Colossians 1:10-18

English Standard Version

¹⁰so as ^(A)to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, ^(B)fully pleasing to him: ^(C)bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ¹¹^(D)being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for ^(E)all endurance and patience ^(F)with joy; ¹²^(G)giving thanks^[a] to the Father, who has qualified you^[b] to share in ^(H)the inheritance of the saints in light. ¹³He ^(I)has delivered us from ^(J)the domain of darkness and transferred us to ^(K)the kingdom of ^(L)his beloved Son, ¹⁴^(M)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Preeminence of Christ

¹⁵^(N)He is the image of ^(O)the invisible God, ^(P)the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For by^[c] him all things were created, ^(Q)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(R)thrones or ^(S)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created ^(T)through him and for him. ¹⁷And ^(U)he is before all things, and in him all things ^(V)hold together. ¹⁸And ^(W)he is the head of the body, the church. He is ^(X)the beginning, ^(Y)the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.