Colossians 11-2 Salutation
- From Paul, an apostle, and Timothy our brother
- To saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Colossae
- Grace and peace from God our Father.
Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Colossians
- We always thank God for your faith in Christ, your love for the saints and your hope of heaven.
- You heard of this hope in the gospel, which is bearing fruit among you and in the whole world.
- You learned it from Epaphras, beloved servant and faithful minister.
- We pray you'll be filled with wisdom and understanding, so you will please God; that you will be strong in his power, enduring with patience, thankful to the Father for your inheritance.
- He has rescued us from darkness and transferred us into his kingdom.
- Christ is the image of God; firstborn of all creation; the one in whom all things were created; before all things; the one who holds all things together; head of the church; the beginning, and firstborn of the dead.
- In him dwells the fullness of God; through him God reconciled the world to himself by Christ's blood on the cross.
- Through his blood you who were hostile, doing evil deeds, are presented as holy and blameless – if you continue steadfastly in the faith, not leaving the hope given to you through the gospel, which I (Paul) serve. As sinners, there's nothing we could have done on our own to make peace with God again. Only the blood of Christ Christ can atone for our sins. Still, after having received that atonement, we can't say "Thanks" and walk away. We must stay attached to the source of our forgiveness. If we break away – go back to living in filth – he lets us go, but we also break away from his continuous cleansing (1 John 1:7).
- I rejoice in my sufferings for the sake of the body of Christ, which I serve.
- God commissioned me to make known the mystery of ages – that Christ as the hope of the glory of riches, is in the Gentiles.
- My goal – by the power of God – is to present everyone mature in Christ.
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