¶ Paul, an¹ apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus² our brother,

To the saints³ and faithful⁴ brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace⁵ be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

¶ We give⁶ thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying⁷ always for you,

Since we⁸ heard of your faith⁹ in Christ Jesus, and of the love¹⁰ which ye have to all the saints,

For the hope¹¹ which is laid¹² up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word¹³ of the truth of the gospel;

Which is come¹⁴ unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth¹⁵ forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since¹⁶ the day ye heard of it, and knew¹⁷ the grace of God in truth¹⁸:

As ye also learned of Epaphras¹⁹ our²⁰ dear fellowservant, who is for you a²¹ faithful minister of Christ;

²²Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

¶ For this cause we also, since²³ the day we heard it, do²⁴ not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye²⁵ might be filled with the knowledge of his²⁶ will in all wisdom²⁷ and spiritual²⁸ understanding;

¶ That ye²⁹ might walk worthy of the Lord unto all³⁰ pleasing, being fruitful³¹ in every good work, and increasing³² in the knowledge of God;

Strengthened³³ with all might, according to his³⁴ glorious power, unto³⁵ all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

¶ Giving³⁶ thanks unto the Father³⁷, which hath made³⁸ us meet to be partakers³⁹ of the inheritance⁴⁰ of the saints in⁴¹ light:

Who hath delivered⁴² us from the power⁴³ of darkness, and⁴⁴ hath translated us into the kingdom⁴⁵ of his dear Son⁴⁶:

In whom⁴⁷ we have redemption through his blood, even the⁴⁸ forgiveness of sins:

Who is the image⁴⁹ of the invisible⁵⁰ God, the firstborn⁵¹ of every⁵² creature:

For by him were⁵³ all things created, that are in heaven⁵⁴, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones⁵⁵, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by⁵⁶ him, and for him:

And he⁵⁷ is before all things, and by⁵⁸ him all things consist.

And he is⁵⁹ the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning⁶⁰, the firstborn⁶¹ from the dead; that in all⁶² things he might have the preeminence.

⁶³For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

¶ And, having made peace⁶⁴ through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile⁶⁵ all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth⁶⁶, or things in heaven.

And you, that were sometime⁶⁷ alienated and enemies in your mind by⁶⁸ wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

In the body⁶⁹ of his flesh through death, to⁷⁰ present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his⁷¹ sight:

If ye continue⁷² in the faith grounded⁷³ and settled, and be not moved⁷⁴ away from the hope⁷⁵ of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to⁷⁶ every creature which is under⁷⁷ heaven; whereof⁷⁸ I Paul am made a minister;

Who now rejoice⁷⁹ in my sufferings for you, and fill⁸⁰ up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for⁸¹ his body's sake, which is the church:

Whereof I am⁸² made a minister, according⁸³ to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil⁸⁴ the word of God;

Even the mystery⁸⁵ which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now⁸⁶ is made manifest to his saints:

To whom⁸⁷ God would make known what is the riches⁸⁸ of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ⁸⁹ in you⁹⁰, the hope of glory:

Whom⁹¹ we preach, warning⁹² every man, and teaching⁹³ every man in all⁹⁴ wisdom; that we may⁹⁵ present every man perfect⁹⁶ in Christ Jesus:

Whereunto I also labour⁹⁷, striving⁹⁸ according to his⁹⁹ working, which worketh in me mightily¹⁰⁰.