< Colossians 1 >

1 I, Paul, [am writing this letter to you], and our fellow believer Timothy [is with me]. I am an apostle who represents Christ Jesus, because that is what God wanted.
Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus through [the] will of God and Timothy the brother
2 [I am sending this letter] to you who are in Colossae [city], and who are God’s people, and our faithful fellow believers who have a close relationship with Christ. We pray that God our Father will be acting kindly towards you, and that he will cause you to have [inner] peace.
To those in Colossae saints and faithful brothers in Christ: Grace to you and peace from God [the] Father of us (and Lord Jesus Christ. *K*)
3 Very often [HYP] we thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, while we are praying for you,
We give thanks to the God (and *ko*) Father of the Lord of us Jesus Christ continually (for *NK(o)*) you praying,
4 because we have heard that you believe in Christ Jesus, and that you love all God’s people.
having heard of the faith of you in Christ Jesus and the love (that *N(k)O*) (you have *no*) toward all the saints,
5 You do that because you confidently expect to receive that which God is (reserving/keeping safe) for you in heaven, which you heard about previously when you heard the true message, that is, the message [about Christ].
because of the hope which is being laid up for you in the heavens which you heard of before in the word of truth the gospel
6 [People] proclaimed it [PRS] to you, just like [people] have proclaimed it in many different countries [HYP, IDM]. The true message is changing more and more people’s lives, just like it changed your lives because you heard it and you truly experienced that God acts kindly towards us in ways we do not deserve.
which is being present unto you, even as also in all the world (and *k*) it is bearing fruit (and increasing *NO*) even as also among you from the day you heard and you knew the grace of God in truth,
7 That is just what Epaphras taught you [would happen]. We love Epaphras. He serves Christ together with us and works for Christ faithfully for your benefit.
even as (and *k*) you learned from Epaphras the beloved fellow bond-servant of us, who is faithful on behalf of (of you *NK(O)*) a servant of Christ,
8 He told us that you love [all God’s people], just like God’s Spirit [has enabled you to] (OR, spiritually).
the [one] also having made known to us your love in [the] Spirit.
9 Because of what we heard about you, we have also been praying [LIT] very often to God for you [HYP], ever since we heard this report about you. We pray that you will truly know all that God wants you to do; that is, that you will become very wise, and that you will understand spiritual matters well.
Because of this also we ourselves from the day we heard, not cease for you praying and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of the will of Him in all wisdom and in understanding spiritual
10 We have been praying like that in order that you will conduct yourselves as the Lord’s people should conduct themselves, in order that you will please the Lord in every way. Specifically, we have been praying like that in order that you will be doing every sort of good deed [IDM] and in order that you will be getting to know God truly, more and more.
to walk (you *k*) worthily of the Lord in all pleasing in every work good bringing forth fruit and growing (into *k*) (knowledge *N(k)O*) of God,
11 And we pray that [God] will greatly strengthen you [spiritually] with the mighty power that he has shown [to people], in order that you will always be steadfast and patient [when you experience difficulties], while [at the same time] you will be rejoicing.
with all power being strengthened according to the might glorious of Him unto all endurance and patience with joy.
12 And we pray that you will be thanking God our Father, because he has enabled you/us to receive the things that he will give to his people in heaven [SYN].
giving thanks to the Father the [One] having qualified (you *N(K)O*) for the share of the inheritance of the saints in the light,
13 God our Father rescued us [spiritually] so that the evil one no longer rules us [MET, MTY], and he caused us now to be ruled by his Son, whom he loves.
who has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred [us] into the kingdom of the Son the beloved of Him,
14 That is, because of our relationship with his Son (OR, because of what the one who is also God did), God has redeemed/bought us; in particular, he has forgiven our sins.
in whom we have redemption (through the blood of him *K*) the forgiveness of sins;
15 God’s Son reveals perfectly what God, his Father, is like, whom no one can see. God’s Son existed before and ranks above everything that God has created.
[He] is [the] image of the God invisible, [the] firstborn over all creation;
16 When God created everything that is on the earth, he did it by having his Son do it. He created everything that [people] can see, and also everything which is in heaven that [people] cannot see. In particular, his Son created all ranks of important spirit beings. [And his Son ranks above everything], because God by the work of had his Son, and because by his Son all things were created {because [God] had his Son create everything} in order that everything might praise his Son,
because in Him were created all things (which [are] *k*) in the heavens and (*ko*) upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things through Him and unto Him have been created,
17 and because it is his Son who existed before anything else existed, and because God sustains everything by what his Son [does].
And He himself is before all things, and all things in Him have held together,
18 And [God’s Son ranks above everything], because it is his Son who [rules over his people] [MET] [as a person’s] head [controls his physical] body, because his Son causes his people to live [spiritually]. [God’s Son] is the first one who became alive again, in order that he should become more important than anything and everyone.
