For this reason, since the day we heard about you,(A) we have not stopped praying for you.(B) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will(C) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a](D) 10 so that you may live a life worthy(E) of the Lord and please him(F) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,(G) 11 being strengthened with all power(H) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,(I) 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father,(J) who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance(K) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.(L) 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness(M) and brought us into the kingdom(N) of the Son he loves,(O) 14 in whom we have redemption,(P) the forgiveness of sins.(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:9 Or all spiritual wisdom and understanding
  2. Colossians 1:12 Some manuscripts us

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,(A) continue to live your lives in him, rooted(B) and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,(C) and overflowing with thankfulness.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,(D) which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world(E) rather than on Christ.

For in Christ all the fullness(F) of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head(G) over every power and authority.(H) 11 In him you were also circumcised(I) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh[b](J) was put off when you were circumcised by[c] Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism,(K) in which you were also raised with him(L) through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:8 Or the basic principles; also in verse 20
  2. Colossians 2:11 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verse 13.
  3. Colossians 2:11 Or put off in the circumcision of

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