1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father. 3We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have for all the saints, 5Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel; 6Which has come to you. In all the world it brings forth fruit and grows, as it does also in you, since the day you heard of it, and understood the grace of God in truth: 7As you learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf; 8Who has also declared to us your love in the Spirit. 9For this reason, since the day we heard it, we do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10That you might walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all things, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11Strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, with all endurance and patience with joyfulness; 12Giving thanks to the Father, who has made us qualified to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. 13He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation: 16For by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18He is also the head of the body, the church: he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have preeminence. 19For it pleased the Father, that all his fulness should dwell in him; 20And through him to reconcile all things to himself, whether things on earth, or things in heaven; having made peace through the blood of his cross. 21And you who were at one time alienated and enemies in your minds because of wicked deeds, 22He has now reconciled in his body of flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable in his sight: 23If you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you have heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven; and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. 24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh that which is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for his body's sake, which is the church: 25Of which I was made a minister, according to the commission of God, which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known; 26That is, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been made manifest to his saints; 27To whom God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the riches of the glory of this mystery; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28Him we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29For this I labour, striving according to his power, which works mightily within me.