Colossians 1:16-29

New American Standard Bible 1995

¹⁶ For ^[a](A)by Him all things were created, ^(B)both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(C)thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—^(D)all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He ^[b](E)is before all things, and in Him all things ^[c]hold together. ¹⁸ He is also ^(F)head of ^(G)the body, the church; and He is ^(H)the beginning, ^(I)the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. ¹⁹ For ^[d]it was ^(J)the Father’s good pleasure for all ^(K)the ^[e]fullness to dwell in Him, ²⁰ and through Him to ^(L)reconcile all things to Himself, having made ^(M)peace through ^(N)the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, ^(O)whether things on earth or things in ^[f]heaven.

²¹ And although you were ^(P)formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, ²² yet He has now ^(Q)reconciled you in His fleshly ^(R)body through death, in order to ^(S)present you before Him ^(T)holy and blameless and beyond reproach— ²³ if indeed you continue in ^[g]the faith firmly ^(U)established and steadfast, and not moved away from the ^(V)hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed ^(W)in all creation under heaven, ^(X)and of which I, Paul, ^[h]was made a ^[i](Y)minister.

^24 (Z)Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(AA)I ^[j]do my share on behalf of ^(AB)His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking ^[k]in Christ’s afflictions. ^25 (AC)Of this church I ^[l]was made a minister according to the ^(AD)stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might ^[m]fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, ²⁶ that is, ^(AE)the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His ^[n]saints, ²⁷ to whom ^(AF)God willed to make known what is ^(AG)the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is ^(AH)Christ in you, the ^(AI)hope of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim Him, ^(AJ)admonishing every man and teaching every man ^[o]with all ^(AK)wisdom, so that we may ^(AL)present every man ^[p](AM)complete in Christ. ²⁹ For this purpose also I ^(AN)labor, ^(AO)striving ^(AP)according to His ^[q]power, which ^[r]mightily works within me.