Colossians 1

(Philippians 1:1–2; Philemon 1:1–3)

1PaulG3972, an apostleG652 of ChristG5547 JesusG2424 byG1223 the willG2307 of GodG2316, andG2532 TimothyG5095 our brotherG80,

2To theG3588 saintsG40 andG2532 faithfulG4103 brothersG80 inG1722 ChristG5547 atG1722 ColossaeG2857:

GraceG5485 andG2532 peaceG1515 to youG4771 fromG575 GodG2316 ourG1473 FatherG3962.1

Thanksgiving and Prayer

(1 Corinthians 1:4–9; Philippians 1:3–11)

3We always thankG2168G3842 GodG2316, the FatherG3962 of ourG1473 LordG2962 JesusG2424 ChristG5547, when we prayG4336 forG4012 youG4771, 4because we have heard aboutG191 yourG4771 faithG4102 inG1722 ChristG5547 JesusG2424 andG2532 yourG3739G2192 loveG26 forG1519 allG3956 theG3588 saintsG40— 5the faith and love proceeding fromG1223 theG3588 hopeG1680 stored upG606 for youG4771 inG1722 heavenG3772, of whichG3739 you have already heardG4257 inG1722 theG3588 wordG3056 of truthG225, theG3588 gospelG2098 6thatG3588 has comeG3918 toG1519 youG4771.

AllG3956 overG1722 theG3588 worldG2889 this gospel isG1510 bearing fruitG2592 andG2532 growingG837, just asG2531 it has been doing amongG1722 youG4771 sinceG575 theG3739 dayG2250 you heardG191 it andG2532 trulyG1722G225 understoodG1921 theG3588 graceG5485 of GodG2316. 7You learnedG3129 it fromG575 EpaphrasG1889, ourG1473 belovedG27 fellow servantG4889, whoG3739 isG1510 a faithfulG4103 ministerG1249 of ChristG5547 on ourG14732 behalfG5228, 8and whoG3588 alsoG2532 informedG1213 usG1473 of yourG4771 loveG26 inG1722 the SpiritG4151.

9For this reasonG1223G3778G2532, sinceG575 theG3739 dayG2250 we heardG191 about you, weG1473 have notG3756 stoppedG3973 prayingG4336 forG5228 youG4771 andG2532 askingG154 God toG2443 fill you withG4137 theG3588 knowledgeG1922 ofG3588 HisG846 willG2307 inG1722 allG3956 spiritualG4152 wisdomG4678 andG2532 understandingG4907, 10so that you may walkG4043 in a manner worthyG516 of theG3588 LordG2962 and may pleaseG699 Him inG1519 every wayG3956: bearing fruitG2592 inG1722 everyG3956 goodG18 workG2041, growingG837 in theG3588 knowledgeG1922 of GodG2316, 11being strengthenedG1412 withG1722 allG3956 powerG1411 according toG2596 HisG846 gloriousG1391 mightG2904 so that you may haveG1519 fullG3956 enduranceG5281 andG2532 patienceG3115, and joyfullyG3326G5479 12giving thanksG2168 to theG3588 FatherG3962, whoG3588 has qualifiedG2427 youG47713 to shareG1519G3588G3310 in theG3588 inheritanceG2819 of theG3588 saintsG40 inG1722 theG3588 lightG5457.

13HeG3739 has rescuedG4506 usG1473 fromG1537 theG3588 dominionG1849 of darknessG4655 andG2532 broughtG3179 us intoG1519 theG3588 kingdomG932 ofG3588 HisG846 belovedG26 SonG5207, 14inG1722 whomG3739 we haveG2192 redemptionG629,4 theG3588 forgivenessG859 of sinsG266.

