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Colossians 1 · a question people ask

"even as you learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant" (1:7). Who is Epaphras?

In the text

The chapter says only, "even as you learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf," (1:7) "who also declared to us your love in the Spirit." (1:8). The letter names him again near its end (4:12). These notes say no more of him than the letter says.

The verses

“even as you learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf, who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.”
Colossians 1:7-8 · World English Bible
“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
Colossians 4:12 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Colossians 1

Colossians 1: Bearing fruit

Colossians 1 speaks of "the word of the truth of the Good News" (1:5) "which has come to you, even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit" (1:6), and the prayer asks that the readers be "bearing fruit in every good work" (1:10): the same Greek verb both times. And the letter's I names itself once here: "of which I, Paul, was made a servant" (1:23).

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Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions