Includes bibliographical references (pages xix-xxviii).

Introduction to Colossians -- Cities of the Lycus Valley -- Jewish settlement in the Lycus Valley -- Christianity in the Lycus Valley -- The "Colossian heresy" -- The teaching of Colossians -- Some critical questions -- Analysis of Colossians -- Colossians : text, exposition, and notes -- Introduction to Philemon -- Authorship -- Date and provenance -- Paul and Onesimus -- The significance of the letter -- Analysis of Philemon -- Philemon : text, expositon, and notes -- Introduction to Ephesians -- Ephesians and the Pauline corpus -- The parousia and the Spirit -- Imagery of Ephesians -- Incipient Catholicism -- Nature and purpose of Ephesians -- Analysis of Ephesians -- Ephesians : text, exposition, and notes.

Begun in the late 1940s by an international team of New Testament scholars, the NICNT series has become recognized by pastors, students, and scholars alike as a critical yet orthodox commentary marked by solid biblical scholarship within the evangelical Protestant tradition. While based on a thorough study of the Greek text, the commentary introductions and expositions contain a minimum of Greek references. The NICNT authors evaluate significant textual problems and take into account the most important exegetical literature. More technical aspects and such as grammatical, textual, and historical problems and are dealt with in footnotes, special notes, and appendixes. The newer NICNT volumes in particular take into account the role of recent rhetorical and sociological inquiry in elucidating the meaning of the text, and they also exhibit concern for the theology and application of the text. As the NICNT series is ever brought up to date, it will continue to find ongoing usefulness as an established guide to the New Testament text.

Includes indexes.