8Watch out that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
The Greek that is translated as “tradition” in English is translated in Kekchí as “the old root-trunk” (in which the life of a people is likened to a tree), in Central Tarahumara, as “to live as the ancients did,” in North Alaskan Inupiatun as “sayings passed down from long-ago times,” in Navajo as “what their fathers of old told them to follow,” in Toraja-Sa’dan as “the ordinance maintained by the forefathers,” in Tzeltal as “word that has been kept from the ancients” (source for this and all above Bratcher / Nida), and in Gumuz as “the life of your fathers” (source: Loren Bliese).
In Obolo it is translated as orọmijọn̄: “the deeds of the ground” (source: Enene Enene).
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “vanity,” “emptiness,” “breath,” or similar in English is translated in Mandarin Chinese as xūkōng (虚空) or “hollow,” “empty.” This is a term that is loaned from Buddhist terminology where it is used for Akasha (Sanskrit: आकाश). (Source: Zetzsche)
Following are a number of back-translations of Colossians 2:8:
Uma: “Be careful, that there not be any people who deceive you and force you to follow religion teachings that are not true and that are of no value. For those teachings of theirs are teachings that only appear from the thinking of man[kind], they teach you to follow customs and laws that talk about this world only. Those teachings of theirs aren’t from Kristus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Be careful lest you be fooled/deceived by people, because they want to influence you to follow them. When one hears their words they seem to be good, but they are useless. Because their teaching is only man-made, the teachings of the people of old about angels and demons. Their teaching is not from Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Be on your guard because there might be someone who will convert you by means of his teaching doctrine that seems to be correct teaching but it is a lie, and has no value because it was just left behind by people. That is not correct doctrine for it does not originate with Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Be careful so that you are not deceived to follow teaching which is not true which has no use, because teaching like that which deceives people, it is not based-on Cristo but rather the customs which people thought-of back then and the commands on this earth.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Be always on guard that none of you at all be dragged-away by teachers of lies which have no usefulness. These teachings, (they are) just stories by people, shallow perceptions of the world. They really are not in agreement with the truth concerning Cristo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Be very careful. Do not let any person spoil your faith, teaching you the word which is just people’s own thoughts and is not the word which Christ taught. These people are deceivers, it is not true what they say. It is the knowledge of people here in the world which they speak. These words have been around since long ago.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The Greek Christos (Χρηστός) is typically transliterated when it appears together with Iésous (Ἰησοῦς) (Jesus). In English the transliteration is the Anglicized “Christ,” whereas in many other languages it is based on the Greek or Latin as “Kristus,” “Cristo,” or similar.
When used as a descriptive term in the New Testament — as it’s typically done in the gospels (with the possible exceptions of for instance John 1:17 and 17:3) — Christos is seen as the Greek translation of the Hebrew mashiaḥ (המשיח) (“anointed”). Accordingly, a transliteration of mashiaḥ is used, either as “Messiah” or based on the Greek or Latin as a form of “Messias.”
This transliteration is also used in the two instances where the Greek term Μεσσίας (Messias) is used in John 1:41 and 4:25.
In some languages and some translations, the term “Messiah” is supplemented with an explanation. Such as in the GermanGute Nachricht with “the Messiah, the promised savior” (Wir haben den Messias gefunden, den versprochenen Retter) or in Muna with “Messiah, the Saving King” (Mesias, Omputo Fosalamatino) (source: René van den Berg).
In predominantly Muslim areas or for Bible translations for a Muslim target group, Christos is usually transliterated from the Arabic al-Masih (ٱلْمَسِيحِ) — “Messiah.” In most cases, this practice corresponds with languages that also use a form of the Arabic Isa (عيسى) for Jesus (see Jesus). There are some exceptions, though, including modern translations in Arabic which use Yasua (يَسُوعَ) (coming from the Aramaic Yēšūa’) alongside a transliteration of al-Masih, Hausa which uses Yesu but Almahisu, and some Fula languages (Adamawa Fulfulde, Nigerian Fulfulde, and Central-Eastern Niger Fulfulde) which also use a form of Iésous (Yeesu) but Almasiihu (or Almasiifu) for Christos.
