“Jesus” (Revised Standard Version) is the graecized form of the Hebrew name Joshua (for Good News Translation‘s reason for using the Hebrew form, see TBT Oct. 1967, vol xviii, page 168). It appears that he was better known by his Roman name, Justus, rather than by his Hebrew name. Many Jews at that time had a Roman name in addition to their Jewish name. Aristarchus, Mark, and Joshua are identified as “men of the circumcision” (Revised Standard Version), that is, Jews who had been converted to the Christian faith; many translations have “Jewish Christians.”

Joshua, also called Justus may be translated as “Joshua who also has the name of Justus” or “Joshua (people also call him Justus).”

The only Jewish converts may be expressed as “the only Jews who are now believers in Christ.” Note, however, that the following conditional clause, who work with me, further restricts the meaning of the only Jewish converts.

The Kingdom of God (compare 1.13) is used in the comprehensive sense of the establishment of God’s will on earth, for which Paul and his companions were working. The phrase for the Kingdom of God may be expressed as “in order to cause the Kingdom of God to come” or, as in some languages, “in order to make possible God’s being King” or “… ruling as King.”

Great help (Good News Translation) or “comfort” (Revised Standard Version) translates a word found only here in the NT; “encouragement” is also a possible translation. They have been a great help to me may be rendered as “they have helped me very much.”

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 .