Colossians 1
1 Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ, by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
This letter comes from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the will of God, and from our brother Timothy.
2 To them which are at Colosse, Saintes and faithfull brethren in Christ: Grace bee with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ.
To the believers and trusting Christians at Colossae: may you have grace and peace from God our Father.
3 We giue thankes to God euen ye Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, alway praying for you:
We are always thankful to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for you, and pray for you.
4 Since wee heard of your faith in Christ Iesus, and of your loue toward all Saintes,
We've heard about your trust in Christ Jesus and your love for all the believers
5 For the hopes sake, which is laide vp for you in heauen, whereof yee haue heard before by the word of trueth, which is the Gospel,
because of the hope prepared for you in heaven. You already heard about this in the good news, the message of truth
6 Which is come vnto you, eue as it is vnto al the world, and is fruitful, as it is also amog you, from ye day that ye heard and truely knew ye grace of God,
that came to you just as it has gone throughout the whole world, spreading widely and bringing results. It's done the same for you too, ever since you heard it and realized the true nature of God's grace.
7 As yee also learned of Epaphras our deare fellowe seruaunt, which is for you a faithfull minister of Christ:
Our dear friend and fellow-worker Epaphras, who is a trustworthy minister of Christ on our behalf, taught you about this.
8 Who hath also declared vnto vs your loue in the Spirit.
He's also made clear to us your love in the Spirit.
9 For this cause wee also, since the day wee heard of it, cease not to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisdome, and spirituall vnderstanding,
Because of this we continue to pray for you from the time we heard about you, asking God to give you understanding of what he wants you to do and to give you every kind of spiritual wisdom and understanding.
10 That ye might walke worthy of the Lord, and please him in all things, being fruitefull in all good workes, and increasing in the knowledge of God,
That way you'll live lives that rightly represent the Lord and please him, producing all kinds of good results and gaining greater knowledge of God.
11 Strengthened with all might through his glorious power, vnto all patience, and long suffering with ioyfulnesse,
May you be made powerfully strong by his wonderful strength, having great patience and endurance.
12 Giuing thankes vnto the Father, which hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saintes in light,
May you happily praise the Father, who has made it possible for us to share in the inheritance of God's people who live in the light.
13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse, and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare Sonne,
He rescued us from the tyranny of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
14 In whome we haue redemption through his blood, that is, the forgiuenesse of sinnes,
through whom we have been set free and our sins forgiven.
15 Who is the image of the inuisible God, the first begotten of euery creature.
The Son is the visible picture of the invisible God. He was before all creation,
16 For by him were all things created, which are in heauen, and which are in earth, thinges visible and inuisible: whether they be Thrones or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers, all things were created by him, and for him,
for everything was created through him—in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, empires, rulers, leaders and authorities—everything was created through him and for him.
17 And hee is before all things, and in him all things consist.
He existed before everything, and he holds everything together.
18 And hee is the head of the body of the Church: he is the beginning, and the first begotten of the dead, that in all thinges hee might haue the preeminence.
He is also the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the first and highest of those raised from the dead, so that he is supreme in everything.
19 For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulnesse dwell,
God was pleased to have his full nature live in him,
20 And through peace made by that blood of that his crosse, to reconcile to himselfe through him, through him, I say, all thinges, both which are in earth, and which are in heauen.
and through him brought back everything in the universe to himself, since he made peace through the blood of his cross, through him reconciling all those on the earth and in heaven.
21 And you which were in times past strangers and enemies, because your mindes were set in euill workes, hath he nowe also reconciled,
You once were alienated from God, enemies in the way you thought and the way you acted,
22 In that body of his flesh through death, to make you holy, and vnblameable and without fault in his sight,
but now he has reconciled you through his dying human body, bringing you into his presence where you stand holy, pure, and faultless.
23 If ye continue, grounded and stablished in the faith, and be not moued away from the hope of the Gospel, whereof ye haue heard, and which hath bene preached to euery creature which is vnder heauen, whereof I Paul am a minister.
But your trust in him must continue rock-solid and immovable. Don't be shaken from the hope of the good news that you heard, the good news that's been shared throughout the world—that's the work that I Paul have been doing.
24 Now reioyce I in my suffrings for you, and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his bodies sake, which is the Church,
I'm happy to have trouble for your sake, for by means of what happens to me physically I'm part of Christ's sufferings that he continues to experience for the sake of his body, the church.
25 Whereof I am a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is giuen mee vnto you ward, to fulfill the word of God,
I serve the church following the direction God gave me about you, to present fully the word of God to you.
26 Which is the mysterie hid since the world began, and from all ages, but nowe is made manifest to his Saintes, (aiōn g165)
This is the mystery that was hidden down through the ages and for many generations, but it's now been revealed to God's people. (aiōn g165)
27 To whome God woulde make knowen what is the riches of his glorious mysterie among the Gentiles, which riches is Christ in you, the hope of glory,
God wanted to make known to them the glorious wealth of this mystery to the nations: Christ living in you is the glorious hope!
28 Whome we preache, admonishing euery man, and teaching euery man in all wisdome, that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus,
We're telling everyone about him, instructing and teaching them in the best way we know how so that we can bring everyone before God fully mature in Christ.
29 Whereunto I also labour and striue, according to his working which worketh in me mightily.
That's what I'm working for too, making every effort as I rely on his strength which is powerfully at work in me.
