Colossians 1:15-2

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.

Paul's Ministry to the Church

²⁴Now ^(AB)I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(AC)I am filling up ^(AD)what is lacking in Christ's afflictions ^(AE)for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ²⁵^(AF)of which I became a minister according to ^(AG)the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ²⁶^(AH)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ²⁷^(AI)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are ^(AJ)the riches of the glory of ^(AK)this mystery, which is Christ in you, ^(AL)the hope of glory. ²⁸Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(AM)we may present everyone ^(AN)mature in Christ. ²⁹For this ^(AO)I toil, ^(AP)struggling ^(AQ)with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

2 For I want you to know ^(AR)how great a ^(AS)struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, ²that ^(AT)their hearts may be encouraged, being ^(AU)knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of ^(AV)God's mystery, which is Christ, ³^(AW)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴I say this in order ^(AX)that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. ⁵For ^(AY)though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your ^(AZ)good order and ^(BA)the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive in Christ

⁶^(BB)Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷^(BC)rooted and ^(BD)built up in him and ^(BE)established in the faith, just ^(BF)as you were taught, abounding ^(BG)in thanksgiving.

⁸See to it that no one takes you captive by ^(BH)philosophy and ^(BI)empty deceit, according to ^(BJ)human tradition, according to the ^(BK)elemental spirits^[c] of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹For ^(BL)in him the whole fullness of deity dwells ^(BM)bodily, ¹⁰and ^(BN)you have been filled in him, who is ^(BO)the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹In him also ^(BP)you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by ^(BQ)putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ¹²^(BR)having been buried with him in baptism, in which ^(BS)you were also raised with him through faith in ^(BT)the powerful working of God, ^(BU)who raised him from the dead. ¹³^(BV)And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God ^(BW)made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴by ^(BX)canceling ^(BY)the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵^(BZ)He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[d] and ^(CA)put them to open shame, by ^(CB)triumphing over them in him.^[e]