Colossians 1:21 (DRB)

Passage

And you, whereas you were some time alienated and enemies in mind in evil works:

Nearby Context

Colossians 1:19 Because in him, it hath well pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell:

Colossians 1:20 And through him to reconcile all things unto himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things that are on earth and the things that are in heaven.

Colossians 1:21 And you, whereas you were some time alienated and enemies in mind in evil works:

Colossians 1:22 Yet now he hath reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unspotted and blameless before him:

Colossians 1:23 If so ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and immoveable from the hope of the gospel which you have heard, which is preached in all the creation that is under heaven: whereof I Paul am made a minister.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "whereas", "some", "time", "alienated", "enemies", "mind", "evil", and "works". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "whereas" and "some", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "And through him to reconcile all things..." into verse 22's "Yet now he hath reconciled in the...", so "whereas" and "some" belong inside that flow. In Colossians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "whereas" and "some" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.