The Letter to the Colossians

The Letter to the Colossians is a New Testament epistle written by the Apostle Paul, likely while in prison, to the Christians in Colossae.

This letter is addressed to a congregation at Colossae in the Lycus Valley in Asia Minor, east of Ephesus. At the time of writing, Paul had not visited there, the letter says (Col 1:4; Col 2:1). The community had apparently been established by Epaphras of Colossae (Col 1:7; Col 4:12; Phlm 1:23). Problems, however, had arisen, brought on by teachers who emphasized Christ’s relation to the universe (cosmos). Their teachings stressed angels (Col 2:18; “principalities and powers,” Col 2:15), which were connected with astral powers and cultic practices (see note on Col 2:16) and rules about food an…