The Centrality of Christ

15 He is the image of the invisible God,(A)
the firstborn over all creation.[a](B)
16 For everything was created by Him,(C)
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through Him and for Him.(D)
17 He is before all things,(E)
and by Him all things(F) hold together.
18 He is also the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning,(G)
the firstborn from the dead,(H)
so that He might come to have
first place in everything.
19 For God was pleased to have
all His fullness(I) dwell in Him,(J)
20 and through Him to reconcile
everything to Himself
by making peace(K)
through the blood(L) of His cross[b](M)
whether things on earth or things in heaven.

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:15 The One who is preeminent over all creation
  2. Colossians 1:20 Other mss add through Him

15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all[a] creation, 16 because all things in the heavens and on the earth were created by him, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers, all things were created through him and for him, 17 and he himself is before all things, and in him all things are held together, 18 and he himself is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in everything, 19 because he was well pleased for all the fullness to dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by[b] making peace through the blood of his cross, through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:15 Translated as a genitive of subordination (Wallace, GGBB, 104)
  2. Colossians 1:20 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“making peace”) which is understood as means