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

1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

1:3 We give thanks to God and 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 ye have] to all the saints:

1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel:

1:6 Which is come unto you, as [it is] in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as [it doth] also in you, since the day ye heard [of it], and knew the grace of God in truth:

1:7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ:

1:8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit:

1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding:

1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God:

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

1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:

1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins:

1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist:

1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence:

1:19 For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell:

1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven:

1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled:

1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and [be] not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, [and] which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister:

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

1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God:

1:26 the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

1:27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

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

1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily: