Colossians 1

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

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

2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the (agape) love which all of you have to all the saints,

because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints—

5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof all of you heard before in the (logos) word of the truth of the gospel;

the faith and love proceeding from the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel

6 Which has come unto you, as it is in all the world; and brings forth fruit, as it does also in you, since the day all of you heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the grace of God.

7 As all of you also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

You learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,

8 Who also declared unto us your (agape) love in the (pneuma) Spirit.

and who also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that all of you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

10 That all of you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

13 Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his (agape) dear Son:

He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;

For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him,

20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has he reconciled

Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds.

22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and irreproachable in his sight:

But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence—

23 If all of you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which all of you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.

25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the (logos) word of God;

I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God,

26 Even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: (aiōn g165)

the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints. (aiōn g165)

27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

29 Unto which I also labour, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me.