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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Colossians 1 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/colossians/1.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/colossians/1-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > Colossians 1</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../philippians/4.htm" title="Philippians 4">◄</a> Colossians 1 <a href="../colossians/2.htm" title="Colossians 2">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/colossians/1.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Greetings from Paul</p><p class="reg marginbot"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>From:<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:1 The Gk. lacks From">a</a></span> Paul, an apostle of the Messiah<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:1 Or Christ">b</a></span> Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>To: The holy<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:2 Or to the saints">c</a></span> and faithful brothers in Colossae who are in union with the Messiah.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:2 Or Christ">d</a></span> </p> <p class="reg">May grace and peace from God our Father<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:2 Other mss. read from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah">e</a></span> be yours!</p> <p class="heading">Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:3 Or Christ">f</a></span> praying always for you, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>because we have heard about your faith in the Messiah<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:4 Or Christ">g</a></span> Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>based on the hope laid up for you in heaven. Some time ago you heard about this hope<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:5 Lit. about it">h</a></span> through the word of truth, the gospel <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and spreading all over the world, so it has been doing<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:6 The Gk. lacks it has been doing">i</a></span> among you from the day you heard it and came to know the grace of God in truth. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>You learned about this gospel<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:7 Lit. Just as you learned">j</a></span> from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of the Messiah<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:7 Or Christ">k</a></span> on your<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:7 Other mss. read our">l</a></span> behalf. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>He has told us about your love in the Spirit.</p> <p class="heading">The Messiah is Above All</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>For this reason, since the day we heard about this, we have not stopped praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the full knowledge of God’s<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:9 Lit. his">m</a></span> will with respect to all spiritual wisdom and understanding, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>so that you might live in a manner worthy of the Lord and be fully pleasing to him<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:10 Lit. to all pleasing">n</a></span> as you bear fruit while doing all kinds of good things and growing in the full knowledge of God. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>You are being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, so that you might patiently endure everything with joy <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>and might thank the Father, who has enabled us<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:12 Other mss. read you">o</a></span> to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>God<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:13 Lit. He">p</a></span> has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of the Son whom he loves, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>through whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.</p> <p class="heading">The Centrality of Jesus</p><p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>The Son<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:15 Lit. He">q</a></span> is the image of the invisible God,</p> <p class="poetry2">the firstborn over all creation.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>For by him all things in heaven and on earth were created,</p> <p class="poetry2">things visible and invisible,</p> <p class="poetry2">whether they are kings,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:16 Lit. thrones">r</a></span> lords, rulers, or powers.</p> <p class="poetry2">All things have been created through him and for him.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>He himself existed before anything else did,</p> <p class="poetry2">and he holds all things together.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>He is also the head of the body,</p> <p class="poetry2">which is the church.</p> <p class="poetry2">He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,</p> <p class="poetry2">so that he himself might have first place in everything.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>For God<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:19 Lit. he">s</a></span> was pleased to have</p> <p class="poetry2">all of his divine essence<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:19 Lit. all of the fullness">t</a></span> inhabit him.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>Through the Son,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:20 Lit. Through him">u</a></span> God<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:20 Lit. he">v</a></span> also reconciled all things to himself,</p> <p class="poetry2">whether things on earth or things in heaven,</p> <p class="poetry2">thereby making peace</p> <p class="poetry2 marginbot">through the blood of his cross.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>You who were once alienated with a hostile attitude, doing evil,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:21 Lit. in evil deeds">w</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>he has now reconciled by the death of his physical body, so that he may present you holy, blameless, and without fault before him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>However, you must remain firmly established and steadfast in the faith, without being moved from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:23 Or minister">x</a></span> </p> <p class="heading">Paul’s Service in the Church</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Now I am rejoicing while suffering for you as I complete in my flesh whatever remains of the Messiah’s<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:24 Or Christ’s">y</a></span> sufferings on behalf of his body, which is the church. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>I became its servant<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:25 Or minister">z</a></span> as God commissioned me to work for you, so that I may complete my ministry of<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:25 The Gk. lacks the ministry of">aa</a></span> the word of God. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>This secret was hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>to whom God wanted to make known the glorious riches of this secret among the gentiles—which is the Messiah<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:27 Or Christ">bb</a></span> in you, our glorious hope. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>It is he whom we proclaim as we admonish and wisely teach everyone, so that we may present everyone mature<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:28 Or complete">cc</a></span> in the Messiah.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:28 Or Christ">dd</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>I work hard and struggle to do this, using the energy that he powerfully provides in me.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 1:1 The Gk. lacks <i>From</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 1:1 Or <i>Christ</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 1:2 Or <i>to the saints</i><br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 1:2 Or <i>Christ</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 1:2 Other mss. read <i>from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 1:3 Or <i>Christ</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 1:4 Or <i>Christ</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 1:5 Lit. <i>about it</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 1:6 The Gk. lacks <i>it has been doing</i><br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 1:7 Lit. <i>Just as you learned</i><br /><span class="fnb">k</span> 1:7 Or <i>Christ</i><br /><span class="fnb">l</span> 1:7 Other mss. read <i>our</i><br /><span class="fnb">m</span> 1:9 Lit. <i>his</i><br /><span class="fnb">n</span> 1:10 Lit. <i>to all pleasing</i><br /><span class="fnb">o</span> 1:12 Other mss. read <i>you</i><br /><span class="fnb">p</span> 1:13 Lit. <i>He</i><br /><span class="fnb">q</span> 1:15 Lit. <i>He</i><br /><span class="fnb">r</span> 1:16 Lit. <i>thrones</i><br /><span class="fnb">s</span> 1:19 Lit. <i>he</i><br /><span class="fnb">t</span> 1:19 Lit. <i>all of the fullness</i><br /><span class="fnb">u</span> 1:20 Lit. <i>Through him</i><br /><span class="fnb">v</span> 1:20 Lit. <i>he</i><br /><span class="fnb">w</span> 1:21 Lit. <i>in evil deeds</i><br /><span class="fnb">x</span> 1:23 Or <i>minister</i><br /><span class="fnb">y</span> 1:24 Or <i>Christ’s</i><br /><span class="fnb">z</span> 1:25 Or <i>minister</i><br /><span class="fnb">aa</span> 1:25 The Gk. lacks <i>the ministry of</i><br /><span class="fnb">bb</span> 1:27 Or <i>Christ</i><br /><span class="fnb">cc</span> 1:28 Or <i>complete</i><br /><span class="fnb">dd</span> 1:28 Or <i>Christ</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" 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