v.1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother.
v.2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace means the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life
Peace means prosperity
The Progress of the Gospel
v.3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
v.4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.
v.5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.
Hope means to anticipate, expectation or confidence
v.6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
Knew means to know upon some mark, recognize, to become full acquainted with, to acknowledge
v.7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
v.8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
v.9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
v.9 Desire means to pray for
(cf. Matthew 6:8, 7:7-8, 11, 18:19, James 1:5-6, Isaiah 7:11-12)
v.9 Knowledge means recognition, full discernment, acknowledgment
(cf. Romans 1:28, 10:2, Ephesians 1:17, 4:13, Colossians 2:12, 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Timothy 2:25, 3:7, Titus 1:1, Hebrews 10:26 and 2 Peter 1:2-3)
v.9 Will means a determination, choice, special purpose, decree, inclination
v.9 Wisdom means the ability to regulate one’s relationship with God
(cf. Luke 2:40, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2:6-7, 12:8, Ephesians 1:17, James 1:5, 3:13, 15, 17 and 2 Peter 3:15)
v.9 Spiritual means non-carnal, ethereal, a spirit, supernatural, regenerate, religious
(cf. Romans 1:11, 7:14, 15:27, 1 Corinthians 2:13, 9:11, 12:1, 14:1, Ephesians 1:3, 5:19 and Colossians 3:16)
v.9 Understanding means a mental putting together, intelligence or the intellect
(cf. Luke 2:47, 1 Corinthians 1:19, Ephesians 3:4, Colossians 2:2 and 2 Timothy 2:7)
v.10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
v.10 Pleasing means complaisance (willing to please)
v.11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
v.11 Strengthened means to enable, grow strong morally
(cf. Ephesians 3:16)
v.11 Might means force, miraculous power, ability, abundance
v.11 Glorious means glory as very apparent, of the divine perfections as manifested in the power of God
(cf. John 11:4, Romans 6:4, 9:23, Ephesians 1:12, 14, 18, 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:3)
v.11 Power means vigour, dominion, might, strength
(cf. Acts 19:20 and Ephesians 1:19, 6:10)
v.11 Patience means cheerful or hopeful endurance
(cf. Luke 8:15, 21:19, Romans 2:7, 8:25, 2 Corinthians 1:6, 6:4, 12:12, 1 Thess. 1:3, 2 Thess. 1:4, 3:5, Hebrews 10:36, 12:1, James 1:3-4, 5:11, 2 Peter 1:6, Revelation 1:9, 2:2-3, 19, 3:10, 13:10, 14:12)
v.11 Longsuffering means bearing trouble patiently for a long time
(cf. 2 Corinthians 6:6, Ephesians 4:2, Colossians 3:12, 1 Timothy 1:16, 2 Timothy 3:10, 4:2, Hebrews 6:12 and James 5:10)
v.12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
v.12 Giving thanks means to express gratitude
(cf. Luke 18:11, John 11:41, Acts 28:15, Romans 7:25, 1 Corinthians 1:14, 14:18, 2 Corinthians 1:11, Ephesians 1:16, 5:13, Colossians 3:17, 1 Thess. 2:13, 5:18, Phm. 4 and Revelation 11:17)
v.12 Meet means to enable, qualify
v.12 Partakers means a portion, province, share or participation
v.12 Inheritance means heritage
(cf. Acts 26:18 and 1 Peter 5:3)
v.12 Light means to shine or make manifest
v.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
v.13 Delivered means rescue
(cf. Matthew 6:13, 27:43, Luke 1:74, 11:4, Romans 7:24, 11:26, 15:31, 2 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Thess. 1:10, 2 Thess. 3:2, 2 Timothy 3:11, 4:17-18, and 2 Peter 2:7, 9)
v.13 Power means ability, privilege, force, capacity, competency, freedom, mastery, delegated influence, authority, jurisdiction, liberty, right, strength
(cf. Luke 20:20, 22:53, Acts 26:18 and Revelation 12:10)
v.13 Darkness means wicked people under the devil’s influence
(cf. Ephesians 5:8 & 6:12)
v.13 Translated means to transfer, carry away, depose or exchange, seduce, put out, remove, turn away
v.13 Kingdom means royalty, rule or realm
(cf. Matthew 5:3, 10, 20 7:21, 18:3 and 1 Thess. 2:12)
v.13 Dear means love, affection, benevolence, a love-feast
v.13 Son means of the nature of God
(cf. Matthew 3:17, 11:27, 17:5, 28:19, Mark 13:32, Luke 10:22, John 1:18, 3:16-18, 5:26, 10:36, 17:1, Acts 13:33, Romans 1:3-4, 9, 5:10, 8:3, 29, 32, 1 Corinthians 1:9, 15:28, 2 Corinthians 1:19, Galatians 1:16, 2:20, Ephesians 4:13, 1 Thess. 1:10, Hebrews 1:2, 5, 3:6, 5:5, 6:6, 2 Peter 1:17, 1 John 1:3, 7, 2:22, 4:14, 5:5, 2 John 3, 9 and Revelation 2:18)
v.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
v.14 Redemption means ransom in full, riddance, Christian salvation
(cf. Romans 3:24, 1 Cor. 1:30, Eph. 1:7, 14 & Hebrews 9:15)
v.14 Blood means the atoning blood of Christ
v.14 Forgiveness means freedom, pardon, liberty, remission
(cf. Mark 1:4, 3:29, Luke 1:77, 3:3, 4:18, 24:47, Acts 2:38, 5:31, 10:43, 13:38, 26:18, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:22, 10:18, Lev. 25:11, Deut. 15:3, Esther 2:18 and Isaiah 61:1)
The Preeminence of Christ
v.15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
“image” means likeness, representation and resemblance
(cf. 1 Cor. 11:7, 2 Cor. 4:4 and Hebrews 10:1)
v.16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
v.17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
“consist” means to set together, to introduce, to exhibit, to stand near, to constitute, approve, commend
v.18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
“body” means an organized whole made up of parts and members
(cf. Romans 12:5, 1 Cor. 10:17, 12:13 & 27, Eph. 1:23, 2:16, 4:4, 12, 16, 5:23, 30 and Col. 2:19 & 3:15)
“church” means called out, congregation, assembly
“beginning” means a commencement, chief (order, time, place or rank)
“preeminence” means to be first (in rank or influence)
v.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.
