to loosen with; ransomed in full, deliverance, redemption

Vine’s – a releasing, for payment on a ransom, deliverance, forgiveness and justification

Word Study (NT) – to let go free for a ransom, to redeem, recalling sinners from the captivity of sin through the payment offered by Christ Jesus, deliverance from sin.

Analytical Greek Lexicon – to dismiss for a ransom paid, redemption, a deliverance purchased by the payment of a ransom, deliverance

Thayer – to redeem on by paying price, redemption, deliverance, liberation procured by the payment of a ransom

NASB Greek – redemption, release, release effected by payment of ransom

NIV Greek – redemption, ransom, release

NIDNTT – redemption, deliverance, release, release secured by payment of ransom, redeeming


Translations

KJV – Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

NASB95 – For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

ESV – He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

NLT – For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins.

AMP – [The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins.

NIV – For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

MSG – God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.

NRSV – He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Darby – who has delivered us from the authority of darkness, and translated [us] into the kingdom of the Son of his love: in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins

Young’s – who did rescue us out of the authority of the darkness, and did translate [us] into the reign of the Son of His love, in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of the sins


Commentaries

Wesley – Through His crucifixion and death, Jesus Christ, by His own voluntary actions, appeased the wrath of the Father regarding the sins of humanity and therefore eliminated any power that Satan has through sin of those who call on the name of the Lord. While forgiveness is the beginning of the redemption that Jesus secured for all who come to Him, the resurrection is the completion of it.

Barnes’ – Believers receive forgiveness, or redemption, through the blood of Christ that was shed in His death, but this verse does not limit that as being the only gift received through the blood of Christ.

Clarke – Jesus paid for the redemption of the sins of humanity with His own blood that for those who accept the gift Jesus offers they will experience the cancellation of their sins, and be made fit to join the saints of light in partaking in the inheritance that is for all believers.

McGee – God saw His children enslaved in sin, dead in trespasses, and held captive in the kingdom of Satan. Jesus Christ paid the price with His own blood to redeem God’s children out of this captivity so that all God’s children may reside in His kingdom. This ransom is available for all who receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Expositor’s – Jesus liberated the saints from the dominion of darkness by paying the ransom with His blood. Additionally, the captives who have been ransomed are made citizens in the kingdom of God’s beloved Son.

Life Application – It is only because of the sacrifice of Jesus that redeems one from sin that one is qualified to share in the same inheritance of the saints of light. Jesus redeems or buys back, or saves from captivity by paying the ransom owed due to the enslavement of sin with His own blood as only He was able to pay the tremendous price for sin.

Barclay – It is the redemption that Jesus offers that allows one to move from slavery to freedom, and from condemnation to forgiveness. Jesus’ payment of ransom also moves one from being under the power of Satan to being under the power of God.


Word Application

Humanity is incapable of doing anything on its own to release itself from the bondage of sin. If this statement were not true, then the sacrificial system would have worked indefinitely, or man would have been able to provide an alternate method that would release humanity from the bondage of sin. As this was not the case, it was completely dependant upon God to provide a way for humanity to be redeemed from the bondage of sin under which it has been since the Fall in the Garden of Eden.
Only God could pay the ransom would free His children from the power and bondage of sin, and Jesus paid that price on the cross. This payment is sufficient for all who confess faith in Christ, and for all the sins committed. There is no sin that is too terrible to be paid for by the price that Jesus paid. Therefore, if one wants to be redeemed from sin, one only has to call upon the saving name of Jesus.