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Salutation

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

To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.[a]

Paul Thanks God for the Colossians

In our prayers for you we always thank God, the[b] Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,(A) for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,(B) because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel(C) that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.(D) This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on our[c] behalf,(E) and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s[d] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,(F) 10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.(G) 11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, so that you may have all endurance and patience, joyfully(H) 12 giving thanks to the Father,[e] who has enabled[f] you[g] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,(I) 14 in whom we have redemption,[h] the forgiveness of sins.

The Supremacy of Christ

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation,(J) 16 for in[i] him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in[j] him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.(K) 19 For in him all the fullness of God[k] was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.(L)

21 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled[l] in his fleshly body[m] through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him,(M) 23 provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature[n] under heaven. I, Paul, became a minister of this gospel.(N)

Paul’s Interest in the Colossians

24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25 I became its minister according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,(O) 26 the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints.(P) 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.(Q) 28 It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.[o](R) 29 For this I toil and strive with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me.(S)

Footnotes

  1. 1.2 Other ancient authorities add and the Lord Jesus Christ
  2. 1.3 Other ancient authorities read thank the God and
  3. 1.7 Other ancient authorities read your
  4. 1.9 Gk his
  5. 1.12 Other ancient authorities read God the Father or the God and Father
  6. 1.12 Other ancient authorities read called
  7. 1.12 Other ancient authorities read us
  8. 1.14 Other ancient authorities add through his blood
  9. 1.16 Or by
  10. 1.17 Or by
  11. 1.19 Gk lacks of God
  12. 1.22 Other ancient authorities read you have now been reconciled
  13. 1.22 Gk in the body of his flesh
  14. 1.23 Or in all creation
  15. 1.28 Other ancient authorities add Jesus

Παῦλος ἀπόστολος [a]Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφὸς τοῖς ἐν [b]Κολοσσαῖς ἁγίοις καὶ πιστοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ· χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς [c]ἡμῶν.

Εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ [d]θεῷ πατρὶ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πάντοτε [e]περὶ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι, ἀκούσαντες τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην [f]ἣν ἔχετε εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τὴν ἀποκειμένην ὑμῖν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἣν προηκούσατε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς, καθὼς καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ [g]κόσμῳ ἐστὶν καρποφορούμενον καὶ αὐξανόμενον καθὼς καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀφ’ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσατε καὶ ἐπέγνωτε τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ· [h]καθὼς ἐμάθετε ἀπὸ Ἐπαφρᾶ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ συνδούλου ἡμῶν, ὅς ἐστιν πιστὸς ὑπὲρ [i]ἡμῶν διάκονος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ καὶ δηλώσας ἡμῖν τὴν ὑμῶν ἀγάπην ἐν πνεύματι.

Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἀφ’ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσαμεν, οὐ παυόμεθα ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι καὶ αἰτούμενοι ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει πνευματικῇ, 10 [j]περιπατῆσαι ἀξίως τοῦ κυρίου εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρεσκείαν ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ καρποφοροῦντες καὶ αὐξανόμενοι [k]τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ θεοῦ, 11 ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν μετὰ χαρᾶς, 12 εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ πατρὶ τῷ ἱκανώσαντι [l]ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί, 13 ὃς ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους καὶ μετέστησεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ, 14 ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν· 15 ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως, 16 ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ [m]πάντα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς [n]καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται· 17 καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν, 18 καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας· ὅς [o]ἐστιν ἀρχή, πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων, 19 ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησεν πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι 20 καὶ δι’ αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν, εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ, [p][δι’ αὐτοῦ] εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ [q]ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· 21 καὶ ὑμᾶς ποτε ὄντας ἀπηλλοτριωμένους καὶ ἐχθροὺς τῇ διανοίᾳ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς— 22 νυνὶ δὲ [r]ἀποκατηλλάγητε ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου— παραστῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους καὶ ἀνεγκλήτους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ, 23 εἴ γε ἐπιμένετε τῇ πίστει τεθεμελιωμένοι καὶ ἑδραῖοι καὶ μὴ μετακινούμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ εὐαγγελίου οὗ ἠκούσατε, τοῦ κηρυχθέντος ἐν [s]πάσῃ κτίσει τῇ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν, οὗ ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ Παῦλος διάκονος.

24 Νῦν χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, καὶ ἀνταναπληρῶ τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ὑπὲρ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία, 25 ἧς ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ διάκονος κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, 26 τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν,— [t]νῦν δὲ ἐφανερώθη τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ, 27 οἷς ἠθέλησεν ὁ θεὸς γνωρίσαι τί τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, [u]ὅ ἐστιν Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης· 28 ὃν ἡμεῖς καταγγέλλομεν νουθετοῦντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον καὶ διδάσκοντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ, ἵνα παραστήσωμεν πάντα ἄνθρωπον τέλειον ἐν [v]Χριστῷ· 29 εἰς ὃ καὶ κοπιῶ ἀγωνιζόμενος κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐν δυνάμει.

Footnotes

  1. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:1 Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ WH Treg NIV ] Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ RP
  2. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:2 Κολοσσαῖς WH NIV ] Κολασσαῖς Treg RP
  3. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:2 ἡμῶν WH Treg NIV ] + καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ RP
  4. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:3 θεῷ WH NIV ] + καὶ Treg RP
  5. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:3 περὶ WH NIV RP ] ὑπὲρ Treg
  6. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:4 ἣν ἔχετε WH Treg NIV ] τὴν RP
  7. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:6 κόσμῳ WH Treg NIV ] + καὶ RP
  8. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:7 καθὼς WH Treg NIV ] + καὶ RP
  9. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:7 ἡμῶν WH Treg NIV ] ὑμῶν RP NA
  10. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:10 περιπατῆσαι WH Treg NIV ] + ὑμᾶς RP
  11. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:10 τῇ ἐπιγνώσει WH Treg NIV ] εἰς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν RP
  12. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:12 ὑμᾶς WH NIV ] ἡμᾶς Treg RP
  13. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:16 πάντα WH Treg NIV ] + τὰ RP
  14. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:16 καὶ WH NIV ] + τὰ Treg RP
  15. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:18 ἐστιν Treg NIV RP ] + ἡ WH
  16. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:20 δι’ αὐτοῦ WH RP NA ] – Treg NIV
  17. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:20 ἐν WH Treg NIV ] ἐπὶ RP
  18. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:22 ἀποκατηλλάγητε Holmes ] ἀποκατήλλαξεν WH Treg NIV RP
  19. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:23 πάσῃ WH Treg NIV ] + τῇ RP
  20. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:26 νῦν WH Treg NIV ] νυνὶ RP
  21. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:27 WH Treg NIV ] ὅς RP
  22. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 1:28 Χριστῷ WH Treg NIV ] + Ἰησοῦ RP