“pleased” means to think well of, approve (an act), to approbate (a person or thing)
(of God)- Luke 12:32, 1 Cor. 1:21 and Gal. 1:15
“fulness” means repletion or completion, what fills (as contents, supplement, copiousness, multitude), or (object) what is filled (as container, performance, period)
(cf. John 1:16, Romans 11:12 & 25, 15:29, 1 Cor. 10:26 & 28, Gal. 4:4, Eph. 1:10 & 23, 3:19, 4:13 and Col. 2:9)
“dwell” means to house permanently, reside. Fulness of the Trinity in Christ.
v.20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
“peace” means to be a peace-maker, to harmonize, reconciliation
(cf. Proverbs 10:10)
“cross” means the atonement of Christ
(cf. Matt. 27:40, 42, Mark 15:30, 32, John 19:19, 25, 31, Phil. 2:8 and Col. 2:14)
“reconcile” means to make friendly again, to settle (a quarrel, etc.)
“earth” means the universe
v.21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
“alienated” means to estrange, to be a stranger
(cf. Ephesians 2:12 & 4:18)
“enemies” means hateful (passive odious, active, hostile), an adversary
“mind” means deep thought, its exercise, imagination, understanding
(cf. Ephesians 2:3)
“wicked” means hurtful, evil (properly in effect or influence, which refers to essential character and degeneracy from original virtue
(cf. John 3:19, 7:7, 2 Timothy 4:18, 1 John 3:12, 2 John 11)
“works (cf. Romans 13:12, Gal. 5:19, Hebrews 6:1, 2 Peter 2:8 and Jude 15)
v.22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight:
“body” means a living body
(cf. Matt. 5:29-30, 6:25, 26:12, Mark 5:29 14:8, Luke 12:22-23, Hebrews 10:5 & 1 Peter 2:24)
“death” means the extinction of life
(cf. Romans 5:10, 1 Cor. 11:26, Phil. 2:8, Hebrews 2:9, 14 & 9:15)
“present” means to stand beside, to exhibit, proffer, recommend
(cf. Luke 2:22, Romans 12:1, 2 Cor. 4:14, 11:2 Ephesians 5:27 and Colossians 1:28)
“”unblameable” means unblemished, without blame (blemish, fault, spot)
(cf. Ephesians 1:4, 5:27, Hebrews 9:14, Jude 24 and Revelation 14:5)
“unreproveable” means unaccused, irreproachable
(cf. 1 Cor. 1:8, 1 Timothy 3:10 and Titus 1:6-7)
v.23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
“grounded” means to lay a basis for, erect, consolidate, lay the foundation
(cf. Ephesians 3:17)
“settled” means sedentary, immovable, steadfast
“hope” means to anticipate with pleasure, expectation
(cf. Ephesians 1:18 and 1 Thess. 1:3)
Exhortation to Stedfastness
v.24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
“sufferings” means something undergone, hardship or pain, an emotion or influence
(cf. Romans 8:18, 2 Cor. 1:5-7, Phil. 3:10, 2 Timothy 3:11, Hebrews 2:10, 10:32, 1 Peter 1:11, 4:13, 5:1 & 9)
“behind” means a deficit, poverty, that which was lacking
“afflictions” means pressure, anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble
(cf. Acts 7:10, 20:23, 2 Cor. 6:4, 1 Thess. 3:3, Hebrews 10:33)
“body’s” means the Christian church
(cf. Romans 12:5, 1 Cor. 10:17, 12:13, 27, Eph. 1:23, 2:16, 4:4, 12, 16, 5:23, 30, Col. 1:18, 2:19, 3:15)
v.25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
“minister” means an attendant, a waiter (at table or in other menial duties), a Christian teacher and pastor (technically a deacon or deaconess)
(cf. Matt. 20:26, Mark 10:43, Romans 13:4, 15:8, Galatians 2:17, Ephesians 3:7, 6:21, Colossians 1:7, 4:7, 1 Thess. 3:2 and 1 Timothy 4:6)
“dispensation” means administration (a household or estate), a religious economy, of the apostolic office
(cf. 1 Cor. 9:17, Eph. 1:10, 3:2)
“fulfil” means to make replete, to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), accomplish, complete
of a business or work- Luke 7:1, 9:31, Acts 13:25, 14:26, Romans 15:19 and Revelation 6:11
v.26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
“mystery” means a secret (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites)
“ages” means an indefinately long period
(cf. Ephesians 3:9)
“generations” means an age, a less definite period, time
(cf. Luke 1:50, Rev. 1:6, Acts 14:16, 15:21, Eph. 3:5, 21, Gen. 9:12, Psalms 72:5, Prov. 27:24, Isaiah 34:17 and Joel 3:20)
“manifest” means to render apparent
(cf. Mark 4:22, John 2:11, 3:21, 9:3, 17:6, Romans 1:19, 3:21, 16:26, 1 Cor. 4:5, 2 Cor. 2:14, 4:10-11, 7:12, Eph. 5:13, Col. 4:4, 2 Timothy 1:10, Hebrews 9:8 and 1 John 3:2)
v.27 To whom God make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
v.28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
v.29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.