Colossians 1:3-15

New International Version

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We always thank God,^(A) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love^(B) you have for all God’s people^(C)— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope^(D) stored up for you in heaven^(E) and about which you have already heard in the true message^(F) of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit^(G) and growing throughout the whole world^(H)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras,^(I) our dear fellow servant,^[a] who is a faithful minister^(J) of Christ on our^[b] behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.^(K)

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you,^(L) we have not stopped praying for you.^(M) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will^(N) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^{[c](O) 10} so that you may live a life worthy^(P) of the Lord and please him^(Q) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,^{(R) 11} being strengthened with all power^(S) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,^{(T) 12} and giving joyful thanks to the Father,^(U) who has qualified you^[d] to share in the inheritance^(V) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.^{(W) 13} For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness^(X) and brought us into the kingdom^(Y) of the Son he loves,^{(Z) 14} in whom we have redemption,^(AA) the forgiveness of sins.^(AB)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

¹⁵ The Son is the image^(AC) of the invisible God,^(AD) the firstborn^(AE) over all creation.