Colossians 1
Expanded Bible
1 From Paul, an ·apostle [messenger] of Christ Jesus. ·I am an apostle because that is what God wanted [L …by the will of God]. Also from Timothy [Acts 16:1–5; 1 Cor. 16:10–11; Phil. 2:19–24; 1 and 2 Timothy], our brother.
2 To the ·holy [T saints] and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ that live in Colossae [a city located in the Lycus Valley in the Roman province of Phrygia, present-day central Turkey]:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father.[a]
3 In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 ·because we have [or ever since we; L having] heard about the faith you have in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all ·of God’s people [T the saints]. 5 You have this faith and love because of your hope, and what you hope for is ·kept safe [stored up; reserved] for you in heaven. You learned about this hope when you heard the ·message about the truth [or true message; L word of truth], the ·Good News [Gospel] 6 that ·was told [L has come] to you. [L …just as] Everywhere in the world that ·Good News [Gospel] is ·bringing blessings [L bearing fruit] and is growing. This has happened with you, too, ·since [L from the day] you heard and ·understood the truth about [or truly understood] the grace of God. 7 You learned about ·God’s grace [L it] from Epaphras, our ·dear [beloved; much loved] fellow ·servant [slave; bondservant], who is a faithful ·servant [minister] of Christ ·for us[b] [on our behalf]. [C Epaphras apparently established the church at Colossae during Paul’s three-year ministry in Ephesus; Acts 19:10.] 8 He also told us about the love you have ·from [or in] the Holy Spirit.
9 Because of this, since the day we heard about you, we have ·continued [not ceased] praying for you, asking God ·that you will know fully what he wants [L to fill you with the knowledge of his will], ·and that you will have great [L in all] ·spiritual wisdom and understanding [or wisdom and understanding from the Spirit] 10 so that you will live the kind of life that ·honors [is worthy of] and pleases the Lord in every way. You will produce fruit in every good work and grow in the knowledge of God. 11 ·God will strengthen you [L …being strengthened] with ·his own great power [L all power according to his glorious might] so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will ·be patient. 12 And you will joyfully give thanks [or …have patience with joy, 12 giving thanks] to the Father who has made you[c] able to have a share in ·all that he has prepared for his people in the kingdom of light [L the inheritance of the saints/holy ones in the light]. 13 ·God [L …who] has ·freed [rescued; delivered] us from the ·power [authority; dominion] of darkness, and he brought us into the kingdom of his ·dear [dearly loved; beloved] Son, 14 ·who purchased our freedom[d] [L in whom we have redemption] ·and forgave our sins [or which is the forgiveness of sins].
The Importance of Christ
15 The Son [L …who] is ·the image of [exactly like; the visible representation of] the invisible God [John 1:18; Heb. 1:3]. He ·ranks higher than [L is the firstborn of/over] ·everything that has been made [all creation; Prov. 8:22–30]. 16 ·Through his power [L In him; or By him] all things were created [John 1:3; Heb. 1:2]—things in heaven and on earth, things seen and unseen, all ·powers [or heavenly authorities; L thrones], ·authorities [dominions; kingdoms], ·lords [rulers], and ·rulers [authorities; C these four may refer to angelic hierarchies, or to earthly and heavenly rulers]. All things were created through Christ and for Christ. 17 He ·was there before anything was made [L is before all things], and all things ·continue [endure; or hold together; unite] ·because of [or in] him. 18 He is the head of the body, which is the church. He is the beginning [C meaning (1) the source of the church; (2) the creator of all things; or (3) the beginning/initiator of the end-time resurrection]. He is the ·first one who was raised [L firstborn] from the dead. So in all things Jesus has ·first place [supremacy]. 19 God was pleased for all ·of himself [that he is; L of his fullness] to live in ·Christ [or the Son; L him]. 20 And through ·Christ [L him], God has ·brought all things back to himself again [L reconciled all things to himself]—things on earth and things in heaven. ·God made [L …by making] peace through the blood of ·Christ’s death on the cross [L his cross].
