What does Colossians 1:10 mean?

In verse 9, Paul began a prayer for the Colossian Christians. Here, he states why he prays for their knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. Four reasons are given. First, Paul's desire is for their actions to match their beliefs. This is a trait which the false teachers plaguing Colossae did not display.

Second, Paul wants these believers to be "fully pleasing" to the Lord. Pleasing God includes believing in Him and living a life that follows His teachings.

Third, Paul wants these believers to be effective, productive, and godly in their spiritual growth. The idea of bearing fruit implies maturity. Paul longed for all of his fellow believers to grow in maturity as part of their Christian walk (Ephesians 4:11–13).

Fourth, Paul wants the Colossians to continue to learn more about their faith and the God they serve. This knowledge of God, as mentioned here, is slightly different from "the knowledge of [God's] will," referred to in verse 9. Knowledge of God involves learning the truth of the gospel and of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Growing in God's will is more general, including learning how to practically apply our knowledge. This knowledge also includes God's specific desires for our individual lives. Paul emphasizes the importance of both general knowledge, and knowledge of God's will in the life of a believer. He means to show that these two areas of knowledge are clearly connected.