Colossians 1 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

1 Paul ^G3972, an apostle ^G652 of Christ ^G5547 Jesus ^G2424 [fn]by the will ^G2307 of God ^G2316, and Timothy ^G5095 [fn]our brother ^G80,

2 To the [fn]saints ^G40 and faithful ^G4103 brothers ^G80 in Christ ^G5547 in Colossae ^G2857: Grace ^G5485 to you and peace ^G1515 from God ^G2316 our Father ^G3962.

3 We give ^G2168 thanks ^G2168 to God ^G2316, the Father ^G3962 of our Lord ^G2962 Jesus ^G2424 Christ ^G5547, praying ^G4336 always ^G3842 for you,

4 since we heard ^G191 of your faith ^G4102 in Christ ^G5547 Jesus ^G2424 and the love ^G26 which ^G3739 you have ^G2192 [fn]for all ^G3956 the [fn]saints ^G40, 5 because ^G1223 of the hope ^G1680 laid ^G606 up for you in [fn]heaven ^G3772, of which ^G3739 you previously ^G4257 heard ^G4257 in the word ^G3056 of truth ^G225, [fn]the gospel ^G2098 6 which has come ^G3918 to you, just ^G2531 as ^G2531 [fn]in all ^G3956 the world ^G2889 also ^G2532 it is constantly bearing ^G2592 fruit ^G2592 and [fn]multiplying ^G837, just ^G2531 G2532 as ^G2531 it has been doing in you also ^G2532 since ^G575 the day ^G2250 you heard ^G191 and [fn]understood ^G1921 the grace ^G5485 of God ^G2316 in truth ^G225; 7 just ^G2531 as you learned ^G3129 it from Epaphras ^G1889, our beloved ^G27 fellow ^G4889 slave ^G4889, who ^G3739 is a faithful ^G4103 servant ^G1249 of Christ ^G5547 on ^G5228 our behalf ^G5228, 8 who also ^G2532 informed ^G1213 us of your love ^G26 in the Spirit ^G4151.

9 For this ^G3778 reason ^G1223 also ^G2532, since ^G575 the day ^G2250 we heard ^G191, we have not ceased ^G3973 to pray ^G4336 for you and to ask ^G154 that you may be filled ^G4137 with the [fn]full ^G1922 knowledge ^G1922 of His will ^G2307 in all ^G3956 spiritual ^G4152 wisdom ^G4678 and understanding ^G4907, 10 so that you may walk ^G4043 in ^G516 a ^G516 manner ^G516 worthy ^G516 of the Lord ^G2962, [fn]to please ^G699 Him in all ^G3956 respects ^G3956, bearing ^G2592 fruit ^G2592 in every ^G3956 good ^G18 work ^G2041 and [fn]multiplying ^G837 in the [fn]full ^G1922 knowledge ^G1922 of God ^G2316; 11 being strengthened ^G1412 with all ^G3956 power ^G1411, according ^G2596 to [fn]His glorious ^G1391 might ^G2904, [fn]for the attaining of all ^G3956 steadfastness ^G5281 and [fn]patience ^G3115; joyously ^G5479 12 giving ^G2168 thanks ^G2168 to the Father ^G3962, who has qualified ^G2427 us [fn]to share ^G3310 in the inheritance ^G2819 of the [fn]saints ^G40 in light ^G5457. 13 Who rescued ^G4506 us from the authority ^G1849 of darkness ^G4655, and transferred ^G3179 us to the kingdom ^G932 of the Son ^G5207 of His love ^G26, 14 in whom ^G3739 we have ^G2192 redemption ^G629, the forgiveness ^G859 of sins ^G266.

The Firstborn of All Creation

15 [fn]Who is the image ^G1504 of the invisible ^G517 God ^G2316, the firstborn ^G4416 of all ^G3956 creation ^G2937.

