Colossians 1:15-23

English Standard Version

The Preeminence of Christ

¹⁵^(A)He is the image of ^(B)the invisible God, ^(C)the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For by^[a] him all things were created, ^(D)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(E)thrones or ^(F)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created ^(G)through him and for him. ¹⁷And ^(H)he is before all things, and in him all things ^(I)hold together. ¹⁸And ^(J)he is the head of the body, the church. He is ^(K)the beginning, ^(L)the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹For ^(M)in him all the ^(N)fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰and ^(O)through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, ^(P)making peace ^(Q)by the blood of his cross.

²¹^(R)And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, ^(S)doing evil deeds, ²²he has now reconciled ^(T)in his body of flesh by his death, ^(U)in order to present you holy and blameless and ^(V)above reproach before him, ²³^(W)if indeed you continue in the faith, ^(X)stable and steadfast, not shifting from ^(Y)the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed ^(Z)in all creation^[b] under heaven, ^(AA)and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

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Footnotes

Colossians 1:16 That is, by means of; or in
Colossians 1:23 Or to every creature

Colossians 2:6-15

English Standard Version

Alive in Christ

⁶^(A)Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷^(B)rooted and ^(C)built up in him and ^(D)established in the faith, just ^(E)as you were taught, abounding ^(F)in thanksgiving.

⁸See to it that no one takes you captive by ^(G)philosophy and ^(H)empty deceit, according to ^(I)human tradition, according to the ^(J)elemental spirits^[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹For ^(K)in him the whole fullness of deity dwells ^(L)bodily, ¹⁰and ^(M)you have been filled in him, who is ^(N)the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹In him also ^(O)you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by ^(P)putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ¹²^(Q)having been buried with him in baptism, in which ^(R)you were also raised with him through faith in ^(S)the powerful working of God, ^(T)who raised him from the dead. ¹³^(U)And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God ^(V)made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴by ^(W)canceling ^(X)the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵^(Y)He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[b] and ^(Z)put them to open shame, by ^(AA)triumphing over them in him.^[c]