Colossians 1

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

1Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus, byGod's will, and Timotheus the brother,

2to the saints and faithful brethren in Christthat areat Colossæ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

2to the holy and faithful brethren in Christ which [are] in Colosse. Grace to you and peace fromGod our Father [and Lord Jesus Christ].

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

3We give thanks to theGod and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ continually [when] praying for you,

4having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints,

4having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and the love which ye have towards all the saints,

5because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,

5on account of the hope which [is] laid up for you in the heavens; of which ye heard before in the word of the truth of the glad tidings,

6which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth;

6which are come to you, as [they are] in all the world, [and] are bearing fruit and growing, even as also among you, from the day ye heard [them] and knew indeed the grace ofGod, in truth:

7even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,

7even as ye learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow-bondman, who is a faithful minister of Christ for you,

8who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

8who has also manifested to us your love in [the] Spirit.

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

9For this reason we also, from the day we heard [of your faith and love], do not cease praying and asking for you, to the end that ye may be filled with the full knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,

10to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

10[so as] to walk worthily of the Lord unto all well-pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and growing by the true knowledge ofGod;

11strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy;

11strengthened with all power according to the might of his glory unto all endurance and longsuffering with joy;

12giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;

12giving thanks to the Father, who has made us fit for sharing the portion of the saints in light,

13who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;

13who has delivered us from the authority of darkness, and translated [us] into the kingdom of the Son of his love:

14in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins:

14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins;

15who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

15who is image of the invisibleGod, firstborn of all creation;

16for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him;

16because by him were created all things, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or principalities, or authorities: all things have been created by him and for him.

17and he is before all things, and in him all things consist.

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

18And 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.

18And he is the head of the body, the assembly; who is [the] beginning, firstborn from among the dead, that he might have the first place in all things:

19For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell;

19for in him all the fulness [of theGodhead] was pleased to dwell,

20and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.

20and by him to reconcile all things to itself, having made peace by the blood of his cross — by him, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens.

21And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works,

21And you, who once were alienated and enemies in mind by wicked works, yet now has it reconciled

22yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:

22in the body of his flesh through death; to present you holy and unblamable and irreproachable before it,

23if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.

23if indeed ye abide in the faith founded and firm, and not moved away from the hope of the glad tidings, which ye have heard, which have been proclaimed in the whole creation which [is] under heaven, of which I Paul became minister.

24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church;

24Now, I rejoice in sufferings for you, and I fill up that which is behind of the tribulations of Christ in my flesh, for his body, which is the assembly;

25whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God,

25of which I became minister, according to the dispensation ofGod which [is] given me towards you to complete the word ofGod,

26even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints,

26the mystery which [has been] hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been made manifest to his saints;

27to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

27to whomGod would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you the hope of glory:

28whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;

28whom we announce, admonishing every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, to the end that we may present every man perfect in Christ.

29whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

29Whereunto also I toil, combating according to his working, which works in me in power.