Preeminence of Christ

(A)For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask (B)that you may be filled with (C)the knowledge of His will (D)in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 (E)that you may walk worthy of the Lord, (F)fully pleasing Him, (G)being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the (H)knowledge of God; 11 (I)strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, (J)for all patience and longsuffering (K)with joy; 12 (L)giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of (M)the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from (N)the power of darkness (O)and [a]conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 (P)in whom we have redemption [b]through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

15 He is (Q)the image of the invisible God, (R)the firstborn over all creation. 16 For (S)by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or (T)dominions or [c]principalities or [d]powers. All things were created (U)through Him and for Him. 17 (V)And He is before all things, and in Him (W)all things consist. 18 And (X)He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, (Y)the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:13 transferred
  2. Colossians 1:14 NU, M omit through His blood
  3. Colossians 1:16 rulers
  4. Colossians 1:16 authorities

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)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the image(R) of the invisible God,(S) the firstborn(T) over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created:(U) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;(V) all things have been created through him and for him.(W) 17 He is before all things,(X) and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head(Y) of the body, the church;(Z) he is the beginning and the firstborn(AA) from among the dead,(AB) so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

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Footnotes

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