Colossians 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus [our] brother,

Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and brother Timothy,

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 holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Sovereign Jesus Christ.

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

We always give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ when we pray 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 your love 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 that is being reserved for you in the heavens, of which you have already heard through the Word of the Truth

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:

(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),

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

even as you learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf,

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

who also reported to us your love in 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 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,

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;

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;

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

being enabled with all capability according to the strength that resides in His glory, for all endurance and steadfastness.

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

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;

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 dominion of the 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 the redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins.

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

He is the visible representation of the invisible God, ‘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:

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.

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

Yes, He is before all, and in Him all things subsist.

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.

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,

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

because in Him all the Fullness was pleased to dwell

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, having made peace through the blood of His cross—through Him, whether things on the earth or things on the heavens.

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

So now He has reconciled you as well (you who once were alienated and hostile in your mind because of your wicked works),

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

by His physical body through His death, so as to present you before Him holy and blameless and above reproach—

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, 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.

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 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,

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 became a servant according to the stewardship from God that was given to me towards you, to complete 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 secret that has been hidden from past ages and generations, but now 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 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;

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, warning every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ.

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

It is to this end that I labor, striving according to His working that works through me with power.