1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2to the holy ones and faithful brothers in Christ that live in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 3We always pray for you, and thank God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for you. 4We have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love you have for all the holy ones. 5This is because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You heard about this hope from the word of truth, the good news. 6It came to you even as it did. Everywhere in the entire world it bears fruit and it increases in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace loving-kindness of God in truth. 7You learned about Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf. 8He also declared your love to us in the Spirit. 9Since the day we heard about you, we have not ceased to pray and make request for you. We pray for you to be filled with the intimateaccurate knowledge discernmentrecognition of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. (Philippians 1:9) (John 17:3) 10Walk worthily of God, fully pleasing him. Bear fruit in every good work, and increase in the knowledge Greek: epignosis: full discernment, recognition of God. 11God will strengthen you with all power, according to the might of his glory, to all patience and longsuffering with joy. 12Give thanks to the Father, who made us partakers of the inheritance of the holy ones in the light. 13He rescued us from the power of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love the Son he dearly loves. 14We have in him our redemption and the forgiveness of our sins. 15He is the image likenessrepresentation of the invisible God. He is the firstborn Greek: prototokos: childbirth, offspring of all creation. 16All things in the heavens and upon the earth where created through him. The things visible and invisible were created through him. Whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him. 17He is before all things, and through him all things originate. 18He is the head of the body, the congregation. He is the beginning commencement, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence first place. 19It was the good pleasure of the Father that in him all the fullness should dwell. 20And all things are reconciled through him. He made peace through the blood of his atonement of the stake. He reconciles all things, whether things upon the earth, or things in heaven. 21You were in the past alienated and enemies because your minds were on your evil works. 22But he Christ reconciled you in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and without accusation before Him God. 23Provided that you continue in the faith, grounded on the foundation and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the good news you heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven. For this I,Paul, was made a minister. 24I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake. I do my share in behalf of his body, the congregation, to provide what is lacking of the afflictions of Christ. 25God gave me this stewardship to perform for your good. He has made me a servant of the congregation. It is for the task of fully proclaiming the word of God. 26It is the secret he hid through all past ages from all human beings but has now revealed to his holy ones. 27It was GodÂ’s will to make known his secret to the people of the nations, this rich and glorious secret that he has for people. The secret is that Christ is in union with you, which means that you will share in his glory. 28We preach Christ to everyone. With all possible wisdom we warn and teach them in order to bring each one to God as a mature individual in union with Christ. 29I work hard to get this done. I use the mighty strength Christ supplies. It is at work in me.