Colossians 1:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

NIV: so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

NASB: so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

CSB: so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God,

NLT: Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

KJV: That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

NKJV: that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

In verse 9, Paul began a prayer for the Colossian Christians. Here, he states why he prays for their knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. Four reasons are given. First, Paul's desire is for their actions to match their beliefs. This is a trait which the false teachers plaguing Colossae did not display.

Second, Paul wants these believers to be "fully pleasing" to the Lord. Pleasing God includes believing in Him and living a life that follows His teachings.

Third, Paul wants these believers to be effective, productive, and godly in their spiritual growth. The idea of bearing fruit implies maturity. Paul longed for all of his fellow believers to grow in maturity as part of their Christian walk (Ephesians 4:11–13).

Fourth, Paul wants the Colossians to continue to learn more about their faith and the God they serve. This knowledge of God, as mentioned here, is slightly different from "the knowledge of [God's] will," referred to in verse 9. Knowledge of God involves learning the truth of the gospel and of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Growing in God's will is more general, including learning how to practically apply our knowledge. This knowledge also includes God's specific desires for our individual lives. Paul emphasizes the importance of both general knowledge, and knowledge of God's will in the life of a believer. He means to show that these two areas of knowledge are clearly connected.

Colossians 1:9–14 is a prayer on behalf of the Colossian Christians. Paul prays for their continued spiritual growth, including knowledge of God, knowledge of His will, and wisdom. Paul also prays for their strength and endurance. In so praying, Paul reminds the believers of Colossae that salvation is entirely the work of God, who drastically changed their fate by rescuing them from sin.

In chapter 1, Paul introduces himself, along with his co-author Timothy. As he often does, Paul gives thanks for what he hears about the faith of the believers in Colossae. Paul includes a prayer for their growth and spiritual strength. The letter then transitions to praise of Jesus, describing Him as absolutely supreme. All created things were made through, by, and for Him. And, since it was His sacrifice which saved us from sin, we can have confidence in our eternal destiny.

Colossians chapter 1 is mostly focused on describing Christ as supreme. Jesus is not only the God of creation, He is the ultimate authority over all created things. The penalty for sin has been completely removed because of His perfect sacrifice. These are foundational ideas which Paul will use to set up his later points. In chapters 2, 3, and 4, Paul will explain why contrary claims are untrue, and show the right way for Christians to live out what we believe about Jesus.

The book of Colossians describes Christ as superior to all other teachers, faiths, and philosophies. In this letter, written from prison, Paul once again tackles false teachings. Among these errors are claims that Christians need to give up all physical enjoyments, that they should worship angels, and that they need to rely on the wisdom of an elite few. These problems are consistent with an ancient heresy known as Gnosticism. In response, Paul explains that Christ is supreme, and sufficient for our salvation.