Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness(A) to those who are perishing,(B) but to us who are being saved(C) it is the power of God.(D)

Read full chapter

30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,(A) who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,(B) holiness(C) and redemption.(D)

Read full chapter

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples(A) of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;(B) 20 you were bought at a price.(C) Therefore honor God with your bodies.(D)

Read full chapter

10 But by the grace(A) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me(B) was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them(C)—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.(D)

Read full chapter

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,(A) the new creation(B) has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!(C) 18 All this is from God,(D) who reconciled us to himself through Christ(E) and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.(F) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,(G) as though God were making his appeal through us.(H) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.(I)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or Christ, that person is a new creation.

20 I have been crucified with Christ(A) and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.(B) The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,(C) who loved me(D) and gave himself for me.(E)

Read full chapter

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law(A) by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”[a](B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 3:13 Deut. 21:23

22 But the fruit(A) of the Spirit is love,(B) joy, peace,(C) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.(D) Against such things there is no law.(E) 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh(F) with its passions and desires.(G) 25 Since we live by the Spirit,(H) let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Read full chapter

15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;(A) what counts is the new creation.(B)

Read full chapter

In him we have redemption(A) through his blood,(B) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches(C) of God’s grace

Read full chapter

For it is by grace(A) you have been saved,(B) through faith(C)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works,(D) so that no one can boast.(E) 10 For we are God’s handiwork,(F) created(G) in Christ Jesus to do good works,(H) which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

11 Therefore, remember that formerly(I) you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)(J) 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners(K) to the covenants of the promise,(L) without hope(M) and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once(N) were far away have been brought near(O) by the blood of Christ.(P)

14 For he himself is our peace,(Q) who has made the two groups one(R) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh(S) the law with its commands and regulations.(T) His purpose was to create in himself one(U) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,(V) by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace(W) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.(X) 18 For through him we both have access(Y) to the Father(Z) by one Spirit.(AA)

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,(AB) but fellow citizens(AC) with God’s people and also members of his household,(AD) 20 built(AE) on the foundation(AF) of the apostles and prophets,(AG) with Christ Jesus himself(AH) as the chief cornerstone.(AI) 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple(AJ) in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.(AK)

Read full chapter

11 So Christ himself gave(A) the apostles,(B) the prophets,(C) the evangelists,(D) the pastors and teachers,(E) 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ(F) may be built up(G) 13 until we all reach unity(H) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God(I) and become mature,(J) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.(K)

14 Then we will no longer be infants,(L) tossed back and forth by the waves,(M) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.(N) 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love,(O) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,(P) that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows(Q) and builds itself up(R) in love,(S) as each part does its work.

Read full chapter

Do Everything Without Grumbling

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,(A) 13 for it is God who works in you(B) to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.(C)

Read full chapter

For this reason, since the day we heard about you,(A) we have not stopped praying for you.(B) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will(C) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a](D) 10 so that you may live a life worthy(E) of the Lord and please him(F) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,(G) 11 being strengthened with all power(H) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,(I) 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father,(J) who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance(K) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.(L) 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness(M) and brought us into the kingdom(N) of the Son he loves,(O) 14 in whom we have redemption,(P) the forgiveness of sins.(Q)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the image(R) of the invisible God,(S) the firstborn(T) over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created:(U) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;(V) all things have been created through him and for him.(W) 17 He is before all things,(X) and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head(Y) of the body, the church;(Z) he is the beginning and the firstborn(AA) from among the dead,(AB) so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased(AC) to have all his fullness(AD) dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile(AE) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,(AF) by making peace(AG) through his blood,(AH) shed on the cross.

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies(AI) in your minds(AJ) because of[c] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled(AK) you by Christ’s physical body(AL) through death to present you(AM) holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation(AN)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:9 Or all spiritual wisdom and understanding
  2. Colossians 1:12 Some manuscripts us
  3. Colossians 1:21 Or minds, as shown by

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,(A) set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.(B)

Read full chapter

23 May God himself, the God of peace,(A) sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul(B) and body be kept blameless(C) at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.(D) 24 The one who calls(E) you is faithful,(F) and he will do it.(G)

Read full chapter

Bible Gateway Recommends