Colossians 2:13

Colossians 2:13. And you, being dead; when you were dead, while in this state; comp. throughout Ephesians 2:1.

By (or, ‘on account of') your trespasses. The preposition ‘in' is rejected by recent critical editors on sufficient authority; the phrase is then precisely as in Ephesians 2:1, where, however, ‘sins' is added. Here the previous context naturally suggests the addition: the uncircumcision of year flesh. This is the spiritual application of a literal fact. They were Gentiles, as such uncircumcised; this external condition fitly indicated their depraved, carnal condition. ‘Flesh' has its ethical sense, though not without an allusion to the physical flesh, their ‘uncircumcision' was once the sign of their fleshly condition, but now they had received circumcision of the heart (Colossians 2:11).

You (repeated in the Greek according to the best authorities) did he quicken together with him. It is God who quickens; comp. Ephesians 2:5. The reference here is the same as in ‘raised with Him' (Colossians 2:12), probably the future resurrection is slightly more prominent

Having to-given us all our trespasses. The manuscript authority for ‘us' is decisive; ‘our' is the proper rendering of the Greek article here, while ‘having forgiven' points the act which necessarily preceded the quickening, God's act of reconciliation and justification, passed upon those who believe. The objective ground of this gracious forgiveness is set forth in Colossians 2:14. As most commentators accept a change of subject in the close of this paragraph, some have placed the transition at this point; but it seems better to make the change coincide with the change in construction in Colossians 2:14. Notice, however, that while God is still the subject, the language is strictly applicable only to God in Christ, so that the transition to Christ as the subject is easy.