The Supremacy of the Son

(Hebrews 1:1–14)

15The Son isG1510 the imageG1504 of theG3588 invisibleG517 GodG2316, the firstbornG4416 over allG3956 creationG2937. 16ForG3754 inG1722 HimG846 all thingsG3956 were createdG2936, things inG1722 heavenG3772 andG2532 onG1909 earthG1093, visibleG3707 andG2532 invisibleG517, whetherG1535 thronesG2362 orG1535 dominionsG2963 orG1535 rulersG746 orG1535 authoritiesG1849. All thingsG3956 were createdG2936 throughG1223 HimG846 andG2532 forG1519 HimG846.

17

HeG846 isG1510 beforeG4253 all thingsG3956, andG2532 inG1722 HimG846 all thingsG3956 hold togetherG4921. 18AndG2532 HeG846 isG1510 theG3588 headG2776 of theG3588 bodyG4983, theG3588 churchG1577; HeG3739 isG1510 theG3588 beginningG746 and firstbornG4416 from amongG1537 theG3588 deadG3498, so thatG2443 inG1722 all thingsG3956 HeG846 mayG1096 have preeminenceG4409. 19ForG3754 God was pleasedG2106 to have allG3956 His fullnessG4138 dwellG2730 inG1722 HimG846, 20andG2532 throughG1223 HimG846 to reconcileG604 toG1519 HimselfG846 all thingsG3956, whetherG1535 thingsG3588 onG1909 earthG1093 orG1535 thingsG3588 inG1722 heavenG3772, by making peaceG1517 throughG1223 theG3588 bloodG129 ofG3588 HisG846 crossG4716.

21

OnceG4218 youG4771 wereG1510 alienatedG526 from God andG2532 were hostileG2190 inG3588 your mindsG1271, engaging inG1722 evilG4190 deedsG2041. 22ButG1161 nowG3570 He has reconciledG604 you byG1722 Christ’s physicalG3588G4561 bodyG4983 throughG1223 deathG2288 to presentG3936 youG4771 holyG40, unblemishedG299, andG2532 blamelessG410 in His presenceG2714G846— 23ifG1487 indeedG1065 you continueG1961 in your faithG4102, establishedG2311 andG2532 firmG1476, notG3361 movedG3334 fromG575 theG3588 hopeG1680 of theG3588 gospelG2098 you heardG191, whichG3588 has been proclaimedG2784 toG1722 everyG3956 creatureG29375 underG5259 heavenG3772, and of whichG3739 IG1473, PaulG3972, have becomeG1096 a servantG1249.

Paul’s Suffering for the Church

(2 Corinthians 11:16–33)

24NowG3568 I rejoiceG5463 inG1722 my sufferingsG3804 for youG5228G4771, andG2532 I fill upG466 inG1722 myG1473 fleshG4561 whatG3588 is lackingG5303 in regard toG3588 Christ’sG5547 afflictionsG2347 for the sake ofG5228 HisG846 bodyG4983, whichG3739 isG1510 theG3588 churchG1577. 25IG1473 becameG1096 itsG3739 servantG1249 byG2596 theG3588 commissionG3622 GodG2316 gaveG1325 meG1473 to fully proclaimG4137 toG1519 youG4771 theG3588 wordG3056 of GodG2316, 26theG3588 mysteryG3466 thatG3588 was hiddenG613 forG575 agesG165 andG2532 generationsG1074 butG1161 is now revealedG3568G5319 toG3588 HisG846 saintsG40. 27ToG3739 them GodG2316 has chosenG2309 to make knownG1107 amongG1722 theG3588 GentilesG1484 theG3588 gloriousG1391 richesG4149 of thisG3778 mysteryG3466, whichG3739 isG1510 ChristG5547 inG1722 youG4771, theG3588 hopeG1680 ofG3588 gloryG1391.

28WeG1473 proclaimG2605 HimG3739, admonishingG3560 andG2532 teachingG1321 everyoneG3956 withG1722 allG3956 wisdomG4678, so thatG2443 we may presentG3936 everyoneG3956 perfectG50466 inG1722 ChristG5547. 29ToG1519 this endG3739 I alsoG2532 laborG2872, strivingG75 with allG2596 HisG846 energyG1753 workingG1754 powerfullyG1722G1411 withinG1722 meG1473.