17.3

Parallels between Ephesians and Colossians (Box 17.1)

Similar topics are treated, often in the same order and sometimes with identical wording.

Topic

Ephesians

Colossians

Redemption and forgiveness

1:7

1:14–20

All things in heaven and earth are in Christ

1:10

1:20

I have heard of your faith

1:15

1:4

I thank God always for you

1:16

1:3

Pray that God will give you wisdom

1:17

1:9

Riches of a glorious inheritance/mystery

1:18

1:27

God made you alive

2:5

2:13

Aliens reconciled through Christ’s death

2:12–13

1:21–22

Christ has abolished the law

2:15

2:14

Paul is suffering for their sake

3:1

1:24

Divine commission given to Paul

3:2

1:25

Divine mystery made known to Paul

3:3

1:26

Paul a servant of the gospel

3:7

1:23, 25

Lead a worthy life

4:1

1:10

Humility, meekness, patience

4:2

3:12

Bear with one another

4:2

3:13

Christ is head of the body

4:15–16

2:19

Put off old nature, put on new nature

4:22–32

3:5–10, 12

Let there be no immorality among you

5:3–6

3:5–9

Walk wisely and make the most of your time

5:15

4:5

Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs

5:19

3:16

Give thanks to God

5:20

3:17

Tables of household duties

5:21–6:9

3:18–4:1

                for wives

5:22–24

3:18

                for husbands

5:25–33

3:19

                for children

6:1–3

3:20

                for fathers

6:4

3:21

                for slaves

6:5–8

3:22–25

                for masters

6:9

4:1

Paul the prisoner exhorts persistence in prayer

6:18–20

4:2–3

Tychicus will inform church about Paul

6:21

4:7

Tychicus sent to encourage their hearts

6:22

4:8

 

Indebted to Charles B. Puskas Jr., The Letters of Paul: An Introduction (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1993), 130–31.