Colossians 1:13-29

English Standard Version

¹³He ^(A)has delivered us from ^(B)the domain of darkness and transferred us to ^(C)the kingdom of ^(D)his beloved Son, ¹⁴^(E)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Preeminence of Christ

¹⁵^(F)He is the image of ^(G)the invisible God, ^(H)the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For by^[a] him all things were created, ^(I)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(J)thrones or ^(K)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created ^(L)through him and for him. ¹⁷And ^(M)he is before all things, and in him all things ^(N)hold together. ¹⁸And ^(O)he is the head of the body, the church. He is ^(P)the beginning, ^(Q)the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹For ^(R)in him all the ^(S)fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰and ^(T)through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, ^(U)making peace ^(V)by the blood of his cross.

²¹^(W)And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, ^(X)doing evil deeds, ²²he has now reconciled ^(Y)in his body of flesh by his death, ^(Z)in order to present you holy and blameless and ^(AA)above reproach before him, ²³^(AB)if indeed you continue in the faith, ^(AC)stable and steadfast, not shifting from ^(AD)the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed ^(AE)in all creation^[b] under heaven, ^(AF)and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Paul's Ministry to the Church

²⁴Now ^(AG)I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(AH)I am filling up ^(AI)what is lacking in Christ's afflictions ^(AJ)for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ²⁵^(AK)of which I became a minister according to ^(AL)the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ²⁶^(AM)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ²⁷^(AN)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are ^(AO)the riches of the glory of ^(AP)this mystery, which is Christ in you, ^(AQ)the hope of glory. ²⁸Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(AR)we may present everyone ^(AS)mature in Christ. ²⁹For this ^(AT)I toil, ^(AU)struggling ^(AV)with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.