RKJNT - Colossians - 1

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

1:2  To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father.

1:3  We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

1:4  Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have for all the saints,

1:5  Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel;

1:6  Which has come to you. In all the world it brings forth fruit and grows, as it does also in you, since the day you heard of it, and understood the grace of God in truth:

1:7  As you learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf;

1:8  Who has also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

1:9  For this reason, since the day we heard it, we do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

1:10  That you might walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all things, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

1:11  Strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, with all endurance and patience with joyfulness;

1:12  Giving thanks to the Father, who has made us qualified to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.

1:13  He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

1:14  In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

1:15  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation:

1:16  For by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities: all things were created by him, and for him:

1:17  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

1:18  He is also the head of the body, the church: he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have preeminence.

1:19  For it pleased the Father, that all his fulness should dwell in him;

1:20  And through him to reconcile all things to himself, whether things on earth, or things in heaven; having made peace through the blood of his cross.

1:21  And you who were at one time alienated and enemies in your minds because of wicked deeds,

1:22  He has now reconciled in his body of flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable in his sight:

1:23  If you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you have heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven; and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

1:24  Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh that which is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for his body's sake, which is the church:

1:25  Of which I was made a minister, according to the commission of God, which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known;

1:26  That is, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been made manifest to his saints;

1:27  To whom God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the riches of the glory of this mystery; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

1:28  Him we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

1:29  For this I labour, striving according to his power, which works mightily within me.