^12 (A)Epaphras, ^(B)who is one of your own, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always ^(C)striving earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may ^[a]stand ^[b](D)mature and ^[c]fully assured in all the will of God. ¹³ For I testify for him that he has ^[d]a deep concern for you and for those who are in ^(E)Laodicea and Hierapolis. ^14 (F)Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and ^(G)Demas does also. ¹⁵ Greet the brothers and sisters who are in ^(H)Laodicea and also ^[e]Nympha and ^(I)the church that is in ^[f]her house. ^16 (J)When ^[g]this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part, ^(K)read ^[h]my letter that is coming from ^(L)Laodicea.

^15 [a]He is the ^(A)image of the ^(B)invisible God, the ^(C)firstborn of all creation: ¹⁶ for ^[b](D)by Him all things were created, ^(E)both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(F)thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—^(G)all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He ^[c](H)is before all things, and in Him all things ^[d]hold together. ¹⁸ He is also the ^(I)head of ^(J)the body, the church; and He is ^(K)the beginning, ^(L)the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. ¹⁹ For ^[e]it was ^(M)the Father’s good pleasure for all ^(N)the ^[f]fullness to dwell in Him, ²⁰ and through Him to ^(O)reconcile all things to Himself, ^(P)whether things on earth or things in ^[g]heaven, having made ^(Q)peace through ^(R)the blood of His cross.

²¹ And although you were ^(S)previously alienated and hostile in attitude, engaged in evil deeds, ²² yet He has now ^(T)reconciled you in His ^(U)body of flesh through death, in order to ^(V)present you before Him ^(W)holy and blameless and beyond reproach— ²³ if indeed you continue in ^[h]the faith firmly ^(X)established and steadfast, and not shifting from the ^(Y)hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed ^(Z)in all creation under heaven, ^(AA)and of which I, Paul, ^[i]was made a ^[j](AB)minister.

You Are Built Up in Christ

2 For I want you to know how great a ^(A)struggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at ^(B)Laodicea, and for all those who have not ^[a]personally seen my face, ² that their ^(C)hearts may be encouraged, having been ^(D)knit together in love, and that they would attain to all ^(E)the wealth ^[b]that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a ^(F)true knowledge of ^(G)God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, ³ in whom are hidden all ^(H)the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ^4 (I)I say this so that no one will deceive you with ^(J)persuasive arguments. ⁵ For even though I am ^(K)absent in body, I am nevertheless with you in spirit, rejoicing ^[c]to see ^[d]your ^(L)orderly manner and the ^(M)stability of your faith in Christ.