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Paul Paulos, an apostle apostolos of Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous by dia the will thelēma of God theos, and kai Timothy Timotheos our ho brother adelphos, to the ho saints hagios and kai faithful pistos brothers adelphos in en Christ Christos at en Colossae Kolossai: Grace charis to you hymeis and kai peace eirēnē from apo God theos our hēmeis Father patēr.

We always pantote thank eucharisteō · ho God theos, the Father patēr of ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos, when we pray proseuchomai for peri you hymeis, for we have heard akouō of · ho your hymeis faith pistis in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous and kai the ho love agapē that hos you have echō for eis all pas the ho saints hagios. Both spring from dia the ho hope elpis · ho laid apokeimai up for you hymeis in en · ho heaven ouranos. Of this hos you have heard proakouō before in en the ho word logos of ho truth alētheia, the ho gospel euangelion, which ho has come pareimi to eis you hymeis. Just kathōs as · kai in en the ho entire pas world kosmos it is eimi bearing karpophoreō fruit and kai growing auxanō, so kathōs also kai is it among en you hymeis from apo the hos day hēmera you heard akouō it and kai understood epiginōskō the ho grace charis of ho God theos in en truth alētheia; just kathōs as you learned manthanō it from apo Epaphras Epaphras · ho our hēmeis beloved agapētos fellow syndoulos servant , who hos is eimi a faithful pistos minister diakonos of ho Christ Christos on hyper your hēmeis behalf · ho and kai has told dēloō us hēmeis of ho your hymeis love agapē in en the Spirit pneuma.

For dia this houtos reason , · kai from apo the hos day hēmera we heard akouō about you, we hēmeis have not ou ceased pauō praying proseuchomai for hyper you hymeis and kai asking aiteō that hina you may be filled plēroō with the ho knowledge epignōsis of ho his autos will thelēma in en all pas spiritual pneumatikos wisdom sophia and kai understanding synesis, 10 that you may walk peripateō worthy axiōs of the ho Lord kyrios, fully eis pas pleasing areskeia to him, bearing fruit karpophoreō in en every pas good agathos work ergon, and kai increasing auxanō in the ho knowledge epignōsis of ho God theos, 11 being strengthened dynamoō with en all pas power dynamis according kata to · ho his autos glorious doxa might kratos, · ho for eis the display of all pas endurance hypomonē and kai patience makrothumia; while joyfully meta chara 12 giving thanks eucharisteō to the ho Father patēr, who ho has qualified hikanoō you hymeis to eis · ho share meris in the ho inheritance klēros of the ho saints hagios in en the ho light phōs. 13 He hos has rescued rhyomai us hēmeis from ek the ho tyranny exousia of ho darkness skotos and kai transferred methistēmi us into eis the ho kingdom basileia of ho his autos beloved agapē Son hyios, · ho 14 in en whom hos we have echō · ho redemption apolytrōsis, the ho forgiveness aphesis of ho sins hamartia.

15 He hos is eimi the image eikōn of the ho invisible aoratos God theos, · ho the firstborn prōtotokos over all pas creation ktisis; 16 for hoti in en him autos all pas things ho were created ktizō, in en · ho heaven ouranos and kai on epi · ho earth , things ho visible horatos and kai · ho invisible aoratos, whether eite thrones thronos or eite dominions kyriotēs, whether eite principalities archē or eite powers exousia all pas things ho have been created ktizō through dia him autos and kai for eis him autos. 17 And kai he autos is eimi before pro all pas things , and kai in en him autos all pas things ho hold synistēmi together . 18 And kai he autos is eimi the ho head kephalē of the ho body sōma, the ho church ekklēsia. He hos is eimi the beginning archē, the firstborn prōtotokos from ek the ho dead nekros, in hina order that he autos might be ginomai preeminent prōteuō in en everything pas. 19 For hoti God was pleased eudokeō to have all pas his ho fullness plērōma dwell katoikeō in en him autos, 20 and kai through dia him autos to reconcile apokatallassō · ho all things pas to eis himself autos, · ho whether eite · ho on epi · ho earth or eite · ho in en · ho heaven ouranos, by making peace eirēnopoieō through dia his autos blood haima shed on the ho cross stauros.

21 And kai you hymeis who were eimi at one pote time alienated apallotrioō and kai hostile echthros in ho mind dianoia, doing en ho · ho · ho evil ponēros deeds , 22 he has now nyni · de reconciled apokatallassō in en Christ’ s autos physical sarx · ho body sōma · ho through dia his ho death thanatos, in order to present paristēmi you hymeis holy hagios, · kai without blemish and kai beyond reproach anenklētos in his autos sight katenōpion 23 if ei indeed ge you continue epimenō in the ho faith pistis, stable themelioō and kai steadfast hedraios, · kai not shifting metakineō from apo the ho hope elpis of the ho gospel euangelion that hos you heard akouō, which ho has been proclaimed kēryssō to en every pas creature ktisis · ho under hypo · ho heaven ouranos, and of which hos I egō, Paul Paulos, became ginomai a minister diakonos.

