Overview The
letter to the Colossians was penned by Paul A.D. 62 while he was imprisoned in Rome(Acts 28:16-30; Acts 25:12; Colossians 4:3, 4:10, 4:18),
but the letter to the Colossians itself indicates that Paul was not the first person to share the gospel message in Colosse.
Five years earlier Paul had personally proclaimed the gospel he received in Ephesis, which is one hundread
miles west of Colosse. (Also consider Acts 19:10). Rather, the gospel was first proclaimed in Colosse by " . . . Ephapras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf."
(Apostle Paul, Col 1:7). Ephapras later visited Paul while he was under house arrest in Rome AD 62. In responce to news he personally received from Ephapras, Paul
wrote the epistle to the Colossians. It is noteworthy that Paul instructed that the letter was also to be read by the Laodicean
church (Col. 4:16). Paul wrote the letter to address heretical ideas which arose among the believers based upon his staements made
in opposition to the false teachings such as the need to observe Old Testament laws and ceremonies (Col. 2:14, 20-23); an emphasis on
“deeper knowledge” only attainable to an elite few (Col. 2:8-10, 18); the worship of angels (Col. 2:18) and; an apparent denial of the
deity of Christ (Col. 1:15-17). In due course, Paul clearly defines the gospel stating, "But now he has reconcilled you by Christ's physical body through death
to present you holy in his sight, without blemish . . . This is the gospel you heard and that has been proclaimed . . . and of
which I, Paul, have become a servant"(Colossians 1:13-23). Click here,
or select the links included on this page below for more details about the gospel and this letter.
Textual History The oldest manuscript of this letter predates the Council of Nicea,
is dated 200 CE, and is kept at the University of Michigan and Chestery Beatty Library
in Dublin, Ireland. The first letter to the Corinthians is included among other epistles contained in the
ancient papyrus, and is located on pages 176-84 of P46. Also, Colossians is included in
the
Muratorian fragment dated 180 AD, which is a list of the writings that were in wide-spead acceptance
throughout the ancient churches predating the P46 manuscript. It is noteworthy that both the P46 papyrus and the Muratorian Fragment
predates the Council of Nicea (325 AD), Carthage ( AD) and the
canonization of the New Testament.
Because the writings of the apostles were widely circulated and copied immediately after they were written, it would have
been impossible for any one person or group of persons to collect and then make identical changes to all existing copies of these epistles. For
such reasons as apostolic approval, wide-spread circulation and acceptance among the churches, Colossians was included in the New Testament canon.
The links below will direct you to these sites, and images of this
manuscript. I have also included the English Greek intilenear for Colossians, and concordance. These
resources will show that modern English translations of this letter are subtantially the
same, and has remained in tact. Combined with preserved writings of the early church leaders
citing passages that concurr with the same passages found in modern translations of the Holy Bible, we can have confidence in
its itegrity. We should also seriously heed the message of this letter
where the Apostle Paul emphasizes the need to perservere in the gospel by grace through faith
stating , ". . . if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out
in the gospel" (Colossians 1:21-23). Click here for more.
