Study Desk

All of us who are spiritually mature should think this way, too. And if there are things you do not agree with, God will make them clear to you.

Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks.

Do what you learned and received from me, what I told you, and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you.

And now I have everything, and more. I have all I need, because Epaphroditus brought your gift to me. It is like a sweet-smelling sacrifice offered to God, who accepts that sacrifice and is pleased with it.

My God will use his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need.

Glory to our God and Father forever and ever! Amen.

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am an apostle because that is what God wanted. Also from Timothy, our brother.

To the holy and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ that live in Colossae: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

that was told to you. Everywhere in the world that Good News is bringing blessings and is growing. This has happened with you, too, since you heard the Good News and understood the truth about the grace of God.

Because of this, since the day we heard about you, we have continued praying for you, asking God that you will know fully what he wants. We pray that you will also have great wisdom and understanding in spiritual things

so that you will live the kind of life that honors and pleases the Lord in every way. You will produce fruit in every good work and grow in the knowledge of God.

God will strengthen you with his own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient.

God has freed us from the power of darkness, and he brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

No one can see God, but Jesus Christ is exactly like him. He ranks higher than everything that has been made.

God was pleased for all of himself to live in Christ.

And through Christ, God has brought all things back to himself again—things on earth and things in heaven. God made peace through the blood of Christ's death on the cross.

At one time you were separated from God. You were his enemies in your minds, and the evil things you did were against God.

But now God has made you his friends again. He did this through Christ's death in the body so that he might bring you into God's presence as people who are holy, with no wrong, and with nothing of which God can judge you guilty.

I became a servant of the church because God gave me a special work to do that helps you, and that work is to tell fully the message of God.