Colossians 2:12

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Buried with {G4916} him {G846} in {G1722} baptism {G908}, wherein {G1722}{G3739} also {G2532} ye are risen with {G4891} him through {G1223} the faith {G4102} of the operation {G1753} of God {G2316}, who {G3588} hath raised {G1453} him {G846} from {G1537} the dead {G3498}.

you were buried along with him by being immersed; and in union with him, you were also raised up along with him by God’s faithfulness that worked when he raised Yeshua from the dead.

And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.

having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Commentary

Colossians 2:12 is a powerful verse that encapsulates the profound spiritual reality of a believer's union with Christ, using the imagery of baptism. It underscores that Christian baptism is far more than a mere ritual; it is a symbolic representation of a believer's identification with Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.

Context

The Apostle Paul, writing to the church in Colossae, was addressing various false teachings and philosophies that threatened to undermine the sufficiency of Christ. These included elements of Gnosticism, legalism, and a focus on human traditions or ascetic practices rather than on Christ alone. In this chapter, Paul emphasizes that believers are already complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10), having died to the old way of life and been raised to new life through faith in God's power. Verse 12 serves as a foundational statement affirming the spiritual completeness and new identity found solely in Christ, countering any reliance on external rituals or human efforts for salvation or spiritual growth.

Key Themes

  • Union with Christ in Death and Resurrection: The verse vividly portrays baptism as a spiritual act where believers are "buried with him" (Christ) and "risen with him." This signifies a spiritual death to the old self, sin, and the world's systems, and a spiritual resurrection to a new life in Christ. This concept is foundational to understanding the believer's new identity and freedom from sin's dominion.
  • The Role of Faith: It is "through the faith of the operation of God" that believers are raised. This highlights that salvation and spiritual transformation are not achieved by the physical act of baptism itself, but by faith in God's mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead. The outward act of baptism is a testimony to an inward spiritual reality wrought by God.
  • God's Sovereign Power: The verse explicitly attributes the resurrection—both Christ's and the believer's spiritual resurrection—to "the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." This emphasizes God's omnipotent power as the sole source of new life and spiritual vitality, reinforcing that salvation is entirely a work of divine grace.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Buried with him" (synthapto): The Greek word synthapto literally means "to bury together with." It denotes a complete identification with Christ's burial, signifying a decisive break from the old life.
  • "Risen with him" (synegeiro): Similarly, synegeiro means "to raise together with." This emphasizes the believer's participation in Christ's resurrection life, not just symbolically but spiritually.
  • "Operation of God" (energeia tou theou): The term energeia refers to God's active, effective working or divine power. It underscores that the spiritual transformation is not a human achievement but a supernatural work performed by God Himself, the same power that raised Christ from the dead.

Significance & Application

Colossians 2:12 provides a profound understanding of the Christian's spiritual standing. It assures believers that they have definitively broken from their past, having died to the power of sin and the condemnation of the law through their union with Christ. Consequently, they are now empowered to live a new life, animated by the same divine power that resurrected Jesus. This truth should inspire confidence, gratitude, and a desire to live in alignment with this new identity. It means freedom from the need for external rituals or human regulations to gain God's favor, as completeness and spiritual life are already found in Christ alone through faith.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Romans 6:3

    Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

  • Romans 6:5

    For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection:

  • 1 Peter 3:21

    ¶ The like figure whereunto [even] baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

  • Galatians 3:27

    For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

  • Acts 2:24

    Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

  • Colossians 3:1

    ¶ If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

  • Colossians 3:2

    Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
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