Colossians 4:12

12 1Epaphras, 2who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always 3laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand 4perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.

Colossians 4:12 Meaning and Commentary

Colossians 4:12

Epaphras, who is one of you
A native of Colosse, and one of their faithful ministers; see ( Colossians 1:7 ) .

A servant of Christ;
not merely in the same sense as every believer is, but as he was a preacher of the Gospel, in which he faithfully served his Lord and master, Christ:

saluteth you;
sends his Christian respects to you, for whom he bore a sincere love and hearty affection, as appears by what follows:

always labouring fervently for you in prayers;
in all his prayers, which were many and frequent, he never forgot his dear flock at Colosse, of which he was pastor, but strove with God for them, even to an agony, as the word signifies; he wrestled with the Lord as Jacob did, nor, as he, would he let him go without a blessing for this church; he was incessant, importunate, and fervent in prayer for them: and what he prayed in particular for them was,

that ye may stand perfect;
in Christ Jesus their head, and in his spotless righteousness; see ( Colossians 1:28 ) ( 2:10 ) and continue believing in him, and looking to him for righteousness and strength, in whom all the fulness, the perfection of grace dwells; and where the saints only are, and can continue to be perfect:

and complete in all the will of God;
or "be filled" in it, have a perfect knowledge of the revealed will of God, both as to doctrine and practice, and be enabled to act according to it.

Colossians 4:12 In-Context

10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas's cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);
11 and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.
12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Colossians 1:7; Philemon 23
  • 2. Colossians 4:9
  • 3. Romans 15:30
  • 4. Colossians 1:28

Footnotes 3

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.