Colossians 1:13-28

Holman Christian Standard Bible

¹³He has rescued^(A) us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom^(B) of the Son^(C) He loves.^(D) ¹⁴We have redemption,^[a] the forgiveness of sins, in Him.

The Centrality of Christ

¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God,^(E)
the firstborn over all creation.^[b]^(F)
¹⁶For everything was created by Him,^(G)
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through Him and for Him.^(H)
¹⁷He is before all things,^(I)
and by Him all things^(J) hold together.
¹⁸He is also the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning,^(K)
the firstborn from the dead,^(L)
so that He might come to have
first place in everything.
¹⁹For God was pleased to have
all His fullness^(M) dwell in Him,^(N)
²⁰and through Him to reconcile
everything to Himself
by making peace^(O)
through the blood^(P) of His cross^[c]^(Q)—
whether things on earth or things in heaven.

²¹Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. ²²But now He has reconciled you by His physical body^[d] through His death,^(R) to present you holy, faultless,^(S) and blameless before Him^(T)— ²³if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith^(U) and are not shifted away from the hope^(V) of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation^(W) under heaven,^(X) and I, Paul,^(Y) have become a servant of it.

Paul’s Ministry

²⁴Now I rejoice in my sufferings^(Z) for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His body,^(AA) that is, the church. ²⁵I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known, ²⁶the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. ²⁷God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ^(AB) in you, the hope^(AC) of glory. ²⁸We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.