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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Col_1:9-14
9For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so 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; 11strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 13For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Col_1:9-20 This is one sentence in Greek. Col_1:9-12 is Paul's prayer for these believers. Col_1:13-14 describes what the Father has done for believers through the Son. Col_1:15-18 are possibly a quote from an early Christian hymn or confessional statement related to the ministry of the Son (i.e., other possible hymns, cf. Php_2:6-11, 1Ti_3:16, 2Ti_2:11-12). This is one of the greatest Christological confession in Paul's writings (compare with Php_2:6-11).
Col_1:9 "heard of it" Paul did not start this church, nor did he know its members personally. He heard about their faith and love from its founder, Epaphras (cf. Col_1:7-8).
▣ "we have not ceased to pray for you" The plural refers to (1) Paul himself (i.e., editorial plural) or (2) Paul and his mission team. Leaders should constantly hold up their flocks to the Lord. See Special Topic: Intercessory Prayer at Col_4:3.
▣ "that you may be filled" This is an aorist passive subjunctive. Believers cannot fill themselves, but they must allow and co-operate with the Spirit (cf. Eph_5:18).
"Filled" is the main verb of Col_1:9-12. It is the first of two requests that Paul made of the Father on behalf of the Colossian believers. The other is for their walk to be worthy (Col_1:10). Notice he links knowledge of God with a godly lifestyle (cf. Eph_4:1; Eph_4:17; Eph_5:2; Eph_5:15). Faith without works is dead (cf. Jas_2:14-26).
▣ "knowledge of His will" The content of this knowledge (epignôskô, i.e., experiential knowledge, cf. v.6) is the gospel. The gospel is (1) a body of truth to be believed; (2) a person to be received; and (3) a life like that person's to live. God's will is that individuals personally respond to Christ (cf. Joh_6:29; Joh_6:40) who is the goal of all "spiritual wisdom and understanding."
This verse is a play on the theology of the false teachers. This is confirmed by (1) Paul's use of "filled" (plerôma), one of the Gnostics' favorite terms for the aeons between the high god and angelic levels and (2) their emphasis on secret knowledge (cf. Col_2:3). For Paul, all fullness and knowledge was in Christ, who was God's wisdom (sophia, cf. Col_1:28; Col_2:3; Col_2:23; Col_3:16; Col_4:5; Eph_1:8; Eph_1:17; Eph_3:10) and the convergence of all truth (sunesis, cf. Col_2:2).
Notice the threefold repetition: "knowledge," "wisdom," and "understanding." This reflects the false teachers' emphasis on secret truth (cf. Col_2:3). Christ is the truth of God (cf. Joh_14:6)!
Col_1:10 "walk in a manner worthy" This is an aorist active infinitive. It is defined by four present participles (cf. Col_1:10-12) which describes the worthy walk (cf. Col_2:6; Col_3:7; Col_4:5; Eph_2:10; Eph_4:1; Eph_4:17; Eph_5:2; Eph_5:15; 1Th_2:12; 1Th_4:1). God's will is that His children reflect His character daily.
▣ " bearing fruit in every good work" For "fruit bearing" see note at Col_1:6. This is the first of four present participles (cf. Col_1:10-12) which describe worthy lives.
God's will is that believers live godly lives. The moral transformation of believers is evidence that the image of God has been restored! It serves as a bridge to evangelism. It reflects the believer's new family characteristics and shows who our true father is - God.
Biblical salvation is a free gift, which must result in a new and different life (cf. Eph_2:8-10).
▣ "increasing in the knowledge of God" This is the second present participle. This is a strong compound term for experiential knowledge (epignôskô, cf. Col_1:9-10; Col_3:10; Eph_1:17; Eph_4:13). Believers are to continue to grasp the meaning of the gospel and continue to live out its implications.
Col_1:11 "strengthened with all power" This is the third present participle meaning "with all power being empowered." Like salvation, the Christian life is a supernatural gift, not unaided, strenuous human effort or commitment (cf. Gal_3:1-3). Believers must yield to the Spirit to produce effective, godly lives (cf. Eph_5:18). This term is always used of supernatural strength (cf. Eph_1:19; Php_4:13).
▣ "according to His glorious might" This phrase describes how believers are to be "strengthened with all power." They must yield to God's Spirit, and the energy, power and glory are His!
▣ "steadfastness and patience" One wonders if these were used synonymously. They had slightly different foci. Steadfastness (hupomonç) meant patient endurance and perseverance, while patience (makrothumia) meant patient endurance of evil or suffering. They were both frequent admonitions from Paul (cf. 2Co_6:4; 2Co_6:6; 2Ti_3:10). Believers are only capable of them in God's power. These terms were often used to describe how God treats fallen mankind (cf. Rom_2:4; Rom_9:22; 1Co_6:6) and how redeemed mankind should therefore treat one another (cf. Gal_5:22-23; Eph_4:2; Col_3:12).
▣ "joyously" This can relate grammatically to Col_1:11 ( NKJV) or Col_1:12 (NASB, NRSV, TEV, NJB).
