Colossians 1

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,	1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.	2 to the holy ones and faithful brothers in Christ in Colossae: grace to you and peace from God our Father.
3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,	3 We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,	4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the holy ones
5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;	5 because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. Of this you have already heard through the word of truth, the gospel,
6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:	6 that has come to you. Just as in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing, so also among you, from the day you heard it and came to know the grace of God in truth,
7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;	7 as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow slave, who is a trustworthy minister of Christ on your behalf
8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.	8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;	9 Therefore, from the day we heard this, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;	10 to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God,
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;	11 strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:	12 giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:	13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:	14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:	15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:	16 For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.	17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.	18 He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;	19 For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.	20 and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross (through him), whether those on earth or those in heaven.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled	21 And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:	22 he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through his death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before him,
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;	23 provided that you persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, am a minister.
24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:	24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church,
25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;	25 of which I am a minister in accordance with God's stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you the word of God,
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:	26 the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. But now it has been manifested to his holy ones,
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:	27 to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:	28 It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.	29 For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me.