1
Greeting
1Paul, #Eph. 1:1an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2To the saints #1 Cor. 4:17and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse:
#Gal. 1:3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Their Faith in Christ
3#1 Cor. 1:4; Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4#Eph. 1:15since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of #(Heb. 6:10)your love for all the saints; 5because of the hope #(1 Pet. 1:4)which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6which has come to you, #Matt. 24:14as it has also in all the world, and #John 15:16is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew #Eph. 3:2the grace of God in truth; 7as you also learned from #Col. 4:12; Philem. 23Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is #1 Cor. 4:1, 2; 2 Cor. 11:23a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8who also declared to us your #Rom. 15:30love in the Spirit.
Preeminence of Christ
9#Eph. 1:15–17For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask #1 Cor. 1:5that you may be filled with #(Rom. 12:2); Eph. 5:17the knowledge of His will #Eph. 1:8in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10#Eph. 4:1; Phil. 1:27; 1 Thess. 2:12that you may walk worthy of the Lord, #1 Thess. 4:1fully pleasing Him, #Heb. 13:21being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the #2 Pet. 3:18knowledge of God; 11#(Eph. 3:16; 6:10)strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, #Eph. 4:2for all patience and longsuffering #(Acts 5:41); 2 Cor. 8:2; (Heb. 10:34)with joy; 12#(Eph. 5:20)giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of #Eph. 1:11the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has delivered us from #Eph. 6:12the power of darkness #2 Pet. 1:11and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14#Eph. 1:7in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
15He is #2 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3the image of the invisible God, #Ps. 89:27; Rev. 3:14the firstborn over all creation. 16For #John 1:3; Heb. 1:2, 3by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or #(Eph. 1:20, 21; Col. 2:15)dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created #John 1:3; Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 8:6; Heb. 2:10through Him and for Him. 17#(John 17:5)And He is before all things, and in Him #Heb. 1:3all things consist. 18And #1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 1:22He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, #Rev. 1:5the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Reconciled in Christ
19For it pleased the Father that #John 1:16in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20and #Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14by Him to reconcile #2 Cor. 5:18all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, #Eph. 1:10having made peace through the blood of His cross.
21And you, #(Eph. 2:1)who once were alienated and enemies in your mind #Titus 1:15by wicked works, yet now He has #2 Cor. 5:18, 19reconciled 22#2 Cor. 5:18; (Eph. 2:14–16)in the body of His flesh through death, #(Eph. 5:27); Col. 1:28to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23if indeed you continue #Eph. 3:17; Col. 2:7in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are #(John 15:6); 1 Cor. 15:58not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, #Mark 16:15; Acts 2:5; Rom. 10:18; Col. 1:6which was preached to every creature under heaven, #Acts 1:17; Eph. 3:7; Col. 1:25of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Sacrificial Service for Christ
24#2 Cor. 7:4I now rejoice in my sufferings #Eph. 3:1, 13for you, and fill up in my flesh #(Rom. 8:17; 2 Cor. 1:5; 12:15); Phil. 2:17what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for #Eph. 1:23the sake of His body, which is the church, 25of which I became a minister according to #Gal. 2:7the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26#(1 Cor. 2:7)the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, #(2 Tim. 1:10)but now has been revealed to His saints. 27#2 Cor. 2:14To them God willed to make known what are #Rom. 9:23the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is #(Rom. 8:10, 11)Christ in you, #1 Tim. 1:1the hope of glory. 28Him we preach, #Acts 20:20warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, #Eph. 5:27that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me #Eph. 3:7mightily.