Col_1:12 "giving thanks" This is the last of the four present participles of Col_1:10-12 which describe the worthy walk as constant thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a characteristic of the Spirit-filled life (cf. Col_3:17; Eph_5:20; 1Th_5:18).
▣ "to the Father" Christians need to be constantly reminded that the NT focus on the ministry of the Son should not diminish their praise of God the Father. He is the One whose character and grace are exhibited in Jesus. He was the sender and sustainer of the Son (cf. Eph_1:3-23).
There are several Greek manuscript variations of this phrase. However, this reading is supported by the ancient Greek manuscripts P61, A, C, D, K, and P as well as the Latin Vulgate translation. The UBS4 gives it a "B" rating (almost certain). These variations, as is so often true, do not affect the sense, truth or trustworthiness of the text. Early scribes tried to make the texts they copied clearer. See Appendix Two.
NASB, NKJV "qualified"
NRSV "enabled"
TEV "has made you fit"
NJB "has made you able"
This term is used only here and in 2Co_3:5-6 (the adjective is used in 2Co_2:16; 2Co_3:5 and 2Ti_2:2). God has qualified us (1) by declaring us to be righteous in Christ (justification and positional sanctification) and (2) by developing Christlikeness in us (progressive sanctification). See Special Topic: Sanctification at Eph_1:1.
▣ "us" The ancient Greek texts are equally divided between "us" (NASB, NKJV) and "you" (NRSV, TEV, NJB). The UBS4 gives "you" a "B" rating (almost certain). The "you" may have been written here by a copyist to match Col_1:13.
▣ "to share in the inheritance" Inheritance is literally the term "lot." In the OT God promised Abraham a land and a seed (cf. Gen_12:12). The OT focuses on the land; the NT focuses on the seed. In the OT, the land of Palestine was given as a tribal inheritance to all the children of Jacob (cf. Joshua 12-19) except the Levites because they served God in a unique role (cf. Num_4:45). God Himself was said to be their inheritance (cf. Num_18:24). In a sense all the OT people of God were priests (Exo_19:4-6). They were a kingdom of priests to bring the whole world to God. The NT people of God are spoken of in OT terms as priests (1Pe_2:5; 1Pe_2:9; Rev_1:6). As the Levites had God as their inheritance, so now do all the NT believers (cf. Act_20:32; Rom_8:17; Gal_4:7).
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▣ "of the saints" See Special Topic at Col_1:2.
▣ "in light" This was either (1) an ethical statement (cf. Joh_3:19) or (2) a statement about Christlikeness in opposition to the demonic (cf. Eph_6:12; Act_26:18).
Col_1:13-14 These verses function as a transition to the wonderful Christological creed of Col_1:15-20. It describes what God the Father has done for the believers through the Son.
Col_1:13 "He delivered us" The pronoun refers to the Father. This aorist middle (deponent) indicative is used in the sense of rescued (NRSV, TEV, NJB).
▣ "from the dominion of darkness" Literally this is "authority (exousia) of darkness" (cf. Col_1:12; Luk_22:53). NJB has "ruling force of darkness." Light and darkness were often used in Judaism and the Dead Sea Scrolls to represent the two spiritual realms of good and evil (cf. Joh_3:19-21). Paul uses this term several times in Col. (cf. Col_1:13; Col_1:16; Col_2:10; Col_2:15).
▣ "transferred" This is literally "resettled" or "relocated." Both of the verbs in this verse are aorist. These are things God has already accomplished for believers.
▣ "kingdom" Jesus used this concept as a present reality with a future consummation. The context emphasized what believers already possess in Christ (cf. Eph_2:5-6)! See Special Topic: The Kingdom of God at Eph_5:5.
Paul did not use Jesus' exact phrase "the Kingdom of God" often, possibly because the Gentiles would not have understood this Jewish concept.
▣ "of His beloved Son" God the Father gave this title to Jesus at His baptism and transfiguration (cf. Mat_3:17; Mat_17:5). Jesus is the unique Son (monogençs, cf. Joh_1:18; Joh_3:16; Joh_3:18; 1Jn_4:9). Believers are sons through Him.
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Col_1:14 "in whom we have" This is a present active indicative. In Christ believers have and continue to have the family blessings of God.
▣ "redemption" This may have been an allusion to the OT terms (paduh, "to free or redeem" and gaal, "to free through the agency of a relative [go'el]). Jesus bought us back from slavery (cf. Isa_53:11-12; Mar_10:45; Eph_1:7). Redemption is a present reality (cf. Eph_1:7) and a future consummation (cf. Eph_4:30).
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▣ "the forgiveness of sins" There were several Greek terms for "forgiveness." This one (aphesis) meant "to send away," which was an allusion to the ritual of the Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16). The scapegoat symbolically carried away the sins of the people.
We learn from Irenaeus' Heresies, 1:21:2 that some Gnostic teachers separated redemption from remission by a time and maturity factor. Paul may have been addressing this falsehood.
The King James Version adds the phrase "through His blood," which later scribes added from the parallel in Eph_1:7.