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Paul, an emissary[a] of Jesus the Anointed serving at God’s pleasure, along with our brother Timothy to you, dear holy and faithful brothers and sisters in the family of the Anointed who live in Colossae. May grace and peace from God our Father [and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One][b] envelop you.

As always, we’ve been praying for you, thanking God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, ever since we heard of your faith in Jesus the Anointed and your love for His holy ones— a faith and love that emerge from the hope you have heard about in the word of truth—the gospel—the very hope that awaits you in heaven. 6-7 The same gospel that was brought to you is growing and bearing fruit all over the world, just as it has been growing among you since the day you heard and took in the truth of God’s grace from our beloved fellow servant Epaphras. (He is a faithful minister of the Anointed on our[c] behalf.) He was the one who told us how you demonstrate your love in the power of the Spirit. Since the day we got this good news about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We ask:

This is a prayer for knowledge and insight that only can come from God.

Father, may they clearly know Your will and achieve the height and depth of spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 May their lives be a credit to You, Lord; and what’s more, may they continue to delight You by doing every good work and growing in the true knowledge that comes from being close to You. 11 Strengthen them with Your infinite power, according to Your glorious might, so that they will have everything they need to hold on and endure hardship patiently and joyfully. 12 Thank You, Father, as You have made us[d] eligible to receive our portion of the inheritance given to all those set apart by the light. 13 You have rescued us from dark powers and brought us safely into the kingdom of Your Son, whom You love 14 and in whom we are redeemed and forgiven of our sins [through His blood].[e]

15 He is the exact image of the invisible God, the firstborn of creation, the eternal. 16 It was by Him that everything was created: the heavens, the earth, all things within and upon them, all things seen and unseen, thrones and dominions, spiritual powers and authorities. Every detail was crafted through His design, by His own hands, and for His purposes. 17 He has always been! It is His hand that holds everything together. 18 He is the head of this body, the church. He is the beginning, the first of those to be reborn from the dead, so that in every aspect, at every view, in everything—He is first. 19 God was pleased that all His fullness should forever dwell in the Son 20 who, as predetermined by God, bled peace into the world by His death on the cross as God’s means of reconciling to Himself the whole creation—all things in heaven and all things on earth.

As Paul gives thanks to God—a normal thing to do in a letter—he remembers a hymn he heard in the churches. The Colossian hymn (verses 15–20), as we call it, is all about Jesus. It celebrates His reign, first as the Creator and Sustainer of the cosmos and second as the head of the church and the One who reconciles every broken thing to God by what He accomplished on the cross. In this hymn, the story of redemption is a witness to God’s love. Paul wants the Colossians to understand who they are; but to do that, they must first know to whom they belong.

21 You were once at odds with God, wicked in your ways and evil in your minds; 22 but now He has reconciled you in His body—in His flesh through His death—so that He can present you to God holy, blameless, and totally free of imperfection 23 as long as you stay planted in the faith. So don’t venture away from what you have heard and taken to heart: the living hope of the good news that has been announced to all creation under heaven and has captured me, Paul, as its servant.

24 Now I rejoice in what I’ve suffered on your behalf, but even more suffering is ahead for me as I take on and complete what remains of the Anointed’s suffering for the sake of His body, the church. 25 I am a servant appointed by God to preach the Word of God until it is known to you and all over—what I am talking about is nothing less than 26 the mystery of the ages! What was hidden for ages, generations and generations, is now being revealed to His holy ones. 27 He decided to make known to them His blessing to the nations; the glorious riches of this mystery is the indwelling of the Anointed in you! The very hope of glory.

28 We are preaching Him—spreading the Word to all with equal amounts of wise warning and instruction—so that, at the final judgment, we will be able to present everyone to the Creator fully mature because of what Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, has done. 29 This is why I continue to toil and struggle—because His amazing power and energy surge within me.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Literally, apostle
  2. 1:2 Some manuscripts omit this portion.
  3. 1:6-7 Some manuscripts read “your.”
  4. 1:12 Other manuscripts read “you.”
  5. 1:14 Early manuscripts omit this portion.

