Colossians 4:14

New Testament Epistle (Pauline) ASV (1901)

What does Colossians 4:14 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas salute you.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas salute you.
Colossians 4:14 — American Standard Version

Context — Colossians 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
14Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas salute you.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Luke, the beloved physician, etc.] Luke the Evangelist, though some doubt it, is here intended, who was a constant companion of the apostle in his troubles, and went with him to Rome, as the Acts of the Apostles wrote by him show, and as from (<550411>2 Timothy 4:11) it appears; so Jerom f62 calls the Evangelist Luke, the physician of Antioch, for from thence he was; and being converted by the Apostle Paul, as is very probable, though some make him to be one of the seventy disciples, he became of a physician of bodies, a physician of souls: some say f63 he was a scholar of Galen, the famous physician, and others that he was his sister's son; who having heard of Christ's miracles, set out…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“It is conjectured that Luke "the beloved physician" (the same as the Evangelist), may have first become connected with Paul in professionally attending on him in the sickness under which he labored in Phrygia and Galatia (in which latter place he was detained by sickness), in the early part of that journey wherein Luke first is found in his company (Act 16:10; compare Note, see on Gal 4:13). Thus the allusion to his medical profession is appropriate in writing to men of Phrygia. Luke ministered to Paul in his last imprisonment (Ti2 4:11). Demas--included among his "fellow laborers" (Plm 1:24), but afterwards a deserter from him through love of this world (Ti2 4:10). He alone has here no…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Luke, the beloved physician - This was undoubtedly the author of the Gospel which bears his name, and of the Acts of the Apostles. He is mentioned as the traveling companion of Paul in Acts 17:10, and appears to have accompanied him afterward until his imprisonment at Rome see 2 Timothy 4:11. From Colossians 4:11, it is evident that he was not by birth a Jew, but was probably a proselyte. He is supposed to have been a native of Cyrene, and to have died in Achaia, soon after the martyrdom of Paul, at the advanced age of 84. See Rob. Cal. Art. Luke. He is here mentioned as a physician, and in his Gospel, and in the Acts , there are incidental evidences that he was acquainted with the science…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Luke, the physician - Such he had been, at least, if he was not then. Colossians 4:15”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“4:14 Luke, the beloved doctor, is well known as the author of Acts and the Gospel bearing his name. This verse is the sole evidence for two facts about Luke: He was a doctor, and he was not a Jewish believer (see Col 4:10-11). • In contrast to the other people mentioned in this passage, no details are given about Demas. Perhaps Paul did not know him well. Demas later deserted Paul (2 Tim 4:10).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Luke: Ti2 4:11; Plm 1:24 Demas: Ti2 4:10; Plm 1:24 Colossians 4:15”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification