Click here to

Colossians

[Note: This is a working draft of the outline.]

I. Greeting (1:1-2)

II. Thanksgiving: Faith, hope, and love of the community (1:3-8)

III. Prayer for the well-being of the community (1:9-14)

IV. The exalted Christ as source of our salvation (1:15-2:23)

A. Hymn to Christ as image of God and Savior (1:15-20)

B. Apostle’s ministry reveals God’s salvation(1:21-2:7)

C. Against those who preach a false salvation based on "angelic worship" (2:8-23)

V. Living the Christian life (3:1-4:6)

A. Holiness manifests the "new creation" which Christians have become in baptism (3:1-17)

B. Ethical instruction: wives and husbands, children and fathers, slaves and masters (3:18-4:1)

C. Continue in prayer and wise conduct toward outsiders (4:2-6)

VI. Concluding greetings (4:7-18)

A. Tychicus and Onesimus will report on what has happened to Paul (4:7-9)

B. Greetings from associates of Paul (4:10-14)

C. Greetings to those at Laodicea and instructions for an exchange of letters between churches (4:15-18)

Biblical Books

Colossians