The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word,(A) and the Word was with God,(B) and the Word was God.(C) He was with God in the beginning.(D) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.(E) In him was life,(F) and that life was the light(G) of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness,(H) and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.(I)

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.(J) He came as a witness to testify(K) concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.(L) He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light(M) that gives light to everyone(N) was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,(O) the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.(P) 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed(Q) in his name,(R) he gave the right to become children of God(S) 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.(T)

14 The Word became flesh(U) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,(V) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace(W) and truth.(X)

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:5 Or understood

30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”(A) With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

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23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;(A) and you, with the help of wicked men,[a] put him to death by nailing him to the cross.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 2:23 Or of those not having the law (that is, Gentiles)

For what I received(A) I passed on to you(B) as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins(C) according to the Scriptures,(D) that he was buried,(E) that he was raised(F) on the third day(G) according to the Scriptures,(H) and that he appeared to Cephas,[b](I) and then to the Twelve.(J) After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.(K) Then he appeared to James,(L) then to all the apostles,(M) and last of all he appeared to me also,(N) as to one abnormally born.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 15:3 Or you at the first
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:5 That is, Peter

21 God made him who had no sin(A) to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Or be a sin offering

And even if our gospel(A) is veiled,(B) it is veiled to those who are perishing.(C)

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The god(A) of this age(B) has blinded(C) the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ,(D) who is the image of God.(E)

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For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.(A) The weapons we fight with(B) are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power(C) to demolish strongholds.(D) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,(E) and we take captive every thought to make it obedient(F) to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.(G)

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But when the set time had fully come,(A) God sent his Son,(B) born of a woman,(C) born under the law,(D)

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In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:(A)

Who, being in very nature[a] God,(B)
    did not consider equality with God(C) something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing(D)
    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,(E)
    being made in human likeness.(F)
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death(G)
        even death on a cross!(H)

Therefore God exalted him(I) to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,(J)
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,(K)
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,(L)
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,(M)
    to the glory of God the Father.

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Footnotes

  1. Philippians 2:6 Or in the form of
  2. Philippians 2:7 Or the form

I want you to know how hard I am contending(A) for you and for those at Laodicea,(B) and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart(C) and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery(D) of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.(E) I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.(F) For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit(G) and delight to see how disciplined(H) you are and how firm(I) your faith in Christ(J) is.

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,(K) continue to live your lives in him, rooted(L) and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,(M) and overflowing with thankfulness.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,(N) which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world(O) rather than on Christ.

For in Christ all the fullness(P) of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head(Q) over every power and authority.(R) 11 In him you were also circumcised(S) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh[b](T) was put off when you were circumcised by[c] Christ,

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:8 Or the basic principles; also in verse 20
  2. Colossians 2:11 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verse 13.
  3. Colossians 2:11 Or put off in the circumcision of

For there is one God(A) and one mediator(B) between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,(C)

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The High Priest of a New Covenant

Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest,(A) who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,(B) and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle(C) set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

Every high priest(D) is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices,(E) and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.(F) If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.(G) They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy(H) and shadow(I) of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned(J) when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[a](K) But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant(L) of which he is mediator(M) is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:5 Exodus 25:40

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