After salutation, Paul thanks God for their faith, 1-6; confirms the doctrine of Epaphras, 7, 8; prays further for their increase in grace, 9-13; describes the true Christ, 14-20; encourages them to receive Jesus Christ, and commends his own ministry, 21-29.
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have to all the saints, 5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you have heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 Which has come to you, as it is in all the world, and brings forth fruit, as it also does in you, since the day you heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth, 7 As you also learned from Epaphras our dear fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ, 8 Who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease praying for you and making request that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, 10 So that you may walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing him in every way, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God, 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, to all endurance and patience with joyfulness, 12 Giving thanks to the Father, who has made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature. 16 For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are upon earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers. All things were created by him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, so that in all things he may have the pre-eminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell in him, 20 And through him to reconcile all things to himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross, whether they are things on earth, or things in heaven.
21 And you, who were formerly alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy, blameless, and unreprovable in his sight, 23 If you continue in the faith grounded and settled and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you have heard and which has been preached to every creature which is under heaven, of which I, Paul, am made a minister.
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church, 25 Of which I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of God, 26 Even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints, 27 To whom God chose to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We preach Him, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, so that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 For this I also labor, striving according to his working which works in me mightily.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Colossians, Chapter 1[➚]
[v.13] - "translated" - Definition: To transfer; to convey from one to another. This is not the same form of translation Enoch experienced (Genesis 5:21-24; Hebrews 11:5). His translation was a complete taking up of his body and soul int Heaven; whereas, this translation is that of a sinner saved by grace and therefore, translated into the kingdom of Heaven from the enslavement of the prince of this world, or Satan, and to sin. See John 8:34-36.
[v.15a] - "He is the image of the invisible God" - Reference, John 14:9; 2 Corinthians 4:4.
[v.15b] - "the first-born of every creature" - Reference, Romans 8:29.
[v.16] - "by" - This can also be read as, "through."
[v.21] - "formerly alienated and enemies" - Reference, Ephesians 2:12.