Greeting

Paul, (A)an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the saints (B)and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse:

(C)Grace to you and peace from God our Father [a]and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Their Faith in Christ

(D)We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, (E)since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of (F)your love for all the saints; because of the hope (G)which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, (H)as it has also in all the world, and (I)is bringing forth [b]fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew (J)the grace of God in truth; as you also learned from (K)Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is (L)a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, who also declared to us your (M)love in the Spirit.

Preeminence of Christ

(N)For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask (O)that you may be filled with (P)the knowledge of His will (Q)in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 (R)that you may walk worthy of the Lord, (S)fully pleasing Him, (T)being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the (U)knowledge of God; 11 (V)strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, (W)for all patience and longsuffering (X)with joy; 12 (Y)giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of (Z)the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from (AA)the power of darkness (AB)and [c]conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 (AC)in whom we have redemption [d]through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

15 He is (AD)the image of the invisible God, (AE)the firstborn over all creation. 16 For (AF)by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or (AG)dominions or [e]principalities or [f]powers. All things were created (AH)through Him and for Him. 17 (AI)And He is before all things, and in Him (AJ)all things consist. 18 And (AK)He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, (AL)the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Reconciled in Christ

19 For it pleased the Father that (AM)in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and (AN)by Him to reconcile (AO)all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, (AP)having made peace through the blood of His cross.

21 And you, (AQ)who once were alienated and enemies in your mind (AR)by wicked works, yet now He has (AS)reconciled 22 (AT)in the body of His flesh through death, (AU)to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue (AV)in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are (AW)not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, (AX)which was preached to every creature under heaven, (AY)of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Sacrificial Service for Christ

24 (AZ)I now rejoice in my sufferings (BA)for you, and fill up in my flesh (BB)what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for (BC)the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to (BD)the [g]stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 (BE)the [h]mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, (BF)but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 (BG)To them God willed to make known what are (BH)the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: [i]which is (BI)Christ in you, (BJ)the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, (BK)warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, (BL)that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me (BM)mightily.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:2 NU omits and the Lord Jesus Christ
  2. Colossians 1:6 NU, M add and growing
  3. Colossians 1:13 transferred
  4. Colossians 1:14 NU, M omit through His blood
  5. Colossians 1:16 rulers
  6. Colossians 1:16 authorities
  7. Colossians 1:25 dispensation or administration
  8. Colossians 1:26 secret or hidden truth
  9. Colossians 1:27 M who

Pagbati

Mula kay Pablo, apostol ni Cristo Jesus sa pamamagitan ng kalooban ng Diyos, at kay Timoteo na ating kapatid, Sa mga banal at tapat na mga kapatid kay Cristo na nasa Colosas: Sumainyo nawa ang biyaya at kapayapaang mula sa Diyos na ating Ama.

Pasasalamat para sa mga Taga-Colosas

Nagpapasalamat kami sa Diyos na Ama ng ating Panginoong Jesu-Cristo, sa tuwing kami ay nananalangin para sa inyo, sapagkat nabalitaan namin ang tungkol sa inyong pananampalataya kay Cristo Jesus, at ang inyong pag-ibig para sa lahat ng mga banal, dahil sa pag-asang nakalaan sa inyo sa langit. Nang nakaraang panahon ay narinig ninyo ang tungkol dito sa pamamagitan ng mensahe ng katotohanan, ang ebanghelyo, na dumating sa inyo. Kung paanong sa buong daigdig ay namumunga at lumalaganap ang ebanghelyong ito, ay gayundin naman sa inyo, mula nang araw na inyong narinig at naunawaan ang tunay na kahulugan ng biyaya ng Diyos. Natutuhan (A) ninyo ito kay Epafras, ang minamahal naming kapwa lingkod. Siya ay tapat na lingkod ni Cristo alang-alang sa inyo,[a] at siya ang nagpahayag sa amin tungkol sa inyong pag-ibig sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu.

