12 May you happily praise the Father, who has made it possible for us to share in the inheritance of God’s people who live in the light. 13 He rescued us from the tyranny of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 through whom we have been set free and our sins forgiven.

15 The Son is the visible image of the invisible God. He was before* all creation, 16 for everything was created through him—in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, empires, rulers, leaders and authorities—everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before everything, and he holds everything together.