I.
Introduction
1:1-8
A.
The apostle's greeting
vv. 1-2
Col. 1
:1
1:1
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the
2awill of God, and
bTimothy the brother,
Col. 1
:2
1:2
To the
1asaints in Colossae and faithful brothers in Christ:
bGrace to you and peace from God our
cFather.
B.
The apostle's thanksgiving
vv. 3-8
Col. 1
:3
1:3
We give thanks to God, the
1Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always concerning you,
Col. 1
:4
1:4
Because we have heard of your
afaith in Christ Jesus and the
1blove which you have unto all the saints
Col. 1
:5
1:5
Because of the
1ahope 2laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the
bword of the
3truth of the gospel,
Col. 1
:6
1:6
Which has come to you, even as it is also in all the world, bearing fruit and growing, as also in you, since the day you heard and knew the
1agrace of God in
2btruth;
Col. 1
:7
1:7
Even as you learned from
aEpaphras, our beloved fellow slave, who is a faithful
1bminister of Christ on your behalf,
Col. 1
:8
1:8
Who also has made known to us your
alove in the Spirit.
II.
The preeminent and all-inclusive One, the centrality and universality of God
1:9—3:11
A.
The portion of the saints
1:9-14
Col. 1
:9
1:9
Therefore we also, since the day we heard of
it, do not cease
apraying and asking on your behalf that you may be filled with the full knowledge of
1His bwill in all
2spiritual cwisdom and understanding,
Col. 1
:10
1:10
To 1walk worthily of the Lord to please
Him 2in all things,
3bearing fruit in every good work and growing by the full
4knowledge of God,
Col. 1
:11
1:11
Being aempowered with all
1power, according to the
2bmight of His glory, unto all endurance and long-suffering with joy,
Col. 1
:12
1:12
Giving thanks to the Father, who has
1qualified you for a share of the
2allotted aportion of the saints in the
3blight;
Col. 1
:13
1:13
Who 1delivered us out of the authority of
2adarkness and transferred
us into the
bkingdom of the
3cSon of His love,
Col. 1
:14
1:14
In whom we have
1aredemption, the
2bforgiveness of sins;
B.
The image of God and the Firstborn both in creation and in resurrection
1:15-23
Col. 1
:15
1:15
Who is the
1aimage of the
binvisible God, the
2cFirstborn of all creation,
Col. 1
:16
1:16
Because 1in Him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether
2thrones or
3alordships or rulers or authorities; all things have been created
4bthrough Him and
5unto Him.
Col. 1
:17
1:17
And He is
1before all things, and all things
2acohere in Him;
Col. 1
:18
1:18
And He is the
aHead of the
bBody, the church; He is the
cbeginning, the
1dFirstborn from the dead, that He Himself might have the first place in all things;
Col. 1
:19
1:19
For in Him
1all the
2afullness was pleased to dwell
Col. 1
:20
1:20
And 1through Him to
areconcile 2ball things to
3Himself,
4chaving made peace through the
dblood of His cross —
1through Him, whether the
ethings on the earth or the things in the
5heavens.
Col. 1
:21
1:21
And you, though once
aalienated and
1benemies in your
2cmind because of your evil works,
Col. 1
:22
1:22
He now has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you
aholy and without blemish and without reproach before
1Him;
Col. 1
:23
1:23
If indeed you continue in the
1faith,
agrounded and steadfast and not being moved away from the
2bhope of the gospel, which you heard, which was proclaimed in
call creation under heaven, of which I Paul became a
dminister.
C.
The mystery of God's economy
1:24-29
Col. 1
:24
1:24
I now
arejoice in my sufferings on your behalf and
1fill up on my part that which is lacking of the
bafflictions of Christ in my flesh for His
cBody, which is the church;
Col. 1
:25
1:25
Of 1which I became a
2aminister according to the
3bstewardship of God, which was given to me for you, to
4complete the
cword of God,
Col. 1
:26
1:26
The 1amystery which has been hidden
2from the ages and from the generations but now has been manifested to His saints;
Col. 1
:27
1:27
To whom God willed to make known what are the
1ariches of the glory of this
bmystery among the Gentiles,
2which is
3cChrist 4in you, the
dhope of
5eglory,
Col. 1
:28
1:28
Whom we announce, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man
1afull-grown
2in Christ;
Col. 1
:29
1:29
For which also I labor,
1astruggling according to His
boperation which operates in me in
2power.
