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The Epistle of Paul to the Colossians

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[ Introduction | Subject ]

Chapters
ch. 1 • • •

Introduction to Colossians:
Author: Paul the apostle with Timothy the brother (1:1).Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 64, when the Epistle to Philemon was written (4:9; Philem. 10-12).Place of Writing: Rome, where Paul was imprisoned (4:3, 10, 18).Recipients: The saints in Colossae (1:2).

Subject of Colossians:
Christ—The All-inclusive One,
Having the First Place in All Things
as the Mystery and Embodiment of God,
as the Head and Constituent of the Church,
as the Allotted Portion, Life, Constituent,
and Hope of the Saints, and
as the Body of All Positive Things

Colossians

Chapter 1 of 4

Verses
vv. 1 • • • 5 • • • • 10 • • • •
15 • • • • 20 • • • • 25 • • • •

I.  Introduction — 1:1-8

A.  The apostle's greeting — vv. 1-2
Col 1:1 - 1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the 2awill of God, and bTimothy the brother,
Col 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 - We give thanks to God, the 1Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always concerning you,
Col 1:4 - Because we have heard of your 1afaith in Christ Jesus and the 1blove which you have unto all the saints
Col 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 - 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 - Even as you learned from aEpaphras, our beloved fellow slave, who is a faithful 1bminister of Christ on your behalf,
Col 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 - 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 - 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 - Being aempowered with all 1power, according to the 2bmight of His glory, unto all endurance and long-suffering with joy,
Col 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 - Who 1delivered us out of the authority of 2adarkness and transferred us into the bkingdom of the 3cSon of His love,
Col 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 - Who is the 1aimage of the binvisible God, the 2cFirstborn of all creation,
Col 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 - And He is 1before all things, and all things 2acohere in Him;
Col 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 - For in Him 1all the 2afullness was pleased to dwell
Col 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 - And you, though once aalienated and 1benemies in your 2cmind because of your evil works,
Col 1:22 - 1He 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - The 1amystery which has been hidden 2from the ages and from the generations but now has been manifested to His saints;
Col 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 - 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 - For which also I labor, 1astruggling according to His boperation which operates in me in 2power.

Colossians

Chapter 2 of 4

Verses
vv. 1 • • • 5 • • • • 10 • • • •
15 • • • • 20 • • •

D.  The mystery of God — 2:1-7
Col 2:1 - For I want you to know how great a astruggle I have for you and for those in bLaodicea, even all who have not seen my face in the flesh,
Col 2:2 - That their hearts may be 1acomforted, they being knit together in 2love and unto all the 3riches of the 4bfull assurance of understanding, unto the full knowledge of the 5cmystery of God, Christ,
Col 2:3 - In whom all the treasures of 1awisdom and knowledge are hidden.
Col 2:4 - This I say that no one may 1delude you with 2apersuasive speech.
Col 2:5 - For even though I am absent in the flesh, yet in the 1aspirit I am with you, rejoicing and seeing your order and the solid basis of your faith 2in Christ.
Col 2:6 - As therefore you have 1areceived the Christ, Jesus the Lord, 2bwalk in Him,
Col 2:7 - Having been 1arooted and being bbuilt up in Him, and being established 2in the faith even as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
E.  The body of all the shadows — 2:8-23
Col 2:8 - Beware that no one carries you off as spoil through his 1philosophy and aempty deceit, according to the 2btradition of men, according to the 3celements of the world, and not according to 4dChrist;
Col 2:9 - For in Him dwells all the 1afullness of the 2Godhead 3bodily,
Col 2:10 - And you have been made 1full in Him, who is the aHead of all 2rule and authority.
Col 2:11 - In Him also you were acircumcised with a 1circumcision 2not bmade with hands, in the 3putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,
Col 2:12 - 1aBuried together with Him in baptism, in which also you were 2braised together with Him through the 3faith of the operation of God, who craised Him from the dead.
Col 2:13 - And you, though 1adead in your offenses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He 2bmade alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our offenses;
Col 2:14 - 1aWiping out the 2handwriting in 3ordinances, which was against us, which was contrary to us; and He has taken it out of the way, 4nailing it to the cross.
Col 2:15 - 1Stripping off the 2arulers and the authorities, 3He made a 4display of them openly, triumphing over them in 5it.
Col 2:16 - Let no one therefore judge you 1in aeating and in drinking or in respect of a 2bfeast or of a 3cnew moon or of the 4dSabbath,
Col 2:17 - Which are a 1ashadow of the things to come, but the 2body is of 3bChrist.
Col 2:18 - Let no one 1defraud you by judging you unworthy of your aprize, in bself-chosen 2lowliness and the worship of the angels, 3dwelling on the things which he has 4seen, vainly cpuffed up by 5his mind set on the flesh,
Col 2:19 - And 1not aholding the Head, 2bout from whom all the 3Body, being richly supplied and knit together by means of the 4joints and 5sinews, 6grows with the 7growth of God.
Col 2:20 - 1If you 2adied with Christ from the 3belements of the world, why, as living in the world, do you subject yourselves to cordinances:
Col 2:21 - 1Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch,
Col 2:22 - (Regarding things which are all to 1aperish when 2used) according to the bcommandments and teachings of men?
Col 2:23 - 1Such things indeed have a 2reputation of wisdom in self-imposed aworship and lowliness and 3bsevere treatment of the body, but are 4not of any value against the cindulgence of the flesh.

