1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, 1Co 1:1; 2Co 1:1; Eph 1:1; 2Tm 1:1 and Timothy Ac 16:1; 1Tm 1:2 our Lit the brother:

2To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who are faithful brothers.

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 message of truth, 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 fruit Mk 4:8 and growing all over the world, Mt 13:38; 24:14; Rm 3:6; 2Pt 2:20 just as it has among you since the day you heard it and recognized God’s grace 2Pt 3:18 in the truth. Or and truly recognized God’s grace 2Th 2:10

7You learned this from Epaphras, Col 4:12; Phm 23 our dearly loved fellow slave. He is a faithful servant of the Messiah Mt 1:17; Eph 5:2 on your Other mss read our behalf,

8and he has told us about your love in the Spirit. Ps 51:11; Jn 1:33; Ac 2:4; Rm 8:9; Ti 3:5; Rv 1:10; 3:22

9For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking Jn 14:13; Jms 1:5 that you may be filled with the knowledge Pr 2:6; Col 3:10 of His will Eph 1:9 in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, Or all spiritual wisdom and understanding

10so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work 2Co 9:8; Gl 3:10 and growing in the knowledge of God. Pr 2:6; Jn 17:3; 2Pt 1:2; 1Jn 4:8

11May you be strengthened Php 4:13 with all power, Ac 4:33; 2Co 13:4 according to His glorious Lk 9:32; Jn 17:24; 2Co 3:18; 2Pt 3:18 might, for all endurance and patience, with joy

12giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you Other mss read us to share in the saints’ Or holy ones’ inheritance in the light. Ps 36:9; Jn 12:46

13He has rescued Mt 27:43 us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom Mt 3:2; Mk 1:15; Ac 20:25 of the Son Jn 5:19; Heb 1:2 He loves. Mt 3:17; Jn 3:16; 15:10; 17:26; 1Jn 4:16

14We have redemption, Other mss add through His blood the forgiveness of sins, in Him.

15He is the image of the invisible God, Php 2:6

16For everything was created by Him, Gn 1:1; Mk 13:19

17He is before all things, Jn 1:1-2; 8:58; Heb 1:2-3

18He is also the head of the body, the church;

19For God was pleased to have

20and through Him to reconcile

21Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions.

22But now He has reconciled you by His physical body His body of flesh on the cross through His death, Php 2:8 to present you holy, faultless, Jd 24 and blameless before Him 2Co 4:14 —

23if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith Gl 2:16; Jd 3 and are not shifted away from the hope 1Th 1:3 of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation Rv 3:14 under heaven, Rm 10:18; Eph 6:9 and I, Paul, Ac 13:9 have become a servant of it.

24Now I rejoice in my sufferings 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, Eph 4:4 that is, the church.

25I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message 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 Christ Col 2:2 in you, the hope 1Th 1:3 of glory.

28We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

29I labor for this, striving Jd 3 with His strength that works powerfully in me. 1Co 15:10