Chapter 1
Greetings from Paul and Timothy
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Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by [the] will of God, and Timothy [our] brother,
Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφὸς Paulos apostolos Christou Iēsou dia thelēmatos Theou kai Timotheos ho adelphos — NA/TR · 1
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To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
Τοῖς ἁγίοις καὶ πιστοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ ἐν Κολοσσαῖς Χάρις καὶ εἰρήνη ὑμῖν ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν Πατρὸς Tois hagiois kai pistois adelphois en Christō en Kolossais Charis kai eirēnē hymin apo Theou hēmōn Patros — NA/TR · 2
Thanksgiving and Prayer
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We always thank… God, [the] Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
Εὐχαριστοῦμεν πάντοτε τῷ Θεῷ Πατρὶ ἡμῶν τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ προσευχόμενοι περὶ ὑμῶν Eucharistoumen pantote tō Theō Patri hēmōn tou Kyriou Iēsou Christou proseuchomenoi peri hymōn — NA/TR · 3
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because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and vvv your love for all the saints—
ἀκούσαντες ὑμῶν τὴν πίστιν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἣν ἔχετε τὴν ἀγάπην εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους akousantes hymōn tēn pistin en Christō Iēsou kai hēn echete tēn agapēn eis pantas tous hagious — NA/TR · 4
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[the faith and love] proceeding from the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel
διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τὴν ἀποκειμένην ὑμῖν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἣν προηκούσατε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας τοῦ εὐαγγελίου dia tēn elpida tēn apokeimenēn hymin en tois ouranois hēn proēkousate en tō logō tēs alētheias tou euangeliou — NA/TR · 5
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that has come to you. - All over the world [this gospel] is bearing fruit and growing, just as [it has been doing] among you since the day you heard [it] and vvv truly understood the grace of God.
τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς καθὼς καὶ παντὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐστὶν καρποφορούμενον καὶ αὐξανόμενον καθὼς καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν ἀφ’ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσατε καὶ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ ἐπέγνωτε τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ tou parontos eis hymas kathōs kai panti en tō kosmō estin karpophoroumenon kai auxanomenon kathōs kai en hymin aph’ hēs hēmeras ēkousate kai en alētheia epegnōte tēn charin tou Theou — NA/TR · 6
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- You learned [it] from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,
καθὼς ἐμάθετε ἀπὸ Ἐπαφρᾶ ἡμῶν τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ συνδούλου ὅς ἐστιν πιστὸς διάκονος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ kathōs emathete apo Epaphra hēmōn tou agapētou syndoulou hos estin pistos diakonos tou Christou hēmōn hyper — NA/TR · 7
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[and] who also informed us of your love in [the] Spirit.
ὁ καὶ δηλώσας ἡμῖν ὑμῶν τὴν ἀγάπην ἐν Πνεύματι ho kai dēlōsas hēmin hymōn tēn agapēn en Pneumati — NA/TR · 8
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For this reason…, since the day we heard [about you], we {have} not stopped praying for you and asking [God] to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἀφ’ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσαμεν ἡμεῖς οὐ παυόμεθα προσευχόμενοι ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ αἰτούμενοι ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ αὐτοῦ θελήματος ἐν πάσῃ πνευματικῇ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει Dia touto kai aph’ hēs hēmeras ēkousamen hēmeis ou pauometha proseuchomenoi hyper hymōn kai aitoumenoi hina plērōthēte tēn epignōsin tou autou thelēmatos en pasē pneumatikē sophia kai synesei — NA/TR · 9
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so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord [and] may please [Him] in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
περιπατῆσαι ἀξίως τοῦ Κυρίου ἀρεσκείαν εἰς πᾶσαν καρποφοροῦντες ἐν παντὶ ἀγαθῷ ἔργῳ καὶ αὐξανόμενοι τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Θεοῦ peripatēsai axiōs tou Kyriou areskeian eis pasan karpophorountes en panti agathō ergō kai auxanomenoi tē epignōsei tou Theou — NA/TR · 10
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being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, [and] joyfully…
δυναμούμενοι ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει κατὰ αὐτοῦ τῆς δόξης τὸ κράτος εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν μετὰ χαρᾶς dynamoumenoi en pasē dynamei kata autou tēs doxēs to kratos eis pasan hypomonēn kai makrothymian meta charas — NA/TR · 11
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giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you vvv vvv to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Πατρὶ τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί eucharistountes tō Patri tō hikanōsanti hymas eis tēn merida tou klērou tōn hagiōn en tō phōti — NA/TR · 12
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He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought [us] into the kingdom of His beloved Son,
ὃς ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους καὶ μετέστησεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης Υἱοῦ hos errysato hēmas ek tēs exousias tou skotous kai metestēsen eis tēn basileian tou autou tēs agapēs Huiou — NA/TR · 13
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in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν en hō echomen tēn apolytrōsin tēn aphesin tōn hamartiōn — NA/TR · 14
The Supremacy of the Son
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[The Son] is [the] image of the invisible God, [the] firstborn over all creation.
Ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου Θεοῦ πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως Hos estin eikōn tou tou aoratou Theou prōtotokos pasēs ktiseōs — NA/TR · 15
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For in Him all things were created, [things] in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.
ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα ἐκτίσθη ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι τὰ πάντα ἔκτισται δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν hoti en autō ta panta ektisthē en tois ouranois kai epi tēs gēs ta horata kai ta aorata eite thronoi eite kyriotētes eite archai eite exousiai ta panta ektistai di’ autou kai eis auton — NA/TR · 16
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- He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα συνέστηκεν Kai autos estin pro pantōn kai en autō ta panta synestēken — NA/TR · 17
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And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning [and] firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὅς ἐστιν ἡ ἀρχή πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν ἵνα ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς γένηται πρωτεύων kai autos estin hē kephalē tou sōmatos tēs ekklēsias hos estin hē archē prōtotokos ek tōn nekrōn hina en pasin autos genētai prōteuōn — NA/TR · 18
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For [God] was pleased [to have] all [His] fullness dwell in Him,
ὅτι εὐδόκησεν πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι ἐν αὐτῷ hoti eudokēsen pan to plērōma katoikēsai en autō — NA/TR · 19
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and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross -.
καὶ δι’ αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι εἰς αὐτόν τὰ πάντα εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ αὐτοῦ σταυροῦ δι’ αὐτοῦ kai di’ autou apokatallaxai eis auton ta panta eite ta epi tēs gēs eite ta en tois ouranois eirēnopoiēsas dia tou haimatos tou autou staurou di’ autou — NA/TR · 20
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- Once you were alienated [ from God ] and were hostile in your minds, engaging in - evil deeds.
Καὶ ποτε ὑμᾶς ὄντας ἀπηλλοτριωμένους καὶ ἐχθροὺς τῇ διανοίᾳ ἐν τοῖς τοῖς πονηροῖς ἔργοις Kai pote hymas ontas apēllotriōmenous kai echthrous tē dianoia en tois tois ponērois ergois — NA/TR · 21
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But now He has reconciled [you] by [Christ’s] vvv physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence…—
δὲ νυνὶ ἀποκατήλλαξεν ἐν αὐτοῦ τῆς σαρκὸς τῷ σώματι διὰ τοῦ θανάτου παραστῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους καὶ ἀνεγκλήτους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ de nyni apokatēllaxen en autou tēs sarkos tō sōmati dia tou thanatou parastēsai hymas hagious kai amōmous kai anenklētous katenōpion autou — NA/TR · 22
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if indeed you continue in [your] faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, [and] of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
εἴ γε ἐπιμένετε τῇ πίστει τεθεμελιωμένοι καὶ ἑδραῖοι καὶ μὴ μετακινούμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ εὐαγγελίου οὗ ἠκούσατε τοῦ κηρυχθέντος ἐν πάσῃ κτίσει τῇ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν οὗ ἐγὼ Παῦλος ἐγενόμην διάκονος ei ge epimenete tē pistei tethemeliōmenoi kai hedraioi kai mē metakinoumenoi apo tēs elpidos tou euangeliou hou ēkousate tou kērychthentos en pasē ktisei tē hypo ton ouranon hou egō Paulos egenomēn diakonos — NA/TR · 23
Paul’s Suffering for the Church
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Now I rejoice in [my] sufferings for you…, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.
Νῦν χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνταναπληρῶ ἐν μου τῇ σαρκί τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ θλίψεων ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τοῦ σώματος ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία Nyn chairō en tois pathēmasin hyper hymōn kai antanaplērō en mou tē sarki ta hysterēmata tōn tou Christou thlipseōn hyper autou tou sōmatos ho estin hē ekklēsia — NA/TR · 24
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I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God,
ἐγὼ ἐγενόμην ἧς διάκονος κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι πληρῶσαι εἰς ὑμᾶς τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ egō egenomēn hēs diakonos kata tēn oikonomian tou Theou tēn dotheisan moi plērōsai eis hymas ton logon tou Theou — NA/TR · 25
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the mystery that was hidden for ages and - generations but vvv is now revealed to His saints.
τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν δὲ νῦν ἐφανερώθη τοῖς αὐτοῦ ἁγίοις to mystērion to apokekrymmenon apo tōn aiōnōn kai apo tōn geneōn de nyn ephanerōthē tois autou hagiois — NA/TR · 26
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To [them] God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
οἷς ὁ Θεὸς ἠθέλησεν γνωρίσαι ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν τί τῆς δόξης τὸ πλοῦτος τούτου τοῦ μυστηρίου ὅ ἐστιν Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης hois ho Theos ēthelēsen gnōrisai en tois ethnesin ti tēs doxēs to ploutos toutou tou mystēriou ho estin Christos en hymin hē elpis tēs doxēs — NA/TR · 27
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We proclaim Him, admonishing - and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
ἡμεῖς καταγγέλλομεν ὃν νουθετοῦντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον καὶ διδάσκοντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ ἵνα παραστήσωμεν πάντα ἄνθρωπον τέλειον ἐν Χριστῷ hēmeis katangellomen hon nouthetountes panta anthrōpon kai didaskontes panta anthrōpon en pasē sophia hina parastēsōmen panta anthrōpon teleion en Christō — NA/TR · 28
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To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working vvv powerfully within me.
Εἰς ὃ καὶ κοπιῶ ἀγωνιζόμενος κατὰ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν δυνάμει ἐν ἐμοὶ Eis ho kai kopiō agōnizomenos kata autou tēn energeian tēn energoumenēn en dynamei en emoi — NA/TR · 29