The Supremacy of the Son of God

¹⁵ The Son is the image^(A) of the invisible God,^(B) the firstborn^(C) over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created:^(D) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;^(E) all things have been created through him and for him.^{(F) 17} He is before all things,^(G) and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head^(H) of the body, the church;^(I) he is the beginning and the firstborn^(J) from among the dead,^(K) so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased^(L) to have all his fullness^(M) dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile^(N) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,^(O) by making peace^(P) through his blood,^(Q) shed on the cross.

⁹ For in Christ all the fullness^(A) of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head^(B) over every power and authority.^{(C) 11} In him you were also circumcised^(D) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh^[a](E) was put off when you were circumcised by^[b] Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism,^(F) in which you were also raised with him^(G) through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.^(H)

¹³ When you were dead in your sins^(I) and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you^[c] alive^(J) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,^{(K) 14} having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,^(L) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.^{(M) 15} And having disarmed the powers and authorities,^(N) he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them^(O) by the cross.^[d]