Because of restructuring, “which has come to you” (Revised Standard Version) appears in Good News Translation in verse 5, came to you, and in the beginning of verse 6, the subject is introduced again, the gospel. What follows is the statement of the effectiveness and growth of the gospel throughout the world, as among the Colossians. The idea of the gospel “bearing fruit” (Revised Standard Version) is a bit odd, unless it is taken as the power of the gospel to produce results and to continue to increase its effects among people everywhere. For other uses of the verb karpophoreō “to bear fruit” in a metaphorical sense, see Mark 4.20; Luke 8.15; Col 1.10. Here only does the verb occur in the middle voice (not active, as elsewhere). Lightfoot calls it a “dynamic” middle, the Gospel as it inherently is. “The middle is intensive, the active extensive.” The two verbs, say Lightfoot, denote the inner working and the outward extension of the gospel.
It may be quite impossible, in some instances, to speak of “the gospel bringing blessings.” This could only be done by a person rather than a message. Therefore, it may be important to render the gospel keeps bringing blessings as “the good news continually causes blessings for people,” or “causes good to happen to people,” or “… causes good for people.”
It is frequently quite impossible to say “the gospel … is spreading throughout the world,” for the gospel, in a sense, is not a mass like water or sand, but like a living vine which spreads and bears fruit. It is a message which must be heard, and therefore, the equivalent expression may be “more and more people in the world are hearing the good news,” or “the good news is being spoken to more and more people,” or “… is being announced to people everywhere in the world.”
Paul’s reference to throughout the world is, of course, to be understood in terms of the Graeco-Roman world, for this was the civilized world in New Testament times. In translation, however, it does not seem to be important or necessary to make any special distinction, though one might wish to introduce a footnote to explain the evident intent of this expression.
Just as it has among you should be related not only to the spreading of the good news but also the fact that it brings blessings. This may be rendered in some cases as “just as it has been doing all this among you.”
Ever since the day you first heard may be rendered as “beginning with the day when you first heard” or “from the first day that you heard even until now.”
The grace of God represents all that God is in his attitude of love, goodness, and forgiveness toward mankind. In this type of context, the grace of God may perhaps be most effectively rendered as “God’s goodness to people” or “God’s kindness to people.” Some translators wish to introduce the concept of “unmerited goodness,” that is to say, “goodness to people when they did not deserve it,” but this often results in a rather heavy expression which may appear more negative rather than positive, for it is God’s “loving goodness” which needs to be emphasized.
To know is in Greek a compound verb, which may carry the connotation of knowing thoroughly, completely. The use of know in this context suggests something more than mere intellectual perception or “knowing about.” The implication is “having some experience of.” This is in line with such biblical expressions as “knowing God,” which certainly involves more than mere intellectual knowledge about God.
As it really is is what is meant by “in truth.” The final expression in verse 6 came to know it as it really is may be difficult to express clearly and in a few words. The idea is essentially “and experienced just how God is loving and good to you” or “really experienced what it means to have God be so kind to you.”
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Colossians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .