knowledge

The Greek that is translated as “knowledge” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as “theology” in these verses. The translators explain: “We have often translated the Greek word gnosis with ‘theology’ because it doesn’t refer to knowledge [Erkenntnis, also meaning ‘realization’] but to theological knowledge.”

See also wisdom.

wisdom

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is translated as “wisdom” in English is rendered in various ways:

  • Amganad Ifugao / Tabasco Chontal: “(big) mind”
  • Bulu / Yamba: “heart-thinking”
  • Tae’: “cleverness of heart” (source for this and all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Palauan: “bright spirit (innermost)” (source: Bratcher / Hatton)
  • Ixcatlán Mazatec: “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom)
  • Noongar: dwangka-boola, lit. “ear much” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018 — see also remember)
  • Kwere “to know how to live well” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Dobel: “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes)
  • Gbaya: iŋa-mgbara-mɔ or “knowing-about-things” (note that in comparison to that, “knowledge” is translated as iŋa-mɔ or “knowing things”) (source: Philip Noss in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 114ff. )
  • Chichewa: nzeru, meaning both “knowledge” and “wisdom” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Uma: “clearness” (source: Uma Back Translation)

See also wisdom (Proverbs) and knowledge.

complete verse (Colossians 2:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Colossians 2:3:

  • Uma: “For Kristus is the kunci who opens for us all God’s hidden knowledge and wisdom [lit., clearness of heart].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Almasi is the underlying-reason therefore we (incl.) can know the wisdom/knowledge of God which is deep because he is like figuratively a key that opens the place-for-storing of God’s knowledge/wisdom.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For He is the only one who can give any kind of true wisdom and true understanding.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because Cristo is our means-of-knowing all the stored-up wisdom and thoughts/mind of God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Really this Cristo only is from where can be obtained this complete and true wisdom/understanding concerning this hidden determined-plan of God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This Christ, he it is who opens our minds in order that our hearts find the word which has surpassing value.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Colossians 2:3

The verse begins with the prepositional phrase en hō, Revised Standard Version “in whom.” But this can be translated as the neuter, “in which” (so Jerusalem Bible), referring to the word secret (verse 2).

Inasmuch as the meaning of the verse is that Christ makes God’s secret known, Good News Translation has He is the key that opens for the Greek “in whom are hidden” (see Revised Standard Version). The apostle’s argument is that Christ is the revelation of God’s purpose, and so implicit in the text is that the hidden treasures of God’s wisdom and knowledge are now revealed in Christ. But most translators have, simply, “hidden in Christ.” Goodspeed has “are to be found,” Weymouth “are stored up, hidden from view,” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “in him is contained everything that mankind can ever know about God.” The verse emphasizes (1) Christ’s sufficiency, that is, all of God’s wisdom and knowledge are revealed by him; and (2) Christ’s uniqueness, that is, in him and nowhere else, are the treasures of wisdom and knowledge to be found. So Phillips “in him, and in him alone….”

It is most likely that “the wisdom and knowledge” are God’s (so Moule, see New English Bible), and not just in general.

It is frequently necessary in translating to eliminate certain figurative expressions which cannot be carried over from one language to another. In this instance, however, a non-figurative expression is translated by a figurative one, namely, the key that opens. Though this idiom is quite acceptable in English, it would be difficult to translate literally into a number of other languages, especially since the treasure in this instance is not a literal object but a truth about God as revealed through Jesus Christ. An equivalent expression in some languages may be “he is the one who reveals the hidden treasures” or “… causes to be known the hidden treasures.” It may, however, be necessary to characterize the wisdom and knowledge as being hidden treasures, but only as a postposed qualification of the wisdom and knowledge, for what Christ really reveals is God’s wisdom and knowledge. Therefore, one may translate “he is the one who makes known God’s wisdom and knowledge which is like a treasure which has been hidden.” By changing the metaphor hidden treasures to a simile by the use of “like,” one may often make clearer what is the relationship between wisdom and knowledge and treasures.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Colossians 2:3

2:3

in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge: This is a figure of speech. Here, wisdom and knowledge are like treasures that are hidden in Christ. There are two ways to understand this:

(1) Paul was referring to a Christian’s wisdom and knowledge. So this verse means that, just as treasure is valuable, so being wise and knowing God and God’s message is very valuable. Christ is the only one who can cause us to be wise and know God and his message.

(SSA)

(2) Paul was referring to God’s wisdom and knowledge. In this case the verse means that Christ is the only one who can cause people to know about God’s wisdom and knowledge, which are very valuable.

(Good News Translation, Revised English Bible; UBS Handbook Handbook).

The Display follows the first interpretation (1).

hidden: When Paul said that wisdom and knowledge were hidden in Christ, he did not mean that people could not get this wisdom and knowledge at all. Rather, he meant that it is in Christ and Christ alone that people can find these things. Only Christ can make people truly wise, only he reveals God’s plan to mankind.

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