We give thanks to God - See the notes at the parallel place in Ephesians 1:15-16.

Praying always for you - See the Romans 1:9, note; Ephesians 1:16, note; compare 1 Thessalonians 1:2.

We give thanks to God - Who is the author of all good; and from whom the grace, which has produced your conversion, has sprung by his mission of Christ Jesus. See the note on Ephesians 1:15, Ephesians 1:16 (note).

We give thanks to God,.... Meaning himself and Timothy. This is the beginning of the epistle, which is introduced with a thanksgiving to God; to whom praise and thankfulness are always due as a Creator and preserver, as the author of all good things, as the Father of mercies, temporal and spiritual, and as the covenant God and Father of his people through Christ: wherefore it follows,

and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; the sense of which either is, that God the Father, who is the object of praise and thanksgiving, is both the God of Christ, and the Father of Christ, the God of Christ, as Christ is man, and the Father of Christ, as Christ is God; or the latter is exegetical of the former, and may be rendered thus, "God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ": and very properly are thanks given to him under this character, because it is as he is the Father of Christ that he blesses his people with all spiritual blessings; and because he is their God, as well as his God; and their Father, as well as his Father, though in a different sense, his by nature, theirs by adoption. Moreover, as all their blessings come from God, as the Father of Christ, and through Christ, and for his sake, so it is very proper that thanks should be returned unto him under that character; and through Christ, by whom alone such sacrifices of praise are acceptable to God: it is added,

praying always for you; which, as it is expressive of the constant discharge of the duty of prayer, and the continual remembrance of these saints in it, and shows the affection the apostle had for them; so it points out the time when, and the way and manner in which Paul and Timothy gave thanks to God on account of them; it was when they were at the throne of grace, and in their frequent prayers to God; thankfulness for mercies received, both by ourselves and others, being a branch of the duty of prayer.

And the Father

Some of the best texts omit and. So Rev. The form with and is the more common. Compare Colossians 3:17.

Praying always for you

Rather connect always with we give thanks, and render we give thanks for you always, praying, or in our prayers. According to the Greek order, praying for you (as Rev. and A.V.), would make for you unduly emphatic.

{1} We give thanks to God and the {c} Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

(1) He commends the doctrine that was delivered to them by Epaphras, and their readiness in receiving it.

(c) We cannot otherwise think of God to be our salvation, except that he is Christ's Father, in whom we are adopted.

1:3 We. Both Paul and Timothy.

Give thanks. When offerings prayers in behalf of the Colossians, as he was wont to do for all the churches under his care, he had grounds for thanks.

1:3 We give thanks - There is a near resemblance between this epistle, and those to the Ephesians and Philippians.

3. Thanksgiving for the "faith, hope, and love" of the Colossians. So in the twin Epistle sent at the same time and by the same bearer, Tychicus (Eph 1:15, 16).

We-I and Timothy.

and the Father-So some of the oldest manuscripts read. But others better omit the "and," which probably crept in from Eph 1:3.

praying always for you-with thanksgiving (Php 4:6). See Col 1:4.

1:1-8 All true Christians are brethren one to another. Faithfulness runs through every character and relation of the Christian life. Faith, hope, and love, are the three principal graces in the Christian life, and proper matter for prayer and thanksgiving. The more we fix our hopes on the reward in the other world, the more free shall we be in doing good with our earthly treasure. It was treasured up for them, no enemy could deprive them of it. The gospel is the word of truth, and we may safely venture our souls upon it. And all who hear the word of the gospel, ought to bring forth the fruit of the gospel, obey it, and have their principles and lives formed according to it. Worldly love arises, either from views of interest or from likeness in manners; carnal love, from the appetite for pleasure. To these, something corrupt, selfish, and base always cleaves. But Christian love arises from the Holy Spirit, and is full of holiness.