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Verse

Colossians 1:26

ESV the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.
NIV the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people.
NASB that is, the mystery which had been hidden from the past ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His saints,
CSB the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.
NLT This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people.
KJV Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

What does Colossians 1:26 mean?

Paul calls the word of God or the gospel a "mystery," but a mystery which has now been revealed. Paul spoke elsewhere about the gospel as a mystery, stating, "according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages" (Romans 16:25). Before Jesus came to earth, no one knew exactly how God planned to fulfill all of His many prophecies regarding the Jewish Messiah. The prophets who wrote about the future only vaguely understood the message they were given (Ephesians 3:4–5). The complete story was only revealed after Christ came in the flesh.

Even during Christ's ministry, Paul was an unbeliever. Jesus revealed Himself to Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), and "the mystery was made known to [him] by revelation" (Ephesians 3:3). Paul asked the Ephesians to pray "also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel" (Ephesians 6:19)." In Colossians, Paul will again refer to "mystery" in the next verse, as well as Colossians 2:2 and Colossians 4:3.
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