Colossians 1

Greeting

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

2 To the saints *1 Cor. 4:17and faithful brethren in Christ whoare in Colosse:

*Gal. 1:3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Their Faith in Christ

3 *1 Cor. 1:4; Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 *Eph. 1:15since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of *(Heb. 6:10)your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope *(1 Pet. 1:4)which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, *Matt. 24:14as ithas also in all the world, and *John 15:16is bringing forth fruit, as itis also among you since the day you heard and knew *Eph. 3:2the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from *Col. 4:12; Philem. 23Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is *1 Cor. 4:1, 2; 2 Cor. 11:23a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your *Rom. 15:30love in the Spirit.

Preeminence of Christ

9 *Eph. 1:15–17For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask *1 Cor. 1:5that you may be filled with *(Rom. 12:2); Eph. 5:17the knowledge of His will *Eph. 1:8in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 *Eph. 4:1; Phil. 1:27; 1 Thess. 2:12that you may walk worthy of the Lord, *1 Thess. 4:1fully pleasing Him,*Heb. 13:21being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the *2 Pet. 3:18knowledge of God; 11 *(Eph. 3:16; 6:10)strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, *Eph. 4:2for all patience and longsuffering *(Acts 5:41); 2 Cor. 8:2; (Heb. 10:34)with joy; 12 *(Eph. 5:20)giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of *Eph. 1:11the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from *Eph. 6:12the power of darkness *2 Pet. 1:11and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 *Eph. 1:7in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

15 He is *2 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3the image of the invisible God, *Ps. 89:27; Rev. 3:14the firstborn over all creation. 16 For *John 1:3; Heb. 1:2, 3by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or *(Eph. 1:20, 21; Col. 2:15)dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created *John 1:3; Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 8:6; Heb. 2:10through Him and for Him. 17 *(John 17:5)And He is before all things, and in Him *Heb. 1:3all things consist. 18 And *1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 1:22He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, *Rev. 1:5the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Reconciled in Christ

19 For it pleased theFatherthat*John 1:16in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and *Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14by Him to reconcile *2 Cor. 5:18all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, *Eph. 1:10having made peace through the blood of His cross.

21 And you, *(Eph. 2:1)who once were alienated and enemies in your mind *Titus 1:15by wicked works, yet now He has *2 Cor. 5:18, 19reconciled 22 *2 Cor. 5:18; (Eph. 2:14–16)in the body of His flesh through death, *(Eph. 5:27); Col. 1:28to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue *Eph. 3:17; Col. 2:7in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are *(John 15:6); 1 Cor. 15:58not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, *Mark 16:15; Acts 2:5; Rom. 10:18; Col. 1:6which was preached to every creature under heaven, *Acts 1:17; Eph. 3:7; Col. 1:25of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Sacrificial Service for Christ

24 *2 Cor. 7:4I now rejoice in my sufferings *Eph. 3:1, 13for you, and fill up in my flesh *(Rom. 8:17; 2 Cor. 1:5; 12:15); Phil. 2:17what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for *Eph. 1:23the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to *Gal. 2:7the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 *(1 Cor. 2:7)the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, *(2 Tim. 1:10)but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 *2 Cor. 2:14To them God willed to make known what are *Rom. 9:23the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is *(Rom. 8:10, 11)Christ in you, *1 Tim. 1:1the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, *Acts 20:20warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, *Eph. 5:27that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me *Eph. 3:7mightily.