Colossians 4:12

12 Epaphras, a servant of Christ Jesus from your city, greets you. He always prays intensely for you. He prays that you will continue to be mature and completely convinced of everything that God wants.

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, who is a prisoner like me, sends greetings. So does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You have received instructions about Mark. If he comes to you, welcome him.
11 Jesus, called Justus, also greets you. They are the only converts from the Jewish religion who are working with me for God's kingdom. They have provided me with comfort.
12 Epaphras, a servant of Christ Jesus from your city, greets you. He always prays intensely for you. He prays that you will continue to be mature and completely convinced of everything that God wants.
13 I assure you that he works hard for you and the people in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 My dear friend Luke, the physician, and Demas greet you.
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