Colossians 1:24-2:15

English Standard Version

Paul's Ministry to the Church

²⁴Now ^(A)I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(B)I am filling up ^(C)what is lacking in Christ's afflictions ^(D)for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ²⁵^(E)of which I became a minister according to ^(F)the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ²⁶^(G)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ²⁷^(H)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are ^(I)the riches of the glory of ^(J)this mystery, which is Christ in you, ^(K)the hope of glory. ²⁸Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(L)we may present everyone ^(M)mature in Christ. ²⁹For this ^(N)I toil, ^(O)struggling ^(P)with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

2 For I want you to know ^(Q)how great a ^(R)struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, ²that ^(S)their hearts may be encouraged, being ^(T)knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of ^(U)God's mystery, which is Christ, ³^(V)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴I say this in order ^(W)that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. ⁵For ^(X)though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your ^(Y)good order and ^(Z)the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive in Christ

⁶^(AA)Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷^(AB)rooted and ^(AC)built up in him and ^(AD)established in the faith, just ^(AE)as you were taught, abounding ^(AF)in thanksgiving.

⁸See to it that no one takes you captive by ^(AG)philosophy and ^(AH)empty deceit, according to ^(AI)human tradition, according to the ^(AJ)elemental spirits^[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹For ^(AK)in him the whole fullness of deity dwells ^(AL)bodily, ¹⁰and ^(AM)you have been filled in him, who is ^(AN)the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹In him also ^(AO)you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by ^(AP)putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ¹²^(AQ)having been buried with him in baptism, in which ^(AR)you were also raised with him through faith in ^(AS)the powerful working of God, ^(AT)who raised him from the dead. ¹³^(AU)And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God ^(AV)made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴by ^(AW)canceling ^(AX)the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵^(AY)He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[b] and ^(AZ)put them to open shame, by ^(BA)triumphing over them in him.^[c]