¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God,^(A)
the firstborn over all creation.^(B)
16 For everything was created by him,^(C)
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.^(D)
17 He is before all things,^(E)
and by him all things^(F) hold together.
¹⁸ He is also the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning,^(G)
the firstborn from the dead,^(H)
so that he might come to have
first place in everything.
¹⁹ For God was pleased to have
all his fullness^(I) dwell in him,^(J)
20 and through him to reconcile
everything to himself,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace^(K)
through his blood,^(L) shed on the cross.^[a](M)

⁶ who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God^(A)
as something to be exploited.^[a]
7 Instead he emptied himself^(B)
by assuming the form of a servant,^(C)
taking on the likeness of humanity.^(D)
And when he had come as a man,
⁸ he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.^(E)
9 For this reason God highly exalted him^(F)
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow^(G)—
in heaven^(H) and on earth
and under the earth^(I)—
¹¹ and every tongue^(J) will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory^(K) of God the Father.