Colossians 1:4
“Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The cause of Paul's thanksgiving is the report of the Colossians' faith in Christ and their love toward all the saints.
What Does Colossians 1:4 Mean?
Paul names what he heard: faith and love. These two often travel together in his letters, the inner trust in Christ and the outward care for fellow believers that proves it real.
Faith here is fixed on a person, Christ Jesus, not on a system of ideas; and its companion is love that reaches all the saints, not a favored few. The pairing is instructive. A faith that never warms into love for others has not gone far, and a love unanchored in Christ soon loses its bearings. Paul rejoices that in Colosse the two are knit together. This is the living evidence that the gospel had truly taken root among them -- not impressive talk, but trust in Christ overflowing into genuine affection for God's people.