And He himself is the head of the body the church; who is (the *o*) beginning, firstborn out from the dead, so that may be in all things He himself holding preeminence;
19 [God’s Son reveals perfectly what God his Father is like], because his Father chose to live completely in him.
because in Him was pleased all the fullness to dwell
20 [God our Father caused his Son to rule us], because he decided to reconcile with himself everything that is on earth and that is in heaven by what his Son did, in order that everything might honor his Son; that is, God our Father decided to reconcile everything to himself as a result of his [Son’s] blood [flowing when he died] on the cross. [The chiastic material is rearranged below so that the directly related propositional clusters are joined together.] 13 God our Father rescued us [spiritually] so that we are no longer ruled by the evil one, and God our Father caused us now to be ruled by his Son (OR, the man who is also God) whom he loves. 14a That is, by means of what his Son did, we have been redeemed by God, our Father. 14b In particular, our sins have been forgiven by God, our Father. 20 God, our Father, has done this because he decided to reconcile to himself, by means of his Son, everything that is on earth and that is in heaven, in order that his Son might be honored; that is, God, our Father decided to reconcile everything to himself by means of God’s Son’s blood [flowing out when he died] on the cross. 15b God cannot be seen by anyone, 15a but his Son reveals perfectly what God—his Father—is like, 19a because it is in his Son that the Father chose 19b that he himself would dwell completely. 15c God’s Son ranks above everything 15d that has been created, 16 because it was by means of God’s Son that God created everything that is on the earth and that can be seen by people, and also everything that is in heaven and that cannot be seen by people. In particular, all types of important spirit beings were created by means of him, since everything has been created by God by means of God’s Son. And his Son ranks above everything, because everything has been created by God, in order that God’s Son might be honored by everything, 17 and because it is he who existed before anything else existed, and since everything is sustained by God by means of God’s Son. 18 And God’s Son ranks above everything because it is he who [rules over all believers, just like a person’s] head [controls his physical body, because he causes all believers to live spiritually]. His Son is the first one who rose from among those who have died, in order that he should become more important than everything and everyone.
and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of the cross of Him, through Him whether the [things] on the earth or the [things] (in *NK(o)*) the heavens;
21 As for you, [although] formerly God [considered you his] enemies (OR, [God considered you] as alienated [from him]) and [although] you were formerly hostile [to God] because you thought evil thoughts and because you did evil deeds,
And you once being alienated and hostile in mind in the deeds evil, now however (He has reconciled [You] *NK(O)*)
22 nevertheless, God our Father has now reconciled you [with himself. He did that] as a result of his Son dying physically. He did it in order that you should be completely holy when he brings you into his presence.
in the body of the flesh of Him through death to present you holy and unblemished and blameless before Him.
23 He wants you to continue [DOU] to believe the message about Christ; specifically, he wants you to continue to be stable/steadfast and to continue to confidently expect to receive that which you heard about when you heard that message. That message has been proclaimed {They have proclaimed that message} to people in very many places [HYP]; and I, Paul, also become someone who tells it to people.
if indeed you continue in the faith established and firm and not being moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which having been proclaimed in all (*k*) creation under heaven, of which have become I myself Paul a minister.
24 At the present time I am rejoicing that I am suffering for your benefit; that is, I am completing what Christ [decided] that I should suffer physically for the benefit of all believers, [who are as dear to him as] his own body.
Now I rejoice in the sufferings (of mine *k*) for you and I am filling up that which is lacking of the tribulations of Christ in the flesh of mine for the body of Him which is the church;
25 I myself became someone who serves God’s people, because I was appointed {[God] appointed me} to be responsible to [help] you [who are non-Jews]. I became one who serves God’s people in order that I should make known to you non-Jews the whole message from/about God.
of which became I myself a minister according to the administration of God which having been given me toward you to complete the word of God,
26 [We did not know this message previously; that is, God] concealed it from [the people who lived in all] the previous ages, but he has now revealed it to his people. (aiōn g165)
the mystery which hidden from the ages and from the generations, (now *N(k)O*) however having been manifested to the saints of Him; (aiōn g165)
27 That is, God decided to reveal to them this message, which declares that he will greatly bless the non-Jews. Specifically, this message declares that Christ, [by his Spirit], will live in you who are non-Jews, with the result that you confidently expect that you will experience how glorious [God is].
to whom has willed God to make known (what the *N(k)O*) riches of the glory of the mystery this among the Gentiles, (which *N(k)O*) is Christ in you, the hope of glory;
28 We tell about Christ [to every class of persons]; we warn them, and specifically, we teach everyone very wisely. We do this in order that every person who (has a close relationship with/is united to) Christ may be (all that God wants them to be/perfect) when we present them to Christ.
whom we ourselves preach admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, so that we may present every man perfect in Christ (Jesus *K*)
29 In order that I might [achieve/accomplish this], I am also working very hard, depending on Christ to empowering me very greatly.
Unto this also I toil striving according to the energy of Him who is working in me myself in power.

< Colossians 1 >