² that ^(A)their hearts may be encouraged, being ^(B)knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of ^(C)God's mystery, which is Christ,

⁸ I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,

¹⁴ And above all these put on ^(A)love, which ^(B)binds everything together in ^(C)perfect harmony.

^27 (A)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are ^(B)the riches of the glory of ^(C)this mystery, which is Christ in you, ^(D)the hope of glory.

The Preeminence of Christ

^15 (A)He is the image of ^(B)the invisible God, ^(C)the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by^[a] him all things were created, ^(D)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(E)thrones or ^(F)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created ^(G)through him and for him. ¹⁷ And ^(H)he is before all things, and in him all things ^(I)hold together.

²² I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may ^(A)encourage your hearts.

⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of ^(A)the surpassing worth of ^(B)knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ^(C)have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Confirm Your Calling and Election

³ His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him ^(A)who called us to^[a] his own glory and excellence,^[b]

²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts ^(A)sprinkled clean ^(B)from an evil conscience and our bodies ^(C)washed with pure water.