Letter to the Colossians
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through God’s will,+ and Timothy+ [our] brother 2 to the holy ones and faithful brothers in union+ with Christ at Co·losʹsae:
May YOU have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father.+
3 We thank+ God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ* always when we pray* for YOU,+ 4 since we heard of YOUR faith in connection with Christ Jesus and the love YOU have* for all the holy ones+ 5 because of the hope+ that is being reserved for YOU in the heavens.+ This [hope] YOU heard of before by the telling of the truth of that good news+ 6 which has presented itself to YOU, even as it is bearing fruit+ and increasing+ in all the world+ just as [it is doing] also among YOU, from the day YOU heard and accurately knew the undeserved kindness+ of God in truth.+ 7 That is what YOU have learned from Epʹa·phras+ our beloved fellow slave, who is a faithful minister* of the Christ on our behalf, 8 who also disclosed to us YOUR love+ in a spiritual way.*
9 That is also why we, from the day we heard [of it], have not ceased praying for YOU+ and asking* that YOU may be filled with the accurate knowledge+ of his will in all wisdom+ and spiritual comprehension,+ 10 in order to walk worthily+ of Jehovah*+ to the end of fully pleasing [him] as YOU go on bearing fruit in every good work+ and increasing in the accurate+ knowledge of God, 11 being made powerful with all power to the extent of his glorious might+ so as to endure+ fully and be long-suffering with joy, 12 thanking the Father who rendered YOU suitable for YOUR participation in the inheritance+ of the holy ones+ in the light.+
13 He delivered us from the authority+ of the darkness and transferred+ us into the kingdom+ of the Son of his love,+ 14 by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins.+ 15 He is the image+ of the invisible+ God, the firstborn+ of all creation; 16 because by means of him+ all [other]* things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities.+ All [other] things have been created through him+ and for him. 17 Also, he is before all [other] things+ and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist,+ 18 and he is the head of the body, the congregation.+ He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,+ that he might become the one who is first+ in all things; 19 because [God]* saw good for all fullness+ to dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile+ again to himself all [other] things+ by making peace+ through the blood+ [he shed] on the torture stake,*+ no matter whether they are* the things upon the earth or the things in the heavens.
21 Indeed, YOU who were once alienated+ and enemies because YOUR minds were on the works that were wicked,+ 22 he now has again reconciled+ by means of that one’s fleshly body through [his] death,+ in order to present YOU holy and unblemished+ and open to no accusation+ before him, 23 provided, of course, that YOU continue in the faith,+ established on the foundation+ and steadfast+ and not being shifted away from the hope of that good news which YOU heard,+ and which was preached+ in all creation+ that is under heaven. Of this [good news] I Paul became a minister.+
24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for YOU,+ and I, in my turn, am filling up what is lacking of the tribulations+ of the Christ in my flesh on behalf of his body, which is the congregation.+ 25 I became a minister+ of this [congregation] in accordance with the stewardship+ from God which was given me in YOUR interest to preach the word of God fully, 26 the sacred secret+ that was hidden from the past systems of things*+ and from the past generations. But now it has been made manifest+ to his holy ones, 27 to whom God has been pleased to make known what are the glorious riches+ of this sacred secret+ among the nations. It is Christ+ in union with YOU, the hope of [his]* glory.+ 28 He is the one we are publicizing,+ admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom,+ that we may present every man complete*+ in union with Christ. 29 To this end I am indeed working hard, exerting myself+ in accordance with the operation+ of him and which is at work in me with power.+