Colossians 1:23 (LSB)

Passage

if indeed you continue in the faith firmly grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

Nearby Context

Colossians 1:21 And although you were formerly alienated and enemies in mind and in evil deeds,

Colossians 1:22 but now He reconciled you in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—

Colossians 1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and I fill up what is lacking of Christ’s afflictions in my flesh, on behalf of His body, which is the church,

Colossians 1:25 of which I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God given to me for you, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "faith", "indeed", "continue", "firmly", "grounded", "steadfast", "moved", and "away". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "faith" and "indeed", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "but now He reconciled you in the..." into verse 24's "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for...", so "faith" and "indeed" 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 "faith" and "indeed" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.