⁵ because of the ^(A)hope ^(B)laid up for you in ^[a]heaven, of which you previously ^(C)heard in the word of truth, ^[b]the gospel ⁶ which has come to you, just as ^[c](D)in all the world also it is constantly bearing ^(E)fruit and ^[d]increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you ^(F)heard of it and ^[e]understood the grace of God in truth; ⁷ just as you learned it from ^(G)Epaphras, our ^(H)beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, ⁸ and he also informed us of your ^(I)love in the Spirit.

⁹ For this reason also, ^(J)since the day we heard of it, ^(K)we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the ^[f](L)knowledge of His will in all spiritual ^(M)wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰ so that you will ^(N)walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, ^[g](O)to please Him in all respects, ^(P)bearing fruit in every good work and ^[h]increasing in the ^[i]knowledge of God; ^11 (Q)strengthened with all power, according to ^[j]His glorious might, ^[k]for the attaining of all steadfastness and ^[l]patience; ^(R)joyously ¹² giving thanks to ^(S)the Father, who has qualified us ^[m]to share in ^(T)the inheritance of the ^[n]saints in ^(U)Light.

The Incomparable Christ

^13 [o]For He rescued us from the ^[p](V)domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of ^[q](W)His beloved Son, ^14 (X)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

^15 [r]He is the ^(Y)image of the ^(Z)invisible God, the ^(AA)firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For ^[s](AB)by Him all things were created, ^(AC)both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(AD)thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—^(AE)all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He ^[t](AF)is before all things, and in Him all things ^[u]hold together. ¹⁸ He is also ^(AG)head of ^(AH)the body, the church; and He is ^(AI)the beginning, ^(AJ)the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. ¹⁹ For ^[v]it was ^(AK)the Father’s good pleasure for all ^(AL)the ^[w]fullness to dwell in Him, ²⁰ and through Him to ^(AM)reconcile all things to Himself, having made ^(AN)peace through ^(AO)the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, ^(AP)whether things on earth or things in ^[x]heaven.

²¹ And although you were ^(AQ)formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, ²² yet He has now ^(AR)reconciled you in His fleshly ^(AS)body through death, in order to ^(AT)present you before Him ^(AU)holy and blameless and beyond reproach— ²³ if indeed you continue in ^[y]the faith firmly ^(AV)established and steadfast, and not moved away from the ^(AW)hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed ^(AX)in all creation under heaven, ^(AY)and of which I, Paul, ^[z]was made a ^[aa](AZ)minister.

^24 (BA)Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(BB)I ^[ab]do my share on behalf of ^(BC)His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking ^[ac]in Christ’s afflictions. ^25 (BD)Of this church I ^[ad]was made a minister according to the ^(BE)stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might ^[ae]fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, ²⁶ that is, ^(BF)the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His ^[af]saints, ²⁷ to whom ^(BG)God willed to make known what is ^(BH)the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is ^(BI)Christ in you, the ^(BJ)hope of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim Him, ^(BK)admonishing every man and teaching every man ^[ag]with all ^(BL)wisdom, so that we may ^(BM)present every man ^[ah](BN)complete in Christ. ²⁹ For this purpose also I ^(BO)labor, ^(BP)striving ^(BQ)according to His ^[ai]power, which ^[aj]mightily works within me.

² for ^(A)the sake of the truth which abides ^(B)in us and will be ^(C)with us forever: