Thanksgiving and Prayer
Paul says that he and Timothy always thank God when praying for the Colossians because of their faith in Christ Jesus and their love for all the saints, both of which spring from the hope laid up in heaven. That hope came to them in the gospel, which is bearing fruit and growing in all the world just as it has among them since the day they heard and understood God's grace, and Epaphras has reported their Spirit-shaped love.
W3e always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints — 5the faith and love proceeding from the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6that has come to you. 7All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the grace of God. You learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8and who also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
Since hearing of them, Paul says, he has not stopped praying that they would be filled with the knowledge of God's will in spiritual wisdom and understanding so that they may walk worthily of the Lord, bear fruit, grow in knowledge, endure with patience, and give thanks. The Father has qualified them for the inheritance of the saints, rescued them from darkness, transferred them into the kingdom of his beloved Son, and given them redemption and forgiveness in him.
9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.