What does Colossians 4:3 mean?
In addition to praying for themselves, Paul asks the Colossian Christians to pray for him and those with him. Paul was honest about his need for prayer, especially since he was bound under house arrest at the time. It's interesting to note that Paul does not specifically ask the Christians of Colossae to pray for his freedom. Instead, he asks them to petition God for opportunities to share the gospel. Paul also spoke of a "doors" opened for his preaching ministry in both 1 Corinthians 16:9 and 2 Corinthians 2:12. The "mystery" he speaks of is the same as mentioned in Colossians 2:2.Though only under house arrest in this particular imprisonment, Paul had no ability to leave or travel freely. The reason for his captivity was his work for the gospel. Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem by those who opposed him and would remain incarcerated until appealing to Caesar, in order to avoid an assassination attempt. At the time of his writing, he was awaiting trial in Rome.