Greeting
2To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.1:2 Other mss add and the Lord Jesus Christ
Thanksgiving
3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
4for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints
5because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the word of truth,1:5 Ps 119:142; Jn 14:6; 2Co 11:10; Eph 1:13; 2Tm 2:15; 3Jn 3 the gospel
6that has come to you. It is bearing fruit1:6 Mk 4:8 and growing all over the world,1:6 Mt 13:38; 24:14; Rm 3:6; 2Pt 2:20 just as it has among you since the day you heard it and came to truly appreciate1:6 2Th 2:10 God’s grace.1:6 Or and truly recognized God’s grace1:6 2Pt 3:18
Prayer for Spiritual Growth
9For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking1:9 Jn 14:13; Jms 1:5 that you may be filled with the knowledge1:9 Pr 2:6; Col 3:10 of his will1:9 Eph 1:9 in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,1:9 Or all spiritual wisdom and understanding
10so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work1:10 2Co 9:8; Gl 3:10 and growing in the knowledge of God,1:10 Pr 2:6; Jn 17:3; 2Pt 1:2; 1Jn 4:8
11being strengthened1:11 Php 4:13 with all power,1:11 Ac 4:33; 2Co 13:4 according to his glorious1:11 Lk 9:32; Jn 17:24; 2Co 3:18; 2Pt 3:18 might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully
12giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you1:12 Other mss read us to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.1:12 Ps 36:9; Jn 12:46
13He has rescued1:13 Mt 27:43 us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom1:13 Mt 3:2; Mk 1:15; Ac 20:25 of the Son1:13 Jn 5:19; Heb 1:2 he loves.1:13 Mt 3:17; Jn 3:16; 15:10; 17:26; 1Jn 4:16
14In him we have redemption,1:14 Other mss add through his blood the forgiveness of sins.
The Centrality of Christ
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities —
and by him all things1:17 Ps 104:24 hold together.
18He is also the head of the body, the church;
so that he might come to have
first place in everything.
19For God was pleased to have
all his fullness1:19 Ps 72:19; Is 6:3; Jr 23:24; Ezk 43:5; 44:4; Jn 1:14,16; Eph 3:19; Php 2:6; Col 2:9 dwell in him,1:19 Dt 12:5
20and through him to reconcile
everything to himself,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
21Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions.
22But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death,1:22 Php 2:8 to present you holy, faultless,1:22 Jd 24 and blameless before him1:22 2Co 4:14 —
23if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith1:23 Gl 2:16; Jd 3 and are not shifted away from the hope1:23 1Th 1:3 of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation1:23 Rv 3:14 under heaven,1:23 Rm 10:18; Eph 6:9 and I, Paul,1:23 Ac 13:9 have become a servant of it.
Paul’s Ministry
24Now I rejoice in my sufferings1:24 2Co 1:4; Php 1:29; 3:10 for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body,1:24 Eph 4:4 that is, the church.
25I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,
26the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.
27God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ1:27 Col 2:2 in you, the hope1:27 1Th 1:3 of glory.
28We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
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