Paul’s Desire to Visit the Thessalonians Again

¹⁷ As for us, brothers and sisters, when for a short time we were made orphans by being separated from you—in person, not in heart—we longed with great eagerness to see you face to face.^{(A) 18} For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, wanted to again and again—but Satan blocked our way.^{(B) 19} For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?^{(C) 20} Yes, you are our glory and joy!

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make humans^[a] in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth^[b] and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”^(A)

The Supremacy of Christ

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation,^{(A) 16} for in^[a] him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He himself is before all things, and in^[b] him all things hold together. ¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.^{(B) 19} For in him all the fullness of God^[c] was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.^(C)

²⁸ We know that all things work together^[a] for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.^{(A) 29} For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.^{[b](B) 30} And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.^(C)