16 For [fn]in Him all ^G3956 things ^G3956 were created ^G2936, both in the heavens ^G3772 and on earth ^G1093, visible ^G3707 and invisible ^G517, whether ^G1535 thrones ^G2362 or ^G1535 dominions ^G2963 or ^G1535 rulers ^G746 or ^G1535 authorities ^G1849—all ^G3956 things ^G3956 have been created ^G2936 through ^G1223 Him and for Him.

17 And ^G2532 He [fn]is before ^G4253 all ^G3956 things ^G3956,

And in Him all ^G3956 things ^G3956 [fn]hold ^G4921 together ^G4921.

18 And He ^G2532 is the head ^G2776 of the body ^G4983, the church ^G1577;

Who is the beginning ^G746, the firstborn ^G4416 from the dead ^G3498, so ^G2443 that He Himself ^G846 will come ^G1096 to have ^G4409 first ^G4409 place ^G4409 in everything ^G3956.

19 For in Him [fn]all ^G3956 the fullness ^G4138 of God was pleased ^G2106 to dwell ^G2730,

20 And through ^G1223 Him to reconcile ^G604 all ^G3956 things ^G3956 to Himself ^G846, having made ^G1517 peace ^G1517 through ^G1223 the blood ^G129 of His cross ^G4716—through ^G1223 Him—whether ^G1535 things on earth ^G1093 or ^G1535 things in [fn]heaven ^G3772.

21 And although you were formerly ^G4218 alienated ^G526 and enemies ^G2190 in mind ^G1271 and in evil ^G4190 deeds ^G2041,

22 but ^G1161 now ^G3570 He reconciled ^G604 you in the body ^G4983 of His flesh ^G4561 through ^G1223 death ^G2288, in order to present ^G3936 you before ^G2714 Him holy ^G40 and blameless ^G299 and beyond ^G410 reproach ^G410— 23 if ^G1487 indeed ^G1065 you continue ^G1961 in [fn]the faith ^G4102 firmly ^G2311 grounded ^G2311 and steadfast ^G1476, and not moved ^G3334 away ^G3334 from the hope ^G1680 of the gospel ^G2098, which you have heard ^G191, which was proclaimed ^G2784 in all ^G3956 creation ^G2937 under ^G5259 heaven ^G3772, and of which ^G3739 I, Paul ^G3972, [fn]was made ^G1096 a [fn]minister ^G1249.

24 Now ^G3568 I rejoice ^G5463 in my sufferings ^G3804 for ^G5228 your sake ^G5228, and I fill ^G466 up what ^G5303 is ^G5303 lacking ^G5303 of Christ’s ^G5547 afflictions ^G2347 in my flesh ^G4561, on behalf ^G5228 of His body ^G4983, which ^G3739 is the church ^G1577, 25 of which I [fn]was made ^G1096 a minister ^G1249 according ^G2596 to the stewardship ^G3622 from God ^G2316 given ^G1325 to me for ^G1519 you, so that I might [fn]fully ^G4137 carry ^G4137 out ^G4137 the preaching of the word ^G3056 of God ^G2316, 26 that is, the mystery ^G3466 which has been hidden ^G613 from the past ages ^G165 and generations ^G1074, but has now ^G3568 been manifested ^G5319 to His [fn]saints ^G40, 27 to whom ^G3739 God ^G2316 willed ^G2309 to make ^G1107 known ^G1107 what ^G5101 is the riches ^G4149 of the glory ^G1391 of this ^G3778 mystery ^G3466 among ^G1722 the Gentiles ^G1484, which ^G3739 is Christ ^G5547 in you, the hope ^G1680 of glory ^G1391. 28 Him we proclaim ^G2605, admonishing ^G3560 every ^G3956 man ^G444 and teaching ^G1321 every ^G3956 man ^G444 [fn]with all ^G3956 wisdom ^G4678, so ^G2443 that we may present ^G3936 every ^G3956 man ^G444 [fn]complete ^G5046 in Christ ^G5547. 29 For this ^G3739 purpose I also ^G2532 labor ^G2872, striving ^G75 according ^G2596 to His working ^G1411, which He works ^G1754 in ^G1722 me in power ^G1411.