24–2:5. St Paul’s appeal based on (Colossians 1:24-29) his own joy in enduring suffering in order to make known the secret of Christ’s presence in their heart, and (Colossians 2:1-5) his personal interest in them

24–29. For myself I rejoice in sufferings endured in order to carry out the work given me of making known the secret that Christ dwells in the heart of you Gentiles, and of finally presenting each before God perfect in Christ. I toil and Christ makes His work in me effective.

(Colossians 1:24) Whatever I once was I now rejoice (cf. Colossians 1:11) in my sufferings on behalf of you, while I am always filling up (on my side answering to His) what remain over of Christ’s afflictions (part of which He bore on earth, part of which His followers must bear now) in my flesh on behalf of His whole body, the Church, (Colossians 1:25) Of His Church I became a minister according to the conditions of the office in God’s household given me at my conversion, to be employed in the direction of His people and specifically of you, and thus accomplish the message given me by God, (Colossians 1:26) the secret hidden for so many ages—but now it was suddenly made manifest to His consecrated believers—(Colossians 1:27) for it was to them that God freely chose to make known what the surpassing character of the abundance of the moral glory seen in this secret is among the Gentiles—the secret that Christ is in you Colossians, Christ whom you hope to possess still more fully in glory, (Colossians 1:28) It is He whom we (Paul, Timothy, Epaphras, unlike the false teachers) are proclaiming widely, both by warning and by teaching each person whom we meet, using wisdom. as each case requires, that we may present before God’s judgmentseat each person fully developed in Christ, (Colossians 1:29) with a view to which object I (not only preach but) also toil, contending according to the measure of (nothing less than) Christ’s working, which is being carried out into action in me not in thought or word only, but in manifested power.

Continues after advertising
Continues after advertising

Old Testament