Colossians

Chapter 3 of 4

Verses
vv. 1 • • • 5 • • • • 10 • • • •
15 • • • • 20 • • • • 25

F.  The life of the saints — 3:1-4
Col 3:1 - 1If therefore you were 2araised together with Christ, seek the things which are 3above, where Christ is, sitting at the bright hand of God.
Col 3:2 - Set your amind on the things which are above, not on the 1things which are on the earth.
Col 3:3 - For you 1adied, and your 2life is 3hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 - When 1Christ our 2alife is bmanifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in cglory.
G.  The constituents of the new man — 3:5-11
Col 3:5 - 1aPut to death therefore your 2bmembers which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and cgreediness, which is idolatry;
Col 3:6 - Because of which things the awrath of God is coming upon the bsons of disobedience;
Col 3:7 - In which you also once walked, when you lived in these things.
Col 3:8 - But now, you also, put away all these things: wrath, anger, malice, blasphemy, afoul abusive language out of your mouth.
Col 3:9 - Do not alie to one another, since you have 1bput off the 2cold man with his practices
Col 3:10 - And have 1aput on the 2bnew man, which is being 3crenewed unto full knowledge according to the 4dimage of Him 5who ecreated him,
Col 3:11 - 1Where there 2cannot be 3Greek and aJew, 4bcircumcision and uncircumcision, 5cbarbarian, 6Scythian, 7slave, 8free man, but 9dChrist is 10all and in 10all.

III.  A living in union with Christ — 3:12-4:6

A.  The arbitrating peace of Christ — 3:12-15
Col 3:12 - 1Put on therefore, as God’s achosen ones, 2holy and beloved, binward parts of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, long-suffering;
Col 3:13 - Bearing one another and aforgiving 1one another, if anyone should have a complaint against anyone; even as the 2Lord forgave you, so also should you forgive.
Col 3:14 - And over all these things put on 1alove, which is the uniting bond of 2perfectness.
Col 3:15 - And let the 1apeace of Christ 2arbitrate in your hearts, to 3which 4also you were called in bone Body; and be 5cthankful.
B.  The indwelling word of Christ — 3:16-17
Col 3:16 - Let the 1aword of Christ 2bdwell in you 3richly 4in all wisdom, 5teaching and admonishing 6one another with 7cpsalms and hymns and dspiritual songs, 5singing with 8grace in your hearts to God.
Col 3:17 - And whatever you do in word or in deed, do all things in the 1name of the Lord Jesus, giving athanks to God the Father through Him.
C.  The expression of Christ in ethical relationships — 3:18-4:1
Col 3:18 - 1aWives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Col 3:19 - Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter against them.
Col 3:20 - Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing in the Lord.
Col 3:21 - Fathers, do not vex your children, that they may not be disheartened.
Col 3:22 - Slaves, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart fearing the Lord.
Col 3:23 - Whatever you do, work from the soul as to the Lord and not to men,
Col 3:24 - Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the 1inheritance as arecompense. You 2serve the Lord Christ.
Col 3:25 - For he who does unrighteously will areceive what he unrighteously did, and there is no brespect of persons.

Colossians

Chapter 4 of 4

Verses
vv. 1 • • • 5 • • • • 10 • • • • 15 • • •

Col 4:1 - Masters, grant to your slaves that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
D.  Praying with perseverance and walking in wisdom — 4:2-6
Col 4:2 - 1aPersevere in 2prayer, 3watching in it with thanksgiving,
Col 4:3 - Praying at the same time for aus also, that God would open to us a 1door for the word, to speak the bmystery of Christ (because of which also I am cbound),
Col 4:4 - That I may make it manifest as I ought to speak.
Col 4:5 - Walk in awisdom toward those who are bwithout, 1credeeming the time.
Col 4:6 - Let your speech be always with 1agrace, seasoned with 2bsalt, that you may know how you ought to canswer each one.

IV.  Conclusion — 4:7-18

A.  The apostle's fellowship — vv. 7-17
Col 4:7 - 1All the things concerning me, aTychicus, the beloved brother and faithful bminister and fellow slave in the Lord, will make known to you,
Col 4:8 - Whom I have sent to you for this very thing, that you might know the things concerning us and that he might acomfort your hearts;
Col 4:9 - With aOnesimus, the faithful and beloved bbrother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all the things here.
Col 4:10 - aAristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, as well as bMark, the cousin of cBarnabas, (concerning whom you received commandments, If he comes to you, receive him),
Col 4:11 - And Jesus, who is called aJustus; these alone of the bcircumcision are my fellow workers for the ckingdom of God, ones who have become a dconsolation to me.
Col 4:12 - aEpaphras, who is one of you, a slave of Christ Jesus, greets you, always bstruggling on your behalf in his prayers that you may 1stand 2cmature and dfully assured in all the 3ewill of God.
Col 4:13 - For I testify of him that he labors much for you and for those in aLaodicea and for those in Hierapolis.
Col 4:14 - aLuke, the beloved physician, greets you, as well as bDemas.
Col 4:15 - Greet the brothers in aLaodicea, as well as Nymphas and the 1church, which is in 2his bhouse.
Col 4:16 - And when this letter is aread among you, cause that it be read in the church of the bLaodiceans also, and that you also read the one from Laodicea.
Col 4:17 - And say to aArchippus, Take heed to the bministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it.
B.  The apostle's greeting — v. 18
Col 4:18 - The greeting in amy own hand—Paul. bRemember my cbonds. dGrace be with you.
Book of Colossians
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