< Colossians 1 >

1 Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and brother Timothy,
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, and Timothy, a brother,
2 to the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Sovereign Jesus Christ.
To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ Jesus, who are at Colossa.
3 We always give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ when we pray for you
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.
4 (having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love toward all the saints),
Hearing your faith in Christ Jesus, and the love which you have towards all the saints.
5 because of the hope that is being reserved for you in the heavens, of which you have already heard through the Word of the Truth
For the hope that is laid up for you in heaven, which you have heard in the word of the truth of the gospel,
6 (the Gospel that has come to you just as also in all the world, where it is producing fruit and growing just as also among you, from the day in which you heard about and truly understood God's grace),
Which is come unto you, as also it is in the whole world, and bringeth forth fruit and groweth, even as it doth in you, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth.
7 even as you learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf,
As you learned of Epaphras, our most beloved fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ Jesus;
8 who also reported to us your love in spirit.
Who also hath manifested to us your love in the spirit.
9 For this very reason, since the day we heard of it, we have not stopped praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the real knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
Therefore we also, from the day that we heard it, cease not to pray for you, and to beg that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom, and spiritual understanding:
10 in order for you to walk worthily of the Lord, pleasing Him in every way, being fruitful in every good work and growing into the real knowledge of God;
That you may walk worthy of God, in all things pleasing; being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God:
11 being enabled with all capability according to the strength that resides in His glory, for all endurance and steadfastness.
Strengthened with all might, according to the power of his glory, in all patience and longsuffering with joy,
12 Nor have we stopped giving thanks joyfully to the Father who has qualified us for the share in the inheritance of the saints in the Light;
Giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light:
13 who delivered us out of the dominion of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love,
14 in whom we have the redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins.
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins;
15 He is the visible representation of the invisible God, ‘Firstborn’ over all creation,
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 because by Him all things were created—those in the heavens and those on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.
For in him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and in him.
17 Yes, He is before all, and in Him all things subsist.
And he is before all, and by him all things consist.
18 Also, He is the Head of the body, the Church. He is Beginning, the firstborn from among the dead, so that He may be preeminent in everything,
And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he may hold the primacy:
19 because in Him all the Fullness was pleased to dwell
Because in him, it hath well pleased the Father, that all fullness should dwell;
20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross—through Him, whether things on the earth or things on the heavens.
And through him to reconcile all things unto himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things that are on earth, and the things that are in heaven.
21 So now He has reconciled you as well (you who once were alienated and hostile in your mind because of your wicked works),
And you, whereas you were some time alienated and enemies in mind in evil works:
22 by His physical body through His death, so as to present you before Him holy and blameless and above reproach—
Yet now he hath reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unspotted, and blameless before him:
23 if, that is, you continue in the Faith established and firm, not drifting away from the hope of the Gospel, that you heard and that was proclaimed in all the creation under the heaven, of which I, Paul, became a servant.
If so ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and immoveable from the hope of the gospel which you have heard, which is preached in all the creation that is under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister.
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf and supplement in my flesh the things lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the Church,
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church:
25 of which I became a servant according to the stewardship from God that was given to me towards you, to complete the Word of God,
Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given me towards you, that I may fulfill the word of God:
26 the secret that has been hidden from past ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His saints; (aiōn g165)
The mystery which hath been hidden from ages and generations, but now is manifested to his saints, (aiōn g165)
27 to whom God resolved to make known who is the wealth of the glory of this secret among the nations, namely Christ in you, the hope of glory;
To whom God would make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ, in you the hope of glory.
28 whom we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ.
Whom we preach, admonishing every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
29 It is to this end that I labor, striving according to His working that works through me with power.
Wherein also I labour, striving according to his working which he worketh in me in power.

< Colossians 1 >