In Indonesian, while most Bible translations had already used Yesus Kristus rather than Isa al Masih, three public holidays used to be described using the term Isa Al Masih. From 2024 on, the government is using Yesus Kristus in those holiday names instead (see this article in Christianity Today ).
Other solutions that are used by a number of languages include these:
Dobel: “The important one that God had appointed to come” (source: Jock Hughes)
Noongar: Keny Mammarap or “The One Man” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Mairasi: “King of not dying for life all mashed out infinitely” (for “mashed out,” see salvation; source: Lloyd Peckham)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “One chosen by God to rule mankind” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Bacama: Ma Pwa a Ngɨltən: “The one God has chosen” (source: David Frank in this blog post )
Binumarien: Anutuna: originally a term that was used for a man that was blessed by elders for a task by the laying on of hands (source: Desmond Oatridges, Holzhausen 1991, p. 49f.)
Noongar: Keny Boolanga-Yira Waangki-Koorliny: “One God is Sending” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uab Meto: Neno Anan: “Son of heaven” P. Middelkoop explains: “The idea of heavenly power bestowed on a Timorese king is rendered in the title Neno Anan. It is based on the historical fact that chiefs in general came from overseas and they who come thence are believed to have come down from heaven, from the land beyond the sea, that means the sphere of God and the ghosts of the dead. The symbolical act of anointing has been made subservient to the revelation of an eternal truth and when the term Neno Anan is used as a translation thereof, it also is made subservient to a new revelation of God in Jesus Christ. The very fact that Jesus came from heaven makes this translation hit the mark.” (Source: P. Middelkoop in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 183ff. )
In Finnish Sign Language both “Christ” and “Messiah” are translated with sign signifying “king.” (Source: Tarja Sandholm)
“Christ / Messiah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )
Law (2013, p. 97) writes about how the Ancient GreekSeptuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew mashiah was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments (click or tap here to read more):
“Another important word in the New Testament that comes from the Septuagint is christos, ‘Christ.’ Christ is not part of the name of the man from Nazareth, as if ‘the Christs’ were written above the door of his family home. Rather, ‘Christ’ is an explicitly messianic title used by the writers of the New Testament who have learned this word from the Septuagint’s translation of the Hebrew mashiach, ‘anointed,’ which itself is often rendered in English as ‘Messiah.’ To be sure, one detects a messianic intent on the part of the Septuagint translator in some places. Amos 4:13 may have been one of these. In the Hebrew Bible, God ‘reveals his thoughts to mortals,’ but the Septuagint has ‘announcing his anointed to humans.’ A fine distinction must be made, however, between theology that was intended by the Septuagint translators and that developed by later Christian writers. In Amos 4:13 it is merely possible we have a messianic reading, but it is unquestionably the case that the New Testament writers exploit the Septuagint’s use of christos, in Amos and elsewhere, to messianic ends.”
A literal rendering of see to it may suggest a positive value. It may, therefore, be necessary to alert the reader as to something which should not happen by introducing verse 8 by “beware of” or “be sure not to let happen that.”
Enslaves translates a verb found only here in the NT (sulagōgeō) which means to lead away into slavery, an unusually vivid expression (Moule). The Colossians had been rescued from the realm of darkness and had been transferred to the kingdom of Christ (1.13), and now they were in danger of being made slaves again. Jerusalem Bible “traps you and deprives you of your freedom” is good. Enslaves involved essentially a causative relationship, and therefore, one may translate “that no one causes you to become slaves” or “… makes you slaves.”
The worthless deceit of human wisdom represents “the philosophy and empty deceit” (compare Revised Standard Version). It is improbable that Paul is here referring to two different things; it is likely that “empty deceit” characterizes “the philosophy” he is talking about (one definite article governs the whole phrase). The Greek word philosophia appears only here in the NT (see “philosophers” in Acts 17.18). Here it means what is merely human wisdom, as contrasted with the divine wisdom in the Christian message. The word for “deceit” appears also in Matt 13.22, Mark 4.19, Eph 4.22, 2 Thes 2.10, Heb 3.13, 2 Peter 2.13.
