Colossians 1:24-29

Expanded Bible

Paul’s Work for the Church

²⁴ [^LNow] I ·am happy [rejoice] in my sufferings for you. And I ·accept [fill up; complete] in my ·body [flesh] what ·Christ must still suffer [or is lacking in the suffering of Christ] ·through [or on behalf of] his body, the church. [^CBy suffering while spreading the Gospel, Paul both participates in Christ’s death and helps complete God’s plan.] ²⁵ I became a ·servant [minister] of the church because God gave me a ·special work to do [stewardship; commission] ·that helps you [^Lfor you], and that work is to ·tell fully [or complete; or preach everywhere; ^Lfulfill] the ·message [word] of God. ²⁶ This message is the ·secret [mystery; ^Csomething God had not previously disclosed; Eph. 1:9] that was hidden from ·everyone since the beginning of time [^Lages and generations], but now it is made known to ·God’s holy people [^Tthe saints]. ²⁷ God ·decided [chose; willed] to let his people know this rich and glorious ·secret [mystery; 1:26] which he has for ·all people [the nations/Gentiles]. This ·secret [mystery] is ·that Christ lives in you. He is our only hope for glory [^LChrist in you, the hope of glory]. ²⁸ So we continue to ·preach [proclaim; announce] Christ to each person, using all wisdom to ·warn [instruct; admonish] and to teach everyone, in order to bring each one into God’s presence as a mature person in Christ. ²⁹ To do this, I ·work [toil; labor] and struggle, using ·Christ’s [^Lhis] great strength that works so powerfully in me.