Colossians 1:3

CONTEXT-   Prayer of Thanksgiving for Your Affairs

Colossians 1:3-8 

3 We give thanks continually to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying for you 4 (having heard of your believing which is in Christ Jesus and your love to all those who are set apart), 5 because of the Hope which is stored in heaven for you. You previously heard about this Hope in the true Word, the good news, 6 which has been preached to you, even as it is preached in all the world. So it produces fruit and growth [in all the world], even as it has in you from the day you first heard and fully knew [with precise knowledge] God’s grace in all its truth. 7 You learned this [truth] from Epaphras our beloved fellow slave, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf. 8 He has related your spiritual love for us.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Structure of Colossians

A - SALUTATION - Col. 1:1 and 2
       B - PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING FOR YOUR AFFAIRS - Col. 1:3-8
                C - PRAYER TO BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL - Col. 1:9-23
                       D - LABOR FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE MYSTERY - Col. 1:24-29
                                E - CONFLICT OVER THE DOCTRINE - Col. 2:1-23
                                E - RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT - Col. 3:1-17
                       D - LABOR FOR THE PRACTICE OF THE MYSTERY - Col. 3:18-4:1
               C - PRAYER FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL TO BE MADE KNOWN - Col. 4:2-6
        B - ACTION FOR YOUR (AFFAIRS OR) BENEFIT - Col. 4:7-17
A - SALUTATION - Col. 4:18

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------