21 At one time you were ·separated [alienated; estranged] from God. You were his enemies in your minds, ·and the evil things you did were against God [or because of your evil deeds]. 22 But now God has ·made you his friends again [reconciled you] through Christ’s death in ·the body [his physical body; L the body of his flesh], so that he might bring you into God’s presence as people who are holy, ·with no wrong [without blemish; C as were sacrificial animals], and ·with nothing of which God can judge you guilty [blameless; innocent; free of accusation]. 23 This will happen if you continue ·strong [grounded; established] and ·sure [firm; steadfast] in your faith. You must not ·be moved [shift; drift] away from the hope ·brought to you by [or found in; L of] the ·Good News [the Gospel] that you heard. That same ·Good News [Gospel] has been ·told [preached; proclaimed] to ·everyone [L every creature; or in all creation] ·in the world [L under heaven], and I, Paul, ·help in preaching [L am a servant/minister of] it.
Paul’s Work for the Church
24 [L Now] I ·am happy [rejoice] in my sufferings for you. And I ·accept [fill up; complete] in my ·body [flesh] what ·Christ must still suffer [or is lacking in the suffering of Christ] ·through [or on behalf of] his body, the church. [C By suffering while spreading the Gospel, Paul both participates in Christ’s death and helps complete God’s plan.] 25 I became a ·servant [minister] of the church because God gave me a ·special work to do [stewardship; commission] ·that helps you [L for you], and that work is to ·tell fully [or complete; or preach everywhere; L fulfill] the ·message [word] of God. 26 This message is the ·secret [mystery; C something God had not previously disclosed; Eph. 1:9] that was hidden from ·everyone since the beginning of time [L ages and generations], but now it is made known to ·God’s holy people [T the saints]. 27 God ·decided [chose; willed] to let his people know this rich and glorious ·secret [mystery; 1:26] which he has for ·all people [the nations/Gentiles]. This ·secret [mystery] is ·that Christ lives in you. He is our only hope for glory [L Christ in you, the hope of glory]. 28 So we continue to ·preach [proclaim; announce] Christ to each person, using all wisdom to ·warn [instruct; admonish] and to teach everyone, in order to bring each one into God’s presence as a mature person in Christ. 29 To do this, I ·work [toil; labor] and struggle, using ·Christ’s [L his] great strength that works so powerfully in me.
Footnotes
- Colossians 1:2 Father Some Greek copies continue, “and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
- Colossians 1:7 for us Some Greek copies read “for you.”
- Colossians 1:12 you Some Greek copies read “us.”
- Colossians 1:14 freedom Some Greek copies continue, “with his blood.”
Kehillah in Colossae 1
Orthodox Jewish Bible
1 Sha’ul a Shliach of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua through the ratzon Hashem [1:9] and Timotiyos the Ach b’Moshiach;
2 To the Kadoshim in Colossae, the Achim b’Moshiach, the Achim HaNe’emanim. Chen v’Chesed Hashem to you and shalom from Elohim Avinu.
3 Hodinu l’Hashem (we give thanks to Hashem) Elohim HaAv of Adoneinu Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, davening always concerning you,
4 Having heard of your emunah in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua and the ahavah which you have for all the Kadoshim
5 On account of the tikvah (hope) being laid up for you in Shomayim, the tikvah which you heard of before in the Dvar HaEmes, the Besuras HaGeulah
6 That has come to you, as also in all the Olam Hazeh it is bearing p’ri and growing, so also in you, from the day you heard it and began to have saving da’as of the Chen v’Chesed Hashem in actuality.
7 This you learned from Epaphras, [4:12] our chaver and fellow eved, who is ne’eman (faithful), who is a trusted keli kodesh (minister) of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach for you.
8 Epaphras also revealed to us your ahavah in the Ruach Hakodesh.
9 Therefore, we also, from the day that we heard, do not cease davening for you and offering tefillos that you be filled with da’as of the ratzon Hashem [1:1] in all chochmah and binah in the Ruach Hakodesh.
10 And this is the purpose: that you walk in hitnahagut (conduct) worthy of Adoneinu in every way pleasing to him in every mitzvoh bearing p’ri in the da’as of Hashem,
11 With all ko’ach being empowered according to the gevurah (power) of his kavod for all zitzfleisch (patience) and savlanut (longsuffering) with lev same’ach (glad heart),
12 Giving todot to Elohim HaAv. Elohim HaAv is the One who has qualified you for the share of the allotted nachalah (inheritance, TEHILLIM 16:5-6) of the Kadoshim in Ohr (Light);
13 Elohim HaAv is the One who rescued nafsheinu (our souls) from the memshalet (dominion) of Choshech and transferred us into the Malchut of the Ben HaElohim of His ahavah,
14 In whom we have the pedut (redemption, Geulah release on payment of ransom) through the [kapporah] dahm of Moshiach the selicha (forgiveness) of chatoteinu (our sins).