Various translations try, in different ways, to bring out the connotation of the phrase: Moffatt “theosophy which is specious make-believe,” Phillips “intellectualism or high-sounding nonsense,” New International Version “hollow and deceptive philosophy,” Barclay “arid and misleading intellectualism,” New English Bible “hollow and delusive speculations,” Beare “humbug masquerading as philosophy.” For languages which do not have technical terms for philosophy and intellectualism, it may be appropriate to speak of “the kind of thinking that people do which is worthless and deceives.” In this way all of the components of the worthless deceit of human wisdom are introduced but grammatically redistributed.
This kind of “philosophy” is characterized as coming from the teachings handed down by men (Good News Translation) or “human tradition” (Revised Standard Version). In other passages in the NT, wrong teachings are similarly characterized (compare Matt 15.2, 3, 6; Mark 7.3, 5, 8, 9, 13; Gal 1.14; 1 Peter 1.18), in contrast to the Christian tradition, which is of divine origin.
It is rare that one can translate literally teachings handed down by men. An equivalent may be “the way in which generation after generation of people teach each other” or “the traditions which different generations teach to those who follow.” Sometimes the reference to succeeding generations is made quite specific by saying “what fathers teach their sons” or “what grandfathers teach young men.”
This “philosophy” is further characterized as coming from the ruling spirits of the universe. There is much controversy over the meaning of this phrase (which appears also in verse 20, and Gal 4.3, 9), ta stoicheia tou kosmou. The noun stoicheion means, primarily, the basic unit of which a series is composed, such as a letter of the alphabet, a basic element of matter, a fundamental principle of doctrine. In Heb 5.12, for example, it means (plural) “elementary teachings,” in 2 Peter 3.10, 12 it refers to the elements of matter (air, water, earth, and fire, in Greek speculation). In general two possible meanings are seen here: (1) “elementary teachings” either of a Jewish or pagan origin, with various beliefs and rituals (Lightfoot, Moule), which were in sharp contrast to the Christian way of life; this is variously expressed in translations (see Biblia Dios Habla HoyNew International VersionBarclay; Phillips “man’s ideas of the nature of the world,” Goodspeed “material way of looking at things”). (2) Spiritual powers, “elemental beings,” of the same species as demons and evil spirits, which were thought to rule the universe in general or the stars and planets in particular (Lohse, Beare; Translator’s New TestamentMoffattNew American BibleNew English BibleJerusalem BibleTraduction œcuménique de la Bible). The majority of modern commentaries and translations favor the “elemental forces” interpretation, but it must be conceded (as Moule points out) that as yet no example of the phrase with this meaning has been found in literature contemporary with or earlier than the writings of the NT.
The interpretation of “elementary teachings about the universe” may be expressed as “those ideas which people have about the universe” or even “widespread concepts about the world.” If, however, the second interpretation is employed, then one may speak of “those spirits that rule the universe” or “those powerful spirits in the universe.”
And not from Christ is added for emphasis; whatever comes from human tradition and from the cosmic powers cannot be from Christ. (Whether or not Paul believed that the “ruling spirits” were real is of no concern to the translator; in this passage he speaks of them as if they were, and the translator must faithfully represent this.) The final phrase and not from Christ is so far separated from human wisdom and is so relatively elliptical that it may be necessary to employ a complete clause, for example, “and this kind of wisdom does not come from Christ” or “these deceitful ideas do not come from Christ.” In a number of languages, it is appropriate to employ a negative before the positive. Therefore, it may be important to introduce not from Christ immediately after the worthless deceit of human wisdom, for example, “this kind of wisdom does not come from Christ but from the tradition which one generation after another tells each other….”
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 .
Theme: Paul warned the Colossians to make sure that the false teachers did not deceive them with their deceptive Greek philosophies and ideas about the spirit world.
Paul stated his main point at the beginning of this paragraph: “See to it that no one takes you captive…” (2:8a). You need to make this main point clear in your translation.
