Colossians 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy my brother, —

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

2 Unto the holy and faithful brethren in Christ that are, in Colosse, favour unto you, and peace, from our God and Father.

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

3 We are giving thanks unto God, the Father of our Lord Jesus [Christ], always, for you, offering prayer, —

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

4 Having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which ye have unto all the saints, —

having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have toward all the saints,

5 Because of the hope that is lying by for you in the heavens, of which ye heard before, in the word of the truth of the glad-message,

because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of truth, the Good News,

6 When it presented itself unto you; even as, in all the world also, it is bearing fruit and growing, even as also among you, from the day when ye heard, and came personally to know the favour of God in truth,

which has come to you; even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;

7 Even as ye learned [it] from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant, who is faithful in our behalf, as a minister of the Christ,

even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,

8 Who also hath made evident unto us your love in spirit.

who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

9 For this cause, we also, from the day when we heard [of you], cease not, in your behalf, praying and asking—that ye may be filled unto the personal knowledge of his will, in all spiritual wisdom and discernment,

For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, do not cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

10 So as to walk worthily of the Lord, unto all pleasing, in every good work, bearing fruit, and growing in the personal knowledge of God,

that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 With all power, being empowered, according to the grasp of his glory, unto all endurance and long-suffering with joy,

strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father that hath made you sufficient for your share in the inheritance of the saints in the light,

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

13 Who hath rescued us out of the authority of the darkness, and translated [us] into the kingdom of the Son of his love;

who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and transferred us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;

14 In whom, we have our redemption—the remission of our sins, —

in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins;

15 Who, is an image of the unseen God, Firstborn of all creation, —

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

16 Because, in him, were created all things in the heavens and upon the earth, the things seen and the things unseen, whether thrones or lordships or principalities or authorities, —they all, through him and for him, have been created,

For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things have been created by him and for him.

17 And, he, is before all, and, they all, in him, hold together;

He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.

18 And, he, is the head of the body, the assembly, Who is the beginning, Firstborn from among the dead, in order that, he, might become, in all things, himself, pre-eminent; —

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.

19 Because, in him, was all the fullness well pleased to dwell,

For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him,

20 And, through him, fully to reconcile all things unto him, making peace through the blood of his cross, —[through him]—whether the things upon the earth or the things in the heavens;

and through him to reconcile all things to himself, making peace through the blood of his cross through him, whether things on the earth or things in heaven.

21 And, you, who at one time were estranged and enemies in your mind in your wicked works, yet, now, hath he fully reconciled,

You, who once were alienated and were hostile in your minds, doing evil deeds,

22 In his body of flesh, through means of his death, to present you holy and blameless and unaccusable before him, —

yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and blameless before him,

23 If, at least, ye are abiding still in the faith, founded and firm, and not to be moved away from the hope of the glad-message which ye have heard, which hath been proclaimed in all creation which is under heaven, —of which, I Paul, have become minister.

if it is so that you continue in the faith, established and firm, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

24 Now, am I rejoicing in the sufferings on your behalf, and am filling up the things that lack of the tribulations of the Christ, in my flesh, in behalf of his body, which is the assembly,

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of his body, which is the church;

25 Of which, I, have become minister—according to the administration of God which hath been given unto me to you-ward, to fill up the word of God,

of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

26 The sacred secret which had been hidden away from the ages and from the generations, but, now, hath been made manifest unto his saints— (aiōn g165)

the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints. (aiōn g165)

27 Unto whom God hath been pleased to make known what is the glorious wealth of this sacred secret among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory, —

To them God was pleased to make known the glorious riches of this mystery among the non-Jews, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;

28 Whom we are declaring, admonishing every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, in order that we may present every man complete in Christ;

whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ Jesus;

29 Unto which I am even toiling, contending according to his energy which is energising itself in me with power.

for which I also labor, struggling according to his power, which works in me mightily.