2:5a–b

although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit: Be careful that you do not translate this in a way that would cause your readers to think that Paul’s spirit had left his body and traveled to Colossae. When Paul said he was absent from you in body, he simply meant that he was physically far away from them, in a different city, hundreds of kilometers away. When he said he was present with you in spirit, he meant that he constantly thought about them and was concerned for them. In some languages it may be better to translate this as a simile. For example:

It is as if I am with you.

The Display shows some non-figurative ways to translate these phrases.

2:5c

and I delight to see: Paul could not literally see the Colossians, for he was in a different city. However, although he was far away from Colossae, he was thinking about the Colossians and it was as if he could see them. Paul knew about the Colossian believers because he had heard news from Epaphras and others. In your language it might be more natural to translate the verb see using another verb. For example:

I am happy to hear…
-or-
I am happy to know/learn ⌊from what I’ve heard⌋…

your orderly condition: Paul told the Colossian believers that he was pleased about two things. He was happy that they were orderly (2:5c), and that their faith was “firm” (2:5d). Both these words in Greek were used as military terms. The word translated orderly means “to stand together in orderly ranks,” like soldiers in a military parade. There are two ways to interpret it:

(1) The Colossian believers were united.

(SSA, Good News Translation, Revised English Bible)

(2) The Colossian believers were behaving in an orderly manner. For example:

I am glad to know you are living as you should (Contemporary English Version)

(Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1), since it fits the context better. Paul was happy to hear that the Colossian believers were united and that the false teachers had not divided them. He was happy that the Colossians had not divided into groups that believed different false teachings.

2:5d

firm faith in Christ: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates firm means “to maintain a firm position, to be unmoved.” Although there was false teaching in Colossae, the majority of the Christians had continued to trust firmly in Christ. You can translate firm faith in Christ as:

⌊I am happy to hear⌋ that your faith in Christ is strong and not changing,

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