Colossians 1

1 PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have toward all the saints,

5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of truth, the Good News,

6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

which has come to you; even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;

7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,

8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, do not cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light;

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and transferred us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins;

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things have been created by him and for him.

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him,

20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

and through him to reconcile all things to himself, making peace through the blood of his cross through him, whether things on the earth or things in heaven.

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

You, who once were alienated and were hostile in your minds, doing evil deeds,

22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and blameless before him,

23 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 it is so that you continue in the faith, established and firm, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of his body, which is the church;

25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: (aiōn g165)

the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints. (aiōn g165)

27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

To them God was pleased to make known the glorious riches of this mystery among the non-Jews, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;

28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ Jesus;

29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

for which I also labor, struggling according to his power, which works in me mightily.