Dahil dito, mula nang araw na mabalitaan namin ang tungkol sa inyo, ay walang tigil kaming nananalangin para sa inyo. Hinihiling namin sa Diyos na kayo'y mapuspos ng kaalaman tungkol sa kanyang kalooban sa lahat ng espirituwal na karunungan at pang-unawa. 10 Ang kayo'y magpatuloy sa pamumuhay nang karapat-dapat sa Panginoon, nagbibigay-kasiyahan sa kanya sa lahat ng bagay, namumunga sa lahat ng uri ng mabuting gawa, at lumalago sa pagkakilala sa Diyos. 11 Palakasin nawa kayo na taglay ang buong kapangyarihan, ayon sa kanyang maluwalhating kalakasan—upang kayo'y maging matatag at makaya ninyong tiisin ang lahat ng bagay, habang may galak 12 na nagpapasalamat sa Ama, na siyang nagbigay sa atin ng karapatang makibahagi sa pamana para sa mga banal na nasa liwanag. 13 Siya ang nagligtas sa atin mula sa kapangyarihan ng kadiliman at naglipat sa atin tungo sa kaharian ng kanyang minamahal na Anak. 14 (B) Sa kanya ay mayroon tayong katubusan, ang kapatawaran ng mga kasalanan.[b]

Si Cristo, Ang Pangunahin sa Lahat

15 Siya ang larawan ng Diyos na di-nakikita, ang pangunahin sa lahat ng mga nilikha; 16 sapagkat sa pamamagitan niya ay nilikha ang lahat ng bagay na nasa langit at nasa lupa, ang mga bagay na nakikita at ang mga hindi nakikita, maging ang mga trono o mga pamamahala, o mga pamunuan o mga may kapangyarihan—lahat ng bagay ay nilikha sa pamamagitan niya at para sa kanya. 17 Siya mismo ay una sa lahat, at ang lahat ng mga bagay ay nananatiling sama-sama sa pamamagitan niya. 18 Siya (C) ang ulo ng katawan, ang iglesya. Siya ang pasimula, ang pangunahin sa mga binuhay mula sa kamatayan, upang sa lahat ng bagay ay siya ang maging kataas-taasan. 19 Sapagkat ikinalugod ng Diyos na ang kanyang buong kalikasan ay manirahan kay Cristo, 20 at (D) sa pamamagitan niya ay ipagkasundo sa kanyang sarili ang lahat ng bagay, nasa lupa man o sa langit, na sa pamamagitan ng kanyang dugo na dumanak sa krus ay nakamtan ang kapayapaan.

21 At kayo, dati'y napakalayo, mga sumasalungat sa kanya sa inyong pag-iisip at namumuhay sa masasamang gawa. 22 Ngayon ay ipinakipagkasundo niya kayo sa pamamagitan ng kamatayan ng kanyang katawang laman na namatay, upang sa paningin ng Diyos kayo'y maiharap na mga banal, hindi mapaparatangan ng anuman at walang dungis, 23 kung kayo nga'y nananatili sa pananampalataya, naninindigang mabuti, matatag at hindi natitinag sa pag-asang mula sa ebanghelyo. Ito'y inyong narinig at naipangaral na sa lahat ng tao sa silong ng langit; para sa ebanghelyong ito, akong si Pablo ay naging lingkod.

Paglilingkod ni Pablo sa Iglesya

24 Ikinagagalak ko ngayon ang aking mga pagdurusa para sa inyo, at sa pamamagitan ng aking katawan ay nadaragdagan ko ang anumang kakulangan sa mga paghihirap ni Cristo alang-alang sa kanyang katawan, ang iglesya. 25 Ako'y naging lingkod nito, ayon sa katungkulang ipinagkatiwala ng Diyos sa akin, upang maipahayag sa inyo nang lubusan ang salita ng Diyos. 26 Ito ang hiwaga na iningatang lihim sa napakahabang panahon at sa mga salinlahi, ngunit ngayo'y malinaw na inihayag sa kanyang mga banal. 27 Ninais ng Diyos na ipaunawa sa kanila ang napakaluwalhating kayamanan ng hiwagang ito sa gitna ng mga bansa, na ito'y si Cristo na nasa inyo, ang pag-asa tungo sa kaluwalhatian. 28 Siya ang aming ipinangangaral. Binabalaan namin at tinuturuan ang bawat isa nang buong karunungan, upang ang bawat tao ay maiharap naming nasa ganap na kalagayan kay Cristo. 29 Dahil dito'y nagpapakahirap ako, nagsisikap sa pamamagitan ng kanyang lakas na makapangyarihang kumikilos sa akin.

Footnotes

  1. Colosas 1:7 Sa ibang mga manuskrito amin.
  2. Colosas 1:14 Sa ibang mga manuskrito may karugtong na sa pamamagitan ng kanyang dugo.