2:8a
See to it: This is a warning, it means, “Watch out!” “Be careful!” “Pay attention!” “Make sure that…”
that no one takes you captive: This is a figure of speech. When a person is captured, he is forced to do whatever his captors want. In the same way the false teachers wanted to make the Colossian believers believe them and do whatever they commanded. So Paul means, “Be careful. Do not let anybody trick you and tell you what you must believe.” The SSA says, “Make sure that no one makes you become his disciple.”
2:8b
philosophy and empty deception: Among the non-Christian Greek people, there were many philosophers. A philosopher is a person who spends most of his time thinking and teaching about the gods and supernatural spirits. The Greek people admired and respected these philosophers very much. It seems that some of the Greek Christians in Colossae were thinking up ideas about God in this way, but their ideas were wrong. Paul was afraid that other Christians in Colossae would be led astray by listening to their teaching.
philosophy: Here are some other ways to translate this word:
human wisdom (Good News Translation) -or-
teaching/ideas about God/spirits
empty: Paul said that the things they taught were empty, that is, “worthless, having no value,” their teachings did not help anyone truly to know God.
deception: He also said that what they taught caused deception. This word implies that what they taught sounded true and wise, but it was wrong, and it deceived people.
2:8c–e
In 2:8c–e, Paul used three phrases to describe in more detail what these people taught.
2:8c
which are based on human tradition: A literal translation of the Greek is “according to the traditions of people.” Paul wanted to emphasize that these teachings were from people, not from God. These were ideas that people had invented, not truths that God revealed. Here is another way to translate this clause:
only human teachings (Contemporary English Version)
tradition: Traditions are normally ideas and customs that have been passed-down/imparted from older people to younger people. The same Greek word is used in Matthew 15:2–3, 15:6; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 3:6. If you have an expression in your language for teachings that the elders tell to younger people, you may be able to use it here.
2:8d
and: This verse part is parallel to 2:8c and begins with the same Greek word kata “according to.” The things the false teachers taught depended on two things: “human tradition” (2:8c) and “the basic principles of this world” (see New International Version alternative source line for 2:8d). The Berean Standard Bible uses the word and here to show that the false teaching came from “the basic principles of this world” in a similar way to how it came from “human tradition.”
the spiritual forces of the world: The New International Version translates this Greek phrase: “basic principles of the world.” The reason there are two different translations is because the Greek word stoicheia that the Berean Standard Bible translates spiritual forces and the New International Version translates “basic principles” has two meanings:
(1) It could mean, “elementary principles and rules about behavior.”
(New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, SSA)
(2) It could refer to “the heavenly bodies,” that is, the sun, moon, and stars. In this context it would refer specifically to the spirits whom the Greeks believed were in control of these bodies.
(Berean Standard Bible, Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Revised English Bible)
Although most English versions prefer the second option (2), the commentaries are fairly equally divided. The first option is recommended here (1) because it makes best sense in the context. Paul was talking about false teaching. He used this same word stoicheia in 2:20, where he followed it immediately with a list of rules that people had made. Therefore, in this context Paul probably meant the basic religious rules which people invent.
of the world: There are two ways to understand this:
(1) It mean that these were rules about the world and the things in the world, that is, rules about external things, such as food, clothes, ceremonies, etc. See SSA.
(2) It means that people invented these rules. So world here means “people in the world.”
Both are possible in the context. However when Paul wrote more about this in 2:16, 20–23, he explicitly referred to laws concerning external things, so it is best to follow the same interpretation here.
If you wish to follow the second option, you could say:
⌊And they teach people⌋ to obey regulations that people have invented.
2:8e
rather than on Christ: A literal English translation of the Greek is “and not according to Christ.” This is in contrast to 2:8c–d where Paul had described the two things on which the false teachers depended for their teaching. Here Paul said what they did not depend on.
These words have two possible meanings:
(1) The things the false teachers taught were not the true teachings about Christ. SSA expresses this: “it teaches what is contrary to ⌊the true teachings about⌋ Christ.”
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised English Bible)
(2) What the false teachers taught was not from Christ. That is, it did not agree with what Christ taught and the truth he gave to his followers.
(Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004))
Both interpretations are possible and their meaning is very similar. However, the first one is closer to the normal meaning of the Greek word kata “according to,” which Paul used to begin each phrase in 2:8c–e, so the first interpretation is recommended (1).
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