15 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach is the demut (BERESHIS 1:26-27; Pp 2:6) of the invisible G-d, the Bechor [TEHILLIM 89:27], the Yoresh (Heir) of kol hanivrah (all creation),
16 Because in Him were created all things in Shomayim and on Ha’Aretz, the visible and the nistar (hidden), whether thrones or dominions, whether rulers or authorities, all things through Him and for Him have been created. [TEHILLIM 33:6]
17 And Moshiach is before all things, and all things in Moshiach have been held together; [MISHLE 8:23-27; 30:4]
18 And Moshiach is the Rosh [MISHLE 8:22; 30:4] of the Geviyah (Body) [Gn 47:18; Ps 16:9-10; Isa 53:11; Job 19:25-27], and the Geviyah (nevilah, DEVARIM 21:23) is Moshiach’s Brit Chadasha Kehillah; Moshiach is its Reshit, the Bechor from the Mesim, that Moshiach might be in everything pre-eminent, [TEHILLIM 89:27]
19 Because Hashem was pleased that all His fullness have its mishkan (tabernacle) in Moshiach,
20 And through Moshiach to bring ritztzuy (reconciliation, cessation of enmity, hostility between a wrathful holy G-d and sinful Bnei Adam) between all things and Himself, having made shalom through the dahm of the kapporah of HaEtz HaMoshiach [Dt 21:23; Isa 52:15; Lv 16:15-16], whether the things on HaAretz or the things in HaShomayim.
21 And you, once having been alienated and oyvim (enemies) in the mind by ma’asim hara’im (evil deeds),
22 Yet now Moshiach reconciled in the Guf (body) [1:18] of his basar [TEHILLIM 16:9-10] through Moshiach’s histalkus [Dan 9:26; Isa 53:8-9] to present you, Kadoshim holy and without mum (defect, VAYIKRA 22:20) and without reproach before Him,
23 Provided you remain in the [correct Orthodox Jewish] Emunah [Faith, the Emunah of the true Dat HaYehudit], having been founded in it and securely established and not moving away from the tikvah (hope) of the Besuras HaGeulah which you heard, the Besuras HaGeulah which has been proclaimed in kol hanivrah (all creation) under Shomayim, the Besuras HaGeulah of which I, Rav Sha’ul, became a keli kodesh (minister).
24 Now with lev same’ach (glad heart) and chedvah (rejoicing) I rejoice in my suffering tzoros on behalf of you. And I am mashlim (supply what is deficient) the things lacking of the Chevlei Moshiach in my basar on behalf of the basar of Moshiach [1:18] which is the Brit Chadasha Kehillah,
25 Of which I became a keli kodesh [1:23] according to the pekudat Hashem (stewardship of G-d, His shlichus commission) which was given to me for you, to carry to shleimut (wholeness, completion) the Dvar Hashem
26 The raz (mystery) having been hidden from olamim and from dor v’dor, but now made manifest to the Kadoshim of Moshiach,
27 To whom Hashem wanted to make hisgalus of what is the spiritual osher of the kavod of this raz among the non-Jews: Moshiach in you, the tikvah of kavod.
28 It is Moshiach who is the subject of our hattafah (preaching), warning every man and teaching every man in all chochmah, that we may present every man Bnei Chayil mature in Moshiach.
29 For this also I toil, striving according to the hitlahavut (inspiration, enthusiasm) of Him working in me with gevurah.
Colossians 1
New King James Version
Greeting
1 Paul, (A)an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 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
3 (D)We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 (E)since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of (F)your love for all the saints; 5 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, 6 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; 7 as you also learned from (K)Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is (L)a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your (M)love in the Spirit.
Preeminence of Christ
9 (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
- Colossians 1:2 NU omits and the Lord Jesus Christ
- Colossians 1:6 NU, M add and growing
- Colossians 1:13 transferred
- Colossians 1:14 NU, M omit through His blood
- Colossians 1:16 rulers
- Colossians 1:16 authorities
- Colossians 1:25 dispensation or administration
- Colossians 1:26 secret or hidden truth
- Colossians 1:27 M who
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
