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Thanksgiving for the gospel’s work

Paul, an apostle of Messiah Jesus by God’s purpose, and Timothy my brother; to God’s holy people in Colossae, the Messiah’s faithful family; grace to you and peace, from God our father.

We always thank God, the father of our Lord, Messiah Jesus, when we pray for you, because we’ve heard of your faith in Messiah Jesus and the love you have for all God’s holy people, because of the hope which is kept safe for you in the heavenly places. You heard about this before in the word of truth, the gospel which has arrived on your doorstep—just as, in fact, it’s producing fruit and growing in all the world, as it has been among you, from the day you heard it and came to know the grace of God in truth. That’s how you learnt it from Epaphras our beloved fellow slave. He’s a loyal and faithful servant of the Messiah on your behalf. He it was who gave us the news about your love in the spirit.

Prayer for wisdom and gratitude

For this reason, from the day we heard it, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We’re asking God to fill you with the knowledge of what he wants in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. 10 This will mean that you’ll be able to conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Lord, and so give him real delight, as you bear fruit in every good work and grow up in the knowledge of God.

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Paul, an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B) and Timothy(C) our brother,

To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters[a] in Christ:

Grace(D) and peace to you from God our Father.[b](E)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

We always thank God,(F) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love(G) you have for all God’s people(H) the faith and love that spring from the hope(I) stored up for you in heaven(J) and about which you have already heard in the true message(K) of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit(L) and growing throughout the whole world(M)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras,(N) our dear fellow servant,[c] who is a faithful minister(O) of Christ on our[d] behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.(P)

For this reason, since the day we heard about you,(Q) we have not stopped praying for you.(R) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will(S) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[e](T) 10 so that you may live a life worthy(U) of the Lord and please him(V) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,(W)

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 4:15.
  2. Colossians 1:2 Some manuscripts Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
  3. Colossians 1:7 Or slave
  4. Colossians 1:7 Some manuscripts your
  5. Colossians 1:9 Or all spiritual wisdom and understanding