25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-
25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil
25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,
25 When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God's way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth.
25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,
25 God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power.
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power.
7 This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details.
7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
7 By God's grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.
(Read Ephesians 3:1-7)
For having preached the doctrine of truth, the apostle was a prisoner, but a prisoner of Jesus Christ; the object of special protection and care, while thus suffering for him. All the gracious offers of the gospel, and the joyful tidings it contains, come from the rich grace of God; it is the great means by which the Spirit works grace in the souls of men. The mystery, is that secret, hidden purpose of salvation through Christ. This was not so fully and clearly shown in the ages before Christ, as unto the prophets of the New Testament. This was the great truth made known to the apostle, that God would call the Gentiles to salvation by faith in Christ. An effectual working of Divine power attends the gifts of Divine grace. As God appointed Paul to the office, so he qualified him for it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Colossians 1:25
Commentary on Colossians 1:24-29
(Read Colossians 1:24-29)
Both the sufferings of the Head and of the members are called the sufferings of Christ, and make up, as it were, one body of sufferings. But He suffered for the redemption of the church; we suffer on other accounts; for we do but slightly taste that cup of afflictions of which Christ first drank deeply. A Christian may be said to fill up that which remains of the sufferings of Christ, when he takes up his cross, and after the pattern of Christ, bears patiently the afflictions God allots to him. Let us be thankful that God has made known to us mysteries hidden from ages and generations, and has showed the riches of his glory among us. As Christ is preached among us, let us seriously inquire, whether he dwells and reigns in us; for this alone can warrant our assured hope of his glory. We must be faithful to death, through all trials, that we may receive the crown of life, and obtain the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls.