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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" /><title>Colossians 1 ESV</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="../">ESV</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">English Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/esv/nas/colossians/1.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div></a><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Greeting</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>To the saints and faithful brothers<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated brothers) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters">a</a></sup></span> in Christ at Colossae:</p><p class="regular">Grace to you and peace from God our Father.</p> <p class="heading">Thanksgiving and Prayer</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of 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>because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant.<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="For the contextual rendering of the Greek word sundoulos, see Preface">b</a></sup></span> He is a faithful minister of Christ on your<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Some manuscripts our">c</a></sup></span> behalf <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>giving thanks<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or patience, with joy giving thanks">d</a></sup></span> to the Father, who has qualified you<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Some manuscripts us">e</a></sup></span> to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.</p> <p class="heading">The Preeminence of Christ</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>For by<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="That is, by means of; or in">f</a></sup></span> him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or to every creature">g</a></sup></span> under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.</p> <p class="heading">Paul’s Ministry to the Church</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/colossians/1-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="footnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">2</span> Or <i><span class="catch-word">brothers</span> and sisters</i>. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word <i language="Greek">adelphoi</i> (translated "brothers") may refer either to <i>brothers</i> or to <i>brothers and sisters</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">b</span> <span class="fnverse">7</span> For the contextual rendering of the Greek word <i language="Greek">sundoulos</i>, see <a href="../">>Preface</a><br /><span class="footnotesbot">c</span> <span class="fnverse">7</span> Some manuscripts <i>our</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">d</span> <span class="fnverse">12</span> Or <i><span class="catch-word">patience</span>, with joy giving thanks</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">e</span> <span class="fnverse">12</span> Some manuscripts <i>us</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">f</span> <span class="fnverse">16</span> That is, <span class="catch-word">by</span> means of; or <i>in</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">g</span> <span class="fnverse">23</span> Or <i>to every creature</i><br /></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">ESV Text Edition® (2016).<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by <a href="http://www.crossway.org/home/esv/">Crossway Bibles</a>, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. 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