²² Jehovah possessed me -- the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.

²³ From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.

²⁴ In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,

²⁵ Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.

²⁶ While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.

²⁷ In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,

²⁸ In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,

²⁹ In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,

³⁰ Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight -- day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,

³¹ Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men.

²⁴ and to those called -- both Jews and Greeks -- Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God,

³⁰ and of Him ye -- ye are in Christ Jesus, who became to us from God wisdom, righteousness also, and sanctification, and redemption,

¹⁶ for God did so love the world, that His Son -- the only begotten -- He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.

³¹ and these have been written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye may have life in his name.'

¹⁵ who is the image of the invisible God, first-born of all creation,

¹⁴ `And to the messenger of the assembly of the Laodiceans write: These things saith the Amen, the witness -- the faithful and true -- the chief of the creation of God;