11Paul, 2an apostle of JesusChrist[a]3by the will of God, and 4Timothy[b]our brother,
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To the [c]5saints and faithfulbrethren in Christ who are at Colossae: 6Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
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7We givethanks to God, 8the Father of our LordJesusChrist, prayingalways for you,
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9since we heard of your faith in ChristJesus and the 10lovewhich you have[d]for 11all the [e]saints;
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because of the 12hope13laid up for you in [f]heaven, of which you previously14heard in the word of truth, [g]the gospel
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which has come to you, just as [h]15in all the worldalso it is constantly bearing16fruit and [i]increasing, even as it has been doing in you alsosince the day you 17heard of it and [j]understood the grace of God in truth;
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just as you learned it from 18Epaphras, our 19belovedfellowbond-servant, who is a faithfulservant of Christ on our behalf,
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and he alsoinformed us of your 20love in the Spirit.
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For thisreasonalso, 21since the day we heard of it, 22we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the [k]23knowledge of His will in allspiritual24wisdom and understanding,
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so that you will 25walk in a mannerworthy of the Lord, [l]26to please Him in allrespects, 27bearingfruit in everygoodwork and [m]increasing in the [n]knowledge of God;
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28strengthened with allpower, according to [o]His gloriousmight, [p]for the attaining of allsteadfastness and [q]patience; 29joyously
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givingthanks to 30the Father, who has qualified us [r]to share in 31the inheritance of the [s]saints in 32Light.
The Incomparable Christ
13[t]For He rescued us from the [u]33domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of [v]34His belovedSon,
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35in whom we haveredemption, the forgiveness of sins.
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[w]He is the 36image of the 37invisibleGod, the 38firstborn of allcreation.
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For [x]39by Him allthings were created, 40both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether41thronesordominionsorrulersorauthorities -42allthings have been createdthrough Him and for Him.
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He [y]43is beforeallthings, and in Him allthings[z]holdtogether.
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He is also44head of 45the body, the church; and He is 46the beginning, 47the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to havefirstplace in everything.
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For [aa]it was 48the Father's goodpleasure for all49the [ab]fullness to dwell in Him,
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and through Him to 50reconcileallthings to Himself, having made51peacethrough52the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, 53whether things on earthor things in [ac]heaven.
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And although you were 54formerlyalienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evildeeds,
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yet He has now55reconciled you in His fleshly56bodythroughdeath, in order to 57present you before Him 58holy and blameless and beyondreproach -
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ifindeed you continue in [ad]the faithfirmly59established and steadfast, and not movedaway from the 60hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed61in allcreationunderheaven, 62and of which I, Paul, [ae]was made a [af]63minister.
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64Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh65I [ag]do my share on behalf of 66His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking[ah]in Christ'safflictions.
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67Of this church I [ai]was made a ministeraccording to the 68stewardship from Godbestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might [aj]fullycarry out the preaching of the word of God,
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that is, 69the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His [ak]saints,
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to whom70Godwilled to makeknownwhat is 71the riches of the glory of thismysteryamong the Gentiles, which is 72Christ in you, the 73hope of glory.
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We proclaim Him, 74admonishingeveryman and teachingeveryman[al]with all75wisdom, so that we may 76presenteveryman[am]77complete in Christ.
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For this purpose also I 78labor, 79striving80according to His [an]power, which [ao]mightilyworkswithin me.