24 I am now nyn rejoicing chairō in en my ho sufferings pathēma on hyper your hymeis behalf, and kai in en my egō flesh sarx am completing antanaplēroō what ho is lacking hysterēma in the ho afflictions thlipsis of ho Christ Christos · ho for hyper the sake of · ho his autos body sōma, which hos is eimi the ho church ekklēsia, 25 of which hos I egō became ginomai a minister diakonos according kata to the ho stewardship oikonomia from ho God theos that ho was given didōmi to me egō for eis your hymeis benefit, to make plēroō the ho word logos of ho God theos fully known , 26 the ho mystery mystērion that ho has been hidden apokryptō for apo · ho ages aiōn and kai · ho generations genea, but de has now nyn been revealed phaneroō to ho his autos saints hagios. 27 To them hos God theos chose thelō · ho to make known gnōrizō how tis great among en the ho Gentiles ethnos are the ho glorious doxa riches ploutos · ho of ho this houtos mystery mystērion, which hos is eimi Christ Christos in en you hymeis, the ho hope elpis of ho glory doxa. 28 He is the one hos we hēmeis proclaim katangellō, warning noutheteō everyone pas anthrōpos and kai teaching didaskō everyone pas anthrōpos with en all pas wisdom sophia, so hina that we may present paristēmi everyone pas anthrōpos mature teleios in en Christ Christos. 29 To eis this hos end · kai I labor kopiaō, striving agōnizomai according kata to · ho his autos power energeia that ho works energeō powerfully en in en me egō.

Thankfulness for Spiritual Attainments

Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed) by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the [a]saints and faithful [b]believers in Christ [who are] at Colossae: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father.

We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we pray always for you, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [how you lean on Him with absolute confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness], and of the [unselfish] [c]love which you have for all the saints (God’s people); because of the [confident] hope [of experiencing that] which is reserved and waiting for you in heaven. You previously heard of this hope in the message of truth, the gospel [regarding salvation] which has come to you. Indeed, just as in the whole world the gospel is constantly bearing fruit and spreading [by God’s power], just as it has been doing among you ever since the day you first heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth [becoming thoroughly and deeply acquainted with it]. You learned it from [our representative] Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf and he also has told us of your love [well-grounded and nurtured] in the [Holy] Spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard about it, we have not stopped praying for you, asking [specifically] that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [with insight into His purposes], and in understanding [of spiritual things], 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord [displaying admirable character, moral courage, and personal integrity], to [fully] please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing in the knowledge of God [with deeper faith, clearer insight and fervent love for His precepts]; 11 [we pray that you may be] strengthened and invigorated with all power, according to His glorious might, to attain every kind of endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints (God’s people) in the Light.

The Incomparable Christ

13 For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins’ penalty].

15 He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation. 16 For [d]by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, [things] visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [that is, by His activity] and for Him. 17 And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.](A) 18 He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the [e]church; and He is the beginning, [f]the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything.(B) 19 For it pleased the Father for all the fullness [of deity—the sum total of His essence, all His perfection, powers, and attributes] to dwell [permanently] in Him (the Son), 20 and through [the intervention of] the Son to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace [with believers] through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say,] whether things on earth or things in heaven.

21 And although you were at one time estranged and alienated and hostile-minded [toward Him], participating in evil things, 22 yet Christ has now reconciled you [to God] in His [g]physical body through death, in order to present you before the Father holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23 [and He will do this] if you continue in the faith, well-grounded and steadfast, and not shifting away from the [confident] hope [that is a result] of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed [h]in all creation under heaven, and of which [gospel] I, Paul, was made a minister.

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf. And with my own body I [i]supplement whatever is lacking [on our part] of Christ’s afflictions, on behalf of His body, which is the church. 25 In this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship which God entrusted to me for your sake, so that I might make the word of God fully known [among you]— 26 that is, [j]the mystery which was hidden [from angels and mankind] for ages and generations, but has now been revealed to His saints (God’s people). 27 God [in His eternal plan] chose to make known to them how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in and among you, the hope and guarantee of [realizing the] glory. 28 We proclaim Him, warning and instructing everyone in all wisdom [that is, with comprehensive insight into the word and purposes of God], so that we may present every person complete in Christ [mature, fully trained, and perfect in Him—the Anointed]. 29 For this I labor [often to the point of exhaustion], striving with His power and energy, which so greatly works within me.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:2 Every born-again believer (saint) has been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, made holy and set apart for God’s purpose.
  2. Colossians 1:2 Lit brethren.
  3. Colossians 1:4 The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another.
  4. Colossians 1:16 Or in.
  5. Colossians 1:18 This refers to the entire body of born-again believers (whether past, present, or future), not a local congregation.
  6. Colossians 1:18 Christ is the first to be resurrected with an incorruptible, immortal body. Others who were raised had to die again.
  7. Colossians 1:22 Lit body of flesh.
  8. Colossians 1:23 Paul may be referring to the fact that the created world displays proof of the existence of an omnipotent, benevolent God (cf Rom 1:20), without whom there would be no possibility of salvation. Such a God is the foundation of the “good news.”
  9. Colossians 1:24 I.e. since the church is Christ’s body, figuratively speaking, whatever the church suffers can be considered additional sufferings by Christ Himself, and all such suffering was ordained and destined by God; what is left to suffer in God’s plan is what is “lacking of Christ’s afflictions.” Paul, as a member of the church, was destined to suffer through persecution etc., thereby taking his share of the church body’s divinely-ordained suffering.
  10. Colossians 1:26 I.e. that believing Gentiles would be united with believing Jews into one body of believers.