Dual Panel1From Paul <3972>, an apostle <652> of Christ <5547> Jesus <2424> by <1223> the will <2307> of God <2316>, and <2532> Timothy <5095> our brother <80>,
2to the saints <40>, the faithful <4103> brothers and sisters <80> in <1722> Christ <5547>, at <1722> Colossae <2857>. Grace <5485> and <2532> peace <1515> to you <5213> from <575> God <2316> our <2257> Father <3962>!
3We always <3842> give thanks <2168> to God <2316>, the Father <3962> of our <2257> Lord <2962> Jesus <2424> Christ <5547>, when <4336> we pray <4336> for <4012> you <5216>,
4since we heard <191> about your <5216> faith <4102> in <1722> Christ <5547> Jesus <2424> and <2532> the love <26> that <3739> you have <2192> for <1519> all <3956> the saints <40>.
5Your faith and love have arisen from the hope <1680> laid up <606> for you <5213> in <1722> heaven <3772>, which <3739> you have heard about <4257> in <1722> the message <3056> of truth <225>, the gospel <2098>
6that has come <3918> to <1519> you <5209>. Just as <2531> in <1722> the entire <3956> world <2889> this gospel is <1510> bearing fruit <2592> and <2532> growing <837>, so it has also been bearing fruit and <2532> growing among <1722> you <5213> from <575> the first day <2250> you heard <191> it and <2532> understood <1921> the grace <5485> of God <2316> in <1722> truth <225>.
7You learned <3129> the gospel from <575> Epaphras <1889>, our <2257> dear <27> fellow slave <4889>– a faithful <4103> minister <1249> of Christ <5547> on <5228> our <2257> behalf <5228>–
8who also <2532> told <1213> us <2254> of your <5216> love <26> in <1722> the Spirit <4151>.
9For <1223> this reason <5124> we <2249> also <2532>, from <575> the day <2250> we heard <191> about you, have <3973> not <3756> ceased <3973> praying <4336> for <5228> you <5216> and <2532> asking <154> God to fill <4137> you with the knowledge <1922> of his <846> will <2307> in <1722> all <3956> spiritual <4152> wisdom <4678> and <2532> understanding <4907>,
10so that you may live <4043> worthily <516> of the Lord <2962> and please <699> him in <1519> all <3956> respects– bearing fruit <2592> in <1722> every <3956> good <18> deed <2041>, growing <837> in the knowledge <1922> of God <2316>,
11being strengthened <1412> with <1722> all <3956> power <1411> according to <2596> his <846> glorious <1391> might <2904> for the display of all <3956> patience <5281> and <2532> steadfastness <3115>, joyfully <3326> <5479>
12giving thanks <2168> to the Father <3962> who has qualified <2427> you <5209> to <1519> share <3310> in the saints <40>’ inheritance <2819> in <1722> the light <5457>.
13He delivered <4506> us <2248> from <1537> the power <1849> of darkness <4655> and <2532> transferred <3179> us to <1519> the kingdom <932> of the Son <5207> he <846> loves <26>,
14in <1722> whom <3739> we have <2192> redemption <629>, the forgiveness <859> of sins <266>.
15He is <1510> the image <1504> of the invisible <517> God <2316>, the firstborn <4416> over all <3956> creation <2937>,
16for <3754> all things <3956> in <1722> heaven <3772> and <2532> on <1909> earth <1093> were created <2936> by <1722> him <846>– all things, whether visible <3707> or <2532> invisible <517>, whether <1535> thrones <2362> or <1535> dominions <2963>, whether <1535> principalities <746> or <1535> powers <1849>– all things <3956> were created <2936> through <1223> him <846> and <2532> for <1519> him <846>.
17He <2532> himself <846> is <1510> before <4253> all things <3956> and <2532> all things <3956> are held together <4921> in <1722> him <846>.
18He <2532> is <1510> the head <2776> of the body <4983>, the church <1577>, as well as the beginning <746>, the firstborn <4416> from <1537> among the dead <3498>, so that <2443> he <1096> himself <846> may become <1096> first <4409> in <1722> all things <3956>.
19For <3754> God was pleased <2106> to have all <3956> his fullness <4138> dwell <2730> in <1722> the Son <846>
20and <2532> through <1223> him <846> to reconcile <604> all things <3956> to <1519> himself <846> by making peace <1517> through <1223> the blood <129> of his <846> cross <4716>– through <1223> him <846>, whether <1535> things on <1909> earth <1093> or <1535> things in <1722> heaven <3772>.
21And <2532> you <5209> were <1510> at one time strangers <526> and <2532> enemies <2190> in <1722> your minds <1271> as expressed <604> through your evil <4190> deeds <2041>,
22but now he has reconciled you by <1722> his <846> physical <4561> body <4983> through <1223> death <2288> to present <3936> you <5209> holy <40>, without <2532> blemish <299>, and <2532> blameless <410> before <2714> him <846>–
23if <1487> indeed <1065> you remain <1961> in the faith <4102>, established <2311> and <2532> firm <1476>, without <3361> shifting <3334> from <575> the hope <1680> of the gospel <2098> that <3739> you heard <191>. This gospel has <2784> also been preached <2784> in <1722> all <3956> creation <2937> under <5259> heaven <3772>, and I <1473>, Paul <3972>, have become <1096> its servant <1249>.
24Now <3568> I rejoice <5463> in <1722> my sufferings <3804> for <5228> you <5216>, and <2532> I fill up <466> in <1722> my <3450> physical body <4561>– for the sake <5228> of his <846> body <4983>, the church <1577>– what <3739> is <1510> lacking <5303> in the sufferings <2347> of Christ <5547>.
25I <1473> became <1096> a servant <1249> of the church according to <2596> the stewardship <3622> from God <2316>– given <1325> to me <3427> for <1519> you <5209>– in order to complete <4137> the word <3056> of God <2316>,
26that is, the mystery <3466> that has been kept hidden <613> from <575> ages <165> and <2532> generations <1074>, but <1161> has <5319> now <3568> been revealed <5319> to his <846> saints <40>.
27God <2316> wanted <2309> to make known <1107> to them the glorious <1391> riches <4149> of this <5127> mystery <3466> among <1722> the Gentiles <1484>, which is <1510> Christ <5547> in <1722> you <5213>, the hope <1680> of glory <1391>.
28We <2249> proclaim <2605> him by instructing <3560> and <2532> teaching <1321> all <3956> people <444> with <1722> all <3956> wisdom <4678> so that <2443> we may present <3936> every <3956> person <444> mature <5046> in <1722> Christ <5547>.
29Toward <1519> this goal <3739> I <2872> also <2532> labor <2872>, struggling <75> according <2596> to his power <1411> that powerfully <1753> works <1754> in <1722> me <1698>.