Col 1 | NASB1995 | STEP | Paul , an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God , and Timothy our brother ,

Colossians 1

Thankfulness for Spiritual Attainments

1 ^aPaul, ^ban apostle of Jesus Christ ^{▼▼ Lit through
,} ^dby the will of God, and ^eTimothy ^{▼▼ Lit the}our brother,

2 To the ^{▼▼ Or holy ones
,} ^hsaints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: ⁱGrace to you and peace from God our Father.

3 ^jWe give thanks to God, ^kthe Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 ^lsince we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the ^mlove which you have ^{▼▼ Or toward}for ^oall the ^{▼▼ Or holy ones}saints; 5 because of the ^qhope ^rlaid up for you in ^{▼▼ Lit the heavens}heaven, of which you previously ^theard in the word of truth, ^{▼▼ Or of the gospel}the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as ^{▼▼ Or it is in the world
,} ^win all the world also it is constantly bearing ^xfruit and ^{▼▼ Or spreading abroad}increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you ^zheard of it and ^{▼▼ Or came really to know}understood the grace of God in truth; 7 just as you learned it from ^abEpaphras, our ^acbeloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he also informed us of your ^adlove in the Spirit.

9 For this reason also, ^aesince the day we heard of it, ^afwe have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the ^{▼▼ Or real knowledge
,} ^ahknowledge of His will in all spiritual ^aiwisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will ^ajwalk in a manner worthy of the Lord, ^{▼▼ Lit unto all pleasing
,} ^alto please Him in all respects, ^ambearing fruit in every good work and ^{▼▼ Or growing by the knowledge}increasing in the ^{▼▼ Or real knowledge}knowledge of God; 11 ^apstrengthened with all power, according to ^{▼▼ Lit the might of His glory}His glorious might, ^{▼▼ Lit unto all}for the attaining of all steadfastness and ^{▼▼ Or patience with joy}patience; ^atjoyously 12 giving thanks to ^authe Father, who has qualified us ^{▼▼ Lit unto the portion of}to share in ^awthe inheritance of the ^{▼▼ Or holy ones}saints in ^ayLight.

The Incomparable Christ

13 ^{▼▼ Lit Who rescued}For He rescued us from the ^{▼▼ Lit authority
,} ^bbdomain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of ^{▼▼ Lit the Son of His love
,} ^bdHis beloved Son, 14 ^bein whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15 ^{▼▼ Lit Who is}He is the ^bgimage of the ^bhinvisible God, the ^bifirstborn of all creation. 16 For ^{▼▼ Or in
,} ^bkby Him all things were created, ^bl both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^bmthrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— ^bnall things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He ^{▼▼ Or has existed prior to
,} ^bpis before all things, and in Him all things ^{▼▼ Or endure}hold together. 18 He is also ^brhead of ^bsthe body, the church; and He is ^btthe beginning, ^buthe firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For ^{▼▼ Or all the fullness was pleased to dwell}it was ^bwthe Father’s good pleasure for all ^bxthe ^{▼▼ I.e. fullness of deity}fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to ^bzreconcile all things to Himself, having made ^capeace through ^cbthe blood of His cross; through Him, I say, ^ccwhether things on earth or things in ^{▼▼ Lit the heavens}heaven.

21 And although you were ^ceformerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now ^cfreconciled you in His fleshly ^cgbody through death, in order to ^chpresent you before Him ^ciholy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23 if indeed you continue in ^{▼▼ Or in faith}the faith firmly ^ckestablished and steadfast, and not moved away from the ^clhope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed ^cmin all creation under heaven, ^cnand of which I, Paul, ^{▼▼ Lit became}was made a ^{▼▼ Or servant
,} ^cqminister.

24 ^crNow I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^csI ^{▼▼ Or representatively...fill up}do my share on behalf of ^cuHis body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking ^{▼▼ Lit of}in Christ’s afflictions. 25 ^cwOf this church I ^{▼▼ Lit became}was made a minister according to the ^cystewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might ^{▼▼ Lit make full the word of God}fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26 that is, ^dathe mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His ^{▼▼ Or holy ones}saints, 27 to whom ^dcGod willed to make known what is ^ddthe riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is ^deChrist in you, the ^dfhope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, ^dgadmonishing every man and teaching every man ^{▼▼ Lit in}with all ^diwisdom, so that we may ^djpresent every man ^{▼▼ Or perfect
,} ^dlcomplete in Christ. 29 For this purpose also I ^dmlabor, ^dnstriving ^doaccording to His ^{▼▼ Lit working}power, which ^{▼▼ Lit in power}mightily works within me.