The Nugget:
Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; (KJV)
Col 1:10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (ESV)
Col 1:10 We ask this so that you will live the kind of lives that prove you belong to the Lord. Then you will want to please him in every way as you grow in producing every kind of good work by this knowledge about God. (GW)
Col 1:10 Then you will live a life that honors the Lord, and you will always please him by doing good deeds. You will come to know God even better. (CEV)
My Comment:
Which Bible translation should you use? All of them! Notice that each different English translation of Colossians 1:10 cited above brings out the meaning the translators see in the original Greek text differently, each one adding insight.
Colossians 1:10 is the second verse on the list of my favorite verses and associated cross references that I gave in my post of October 23, 2018 about the hidden features in my Bible study resources. I have shared the Colossians 1:10 Treasury of Scripture Knowledge cross references with a number of people over many years. Some of these people were motivated to buy their own copy of the Treasury and thanked me afterwards.
The cross references are very encouraging. Here they are:
Colossians 1:10
ye: Col 2:6, Col 4:5; Mic 4:5; Rom 4:12, Rom 6:4; Eph 4:1, Eph 5:2, Eph 5:15; Php 1:27; 1Th 2:12
all: Col 3:20; Pro 16:7; Php 4:18; 1Th 4:1; 2Ti 2:4; Heb 11:5, Heb 13:16; 1Jn 3:22
fruitful: Joh 15:8, Joh 15:16; Gal 5:22, 23; Eph 2:10; Php 1:11; Tit 3:1, Tit 3:14; Heb 13:21; 2Pe 1:8
increasing: Col 2:19; Isa 53:11; Dan 12:4; Hab 2:14; Joh 17:3; 2Co 2:14, 2Co 4:6, 2Co 9:8; Eph 1:17, Eph 4:13; 2Pe 1:2, 3, 2Pe 3:18; 1Jn 5:20
For those who wish to dig deeper into the truths contained in Colossians 1:10, I have expanded the number of cross references given above from the original Treasury of Scripture Knowledge after many years of study. Here are my more complete cross references as given in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
Colossians 1:10
walk worthy. T1741, +*Col 2:6; *Col 4:5, +Gen 5:22, Deut 13:4, +*Psa 1:1; +*Psa 1:3; *Psa 119:3; Psa 128:1, *Mic 4:5; +*Mic 6:8, +**Luk 21:36, Act 9:31, Rom 4:12; +*Rom 6:4; Rom 13:13, *+Eph 4:1; *Eph 5:2; *Eph 5:15, *Php 1:27, *1Th 2:12.
all pleasing. *Col 3:20, Exo 33:13, Ezr 10:11, Psa 143:10; Psa 147:11; Psa 149:4, +*Pro 16:7, *Rom 8:8; Rom 15:2, *1Co 10:33, 2Co 5:9, %Gal 1:10, Eph 5:10, Php 4:18, *1Th 2:4; *1Th 4:1, 1Ti 2:3, *2Ti 2:4, *Heb 11:5; *Heb 13:16; *Heb 13:21, *1Jn 3:22.
fruitful. T1503, Col 1:6, Exo 28:34, +*Psa 1:3, Mat 7:17; *Mat 13:23, Mar 4:20; Mar 4:28, Luk 8:8; Luk 8:15, +*Joh 15:5; +*Joh 15:8; +*Joh 15:16, **Rom 6:22; **Rom 7:4, 2Co 9:10, +**Gal 5:22; +**Gal 5:23, **Eph 2:10, *Php 1:9, 10, 11; Php 4:17, *Tit 3:1; *Tit 3:14, *Heb 13:21, Jas 3:17, +**1Pe 2:2, **2Pe 1:8.
good work. Mat 26:10, Mar 14:6, +Act 9:36, *2Co 9:8, *Eph 2:10, *1Ti 5:10, *Tit 3:1; *Tit 3:8; *Tit 3:14.
increasing. Col 2:19, *Isa 53:11, +*Dan 12:4, *Hab 2:14, **Joh 17:3, 2Co 2:14; *2Co 4:6; **2Co 9:8, *Eph 1:17; Eph 4:13, +1Pe 2:2, 2Pe 1:2, 3; +*2Pe 3:18, 1Jn 5:20, 21.
knowledge. Gr. epignōsis (S# G1922, Rom 10:2). Col 1:9, +**Psa 9:10 note. +*Psa 51:6, +*Pro 15:14, Hos 2:20; *Hos 6:3; *Hos 6:6, *Joh 8:19, 1Co 1:5, 2Co 6:6, *Eph 3:19, +*2Pe 3:18.
For those willing and able to take the time to read the above cross references, much more encouragement and enlightenment will come by studying them.
Colossians 1:10 is taken from one of the Apostle Paul’s prayers. It would be a most interesting avenue of Bible study to study the prayers of Paul. What and who was on Paul’s prayer list? Paul speaks in his letters of individuals he prays for daily. Studying Paul’s prayers would be a great encouragement to our own.