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11 [We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,

12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the [a]portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light.

13 [The Father] has delivered and [b]drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son [c]of His love,

14 In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins.

15 [Now] He is the [d]exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]; He is the Firstborn of all creation.

16 For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him.

17 And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together).(A)

18 He also is the Head of [His] body, the church; seeing He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, so that He alone in everything and in every respect might occupy the chief place [stand first and be preeminent].

19 For it has pleased [the Father] that all the divine fullness (the sum total of the divine perfection, powers, and attributes) should dwell in Him [e]permanently.

20 And God purposed that through ([f]by the service, the intervention of) Him [the Son] all things should be completely reconciled [g]back to Himself, whether on earth or in heaven, as through Him, [the Father] made peace by means of the blood of His cross.

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:12 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  2. Colossians 1:13 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  3. Colossians 1:13 Literal translation.
  4. Colossians 1:15 Charles B. Williams, The New Testament: A Translation in the Language of the People: Strong terms—thus translated “exact likeness.”
  5. Colossians 1:19 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  6. Colossians 1:20 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  7. Colossians 1:20 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.

11 being strengthened with all power(A) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,(B) 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father,(C) who has qualified you[a] to share in the inheritance(D) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.(E) 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness(F) and brought us into the kingdom(G) of the Son he loves,(H) 14 in whom we have redemption,(I) the forgiveness of sins.(J)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the image(K) of the invisible God,(L) the firstborn(M) over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created:(N) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;(O) all things have been created through him and for him.(P) 17 He is before all things,(Q) and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head(R) of the body, the church;(S) he is the beginning and the firstborn(T) from among the dead,(U) so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased(V) to have all his fullness(W) dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile(X) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,(Y) by making peace(Z) through his blood,(AA) shed on the cross.

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:12 Some manuscripts us