Chapter 1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother Timothy,

to the brethren in Colossae, holy and faithful in Christ Jesus: grace be to you and peace from God our Father. Thanksgiving

We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you bear towards all the saints

because of the hope that is laid up for you in heaven. Of that hope you have heard in the word of the gospel truth

which has reached you, even as it is in the whole world, both bearing fruit and growing; just as it does among you since the day that you heard and recognized the grace of God in truth.

Thus you learned from our most dear fellow-servant Epaphras. He is a faithful minister of Christ Jesus in your behalf;

and it was he who made known to us your love in the Spirit. Prayer for Their Progress

This is why we too have been praying for you unceasingly, since the day we heard this, and asking that you may be filled with knowledge of his will, in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

May you walk worthily of God and please him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.

May you be completely strengthened through his glorious power unto perfect patience and long-suffering; joyfully

rendering thanks to the Father, who has made us worthy to share the lot of the saints in light.

He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,

in whom we have our redemption, the remission of our sins. God, Creator, Head

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.

For in him were created all things in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether Thrones, or Dominations, or Principalities, or Powers. All things have been created through and unto him,

and he is before all creatures, and in him all things hold together.

Again, he is the head of his body, the Church; he, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may have the first place.

For it has pleased God the Father that in him all his fullness should dwell,

and that through him he should reconcile to himself all things, whether on the earth or in the heavens, making peace through the blood of his cross. Conciliator

You yourselves were at one time estranged and enemies in mind through your evil works.

But now he has reconciled you in his body of flesh through his death, to present you holy and undefiled and irreproachable before him.

Only you must remain firmly founded in the faith and steadfast and not withdrawing from the hope of the gospel which you have heard. It has been preached to every creature under heaven; and of it I, Paul, have become a minister. Center of Preaching

I rejoice now in the sufferings I bear for your sake; and what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ I fill up in my flesh for his body, which is the Church;

whose minister I have become in virtue of the office that God has given me in your regard. For I am to preach the word of God fully---

the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations, but now is clearly shown to his saints.

To them God willed to make known how rich in glory is this mystery among the Gentiles---Christ in you, your hope of glory!

Him we preach, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

At this, too, I work and strive, according to the power which he mightily exerts in me.