If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
If - `If at least' х eige (G1489)]: not otherwise shall ye be so presented at His appearing (Colossians 1:22).
Grounded, х tethemelioomenoi (G2311)] - 'fixed on the (right) foundation' (cf. note, Ephesians 3:17; Luke Grounded, х tethemelioomenoi (G2311)] - 'fixed on the (right) foundation' (cf. note, Ephesians 3:17; Luke 6:48-49).
Settled, х hedraioi (G1476)] - 'stedfast.' "Grounded" respects the foundation; "settled," the believer's internal stedfastness (1 Peter 5:10). [1 Corinthians 15:58, the same, hedraioi.]
Not moved away - by the false teachers.
The hope of (given by) the Gospel (Ephesians 1:18 ), which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister. Three arguments against their being 'moved away from the Gospel:'
(1) Their having heard it when preached;
(2) The universal preaching of it;
(3) Paul's ministry in it.
For х en (G1722) pasee (G3956) tee (G3588) ktisei (G2937)] 'in all the creation,' 'Aleph (') A B C Delta G read х en (G1722) pasee (G3956) ktisei (G2937)] 'in (the hearing of) every creature.' Compare Colossians 1:6; Colossians 1:20; Mark 16:15: he implies that the Gospel from which he urges them not to be moved has this mark of truth-namely, the universality of its announcement, which accords with Christ's own prophetic command (Matthew 24:14). Not merely 'is being preached,' but has been actually preached. Pliny, not many years subsequently, in his famous letter to the emperor Trajan (B. X., Ep. 9:7), writes, 'Many of every age, rank, and sex are being brought to trial; for the contagion of that superstition (Christianity) has spread over not only cities, but villages and the country.' "I Paul am" х egenomeen (G1096)] - 'was made a minister.' The Gospel which ye heard from Epaphras, your "minister" (Colossians 1:7), is the same of which 'I was made a minister' (Colossians 1:25; Ephesians 3:7): if you be moved from it, ye will desert the teaching of Gospel ministers for false teachers.