Colossians 1

1 Paul [an apostle of Jesus Christ], an apostle [a delegate or messenger] of Christ Jesus [the anointed Messiah] by the will [purpose or desire] of God [the one true deity], and Timothy [dear to God, a fellow believer] our brother [a fellow Christian], word study 2 To the [holy, set apart] saints and [trustworthy, loyal] faithful brothers [and sisters, fellow believers] in [the anointed one, Messiah] Christ at [the city of] Colossae: Grace [unmerited favor, divine influence] and [inner harmony, wholeness] peace to you from [the supreme deity, heavenly Father] God our [male parent, heavenly Father] Father. word study 3 We always [continually, at all times] thank [express gratitude, give praise] God [Almighty], the Father [the male parent, divine Author] of our Lord [Master, Savior] Jesus Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], when we [as believers, in prayer] pray [worship, petition] for you [on your behalf, in your interest], word study 4 because we have heard [and understood, having given heed to] about your faith [trust and confidence] in Christ Jesus [the Anointed One, the Messiah] and your love [unconditional affection, charity] for all [every single one, the entirety of] the saints [holy ones, set apart for God]— word study 5 the faith [trust and reliance] and love [unconditional affection] proceeding from the hope [confident expectation] stored up [laid away, reserved] for you in heaven [the spiritual realm], of which you have already heard [previously learned] in the word [message, logos] of truth [reality], the gospel [good news] word study 6 that has come to you [as it is in all the world]. All over the world [throughout the whole world, in every place] this gospel [the true message of Jesus] is bearing fruit [producing good results, changing lives] and growing [increasing, spreading widely], just as it has been doing among you [in your midst, in your hearts] since the day you heard it [since the day you listened and understood] and truly understood [knew deeply, recognized] the grace [unmerited favor, divine influence] of God [the one true deity, our loving Father]. word study 7 You learned it from Epaphras [our dear fellow servant], our beloved [cherished by God] fellow servant [a slave of the same Master], who is a faithful [trustworthy, reliable] minister [one who attends to the needs of others] of Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] on our behalf [for your benefit], word study 8 and who [in addition] also informed us of your [unconditional, divine] love [agape, affection] in [through, by means of] the [Holy, divine] Spirit [breath of God]. word study 9 For this reason [because of what we heard], since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped [cease] praying [to worship and ask] for you and asking [requesting] God to fill [fulfill, make complete] you with the knowledge [deep understanding, recognition] of His will [desire, intention] in all [every, complete] spiritual [non-carnal, supernatural] wisdom [higher understanding, discernment] and understanding [intelligence, insight], word study 10 so that you may walk [in a worthy manner, uprightly] in a manner worthy of the Lord [God, the supreme authority] and may please Him [be pleasing to God, live to satisfy Him] in every way: bearing fruit [producing good results, being fruitful] in every good [beneficial, righteous] work, growing [increasing, being strengthened] in the knowledge [deep understanding, recognition] of God [the one true deity], word study 11 being strengthened [made powerfully strong, empowered] with all [every kind of] power [ability, strength] according to [in line with, matching] His [the Lord’s] glorious [resplendent, honorific] might [power, strength] so that you may have [possess, experience] full [complete, perfect] endurance [perseverance, patience] and [along with, accompanied by] patience [longsuffering, fortitude], and [together with, in addition to] joyfully [with joy, joyfulness] word study 12 giving thanks [with gratitude and praise] to the Father [our heavenly Parent], who has qualified [made us fit, enabled] you to share [be partakers, participate] in the inheritance [divine legacy, promised gift] of the saints [holy ones, set apart believers] in the light [spiritual illumination, divine presence]. word study 13 He has rescued [delivered, saved] us from the dominion [power, authority] of darkness [spiritual gloom, evil] and brought [translated, transferred] us into the kingdom [royal power, reign] of His beloved [dear, loved] Son [Child, heir], word study 14 in whom [through his blood, by his sacrifice] we have [possess, hold] redemption [salvation, being set free] [through his blood], the [specific, particular] forgiveness [pardon, remission] of sins [transgressions, missing the mark]. word study 15 The Son [God’s visible image, the divine Representation] is the image [likeness, representation] of the invisible [not seen, unseen by humans] God [the one true deity, Creator], the firstborn [preeminent, having priority] over all [every, the entire] creation [the act of creating, the thing created]. word study 16 For in Him [as the divine Agent, through His mediation] all things [the entire universe, everything that exists] were created [brought into being, formed], things in heaven [the spiritual realm] and on earth [the physical world, the material realm], visible [capable of being seen, perceived] and invisible [not seen, spiritual], whether thrones [positions of authority, dominion] or dominions [rulers, kingdoms] or rulers [those in power, leaders] or authorities [powers, spiritual forces]. All things were created through Him [by His agency, through His power] and for Him [for His glory, to fulfill His purpose]. word study 17 He [the Son of God, existing before everything else] is before [prior to, preceding] all things [the entire universe, everything that exists], and in [through, by means of] Him [as the sustaining power] all things [the whole creation, everything] hold together [are sustained, consist, have their being]. word study 18 And He [the Son of God, Jesus Christ] is the head [ruler, leader] of the body [His people], the church [assembly, community of believers]; He is the beginning [origin, source] and firstborn [preeminent, supreme] from among the dead [those who have passed away, the spiritually lifeless], so that in all things [every aspect, all circumstances] He may have preeminence [supreme authority, highest rank]. word study 19 For God [the Father, having good pleasure] was pleased [to delight, thinking well of] to have all [every aspect of] His fullness [the complete nature of God, fulfillment] dwell [to reside, tabernacle] in Him [God’s Son, the divine Expression], word study 20 and through Him [as the means of reconciliation] to reconcile [to fully restore, make peace with] to Himself all things [everything in the universe, all creation], whether things on earth [the physical realm, soil] or things in heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling place], by making peace [restoring harmony, bringing about unity] through the blood [the atoning sacrifice, life-giving fluid] of His cross [the instrument of crucifixion]. word study 21 Once you [who were formerly alienated] were alienated [separated, estranged] from God and were hostile [enemies, at war] in your minds [thoughts, understanding], engaging [occupied, involved] in evil [wicked, morally wrong] deeds [works, actions]. word study 22 But now He has reconciled [made peace with, restored] you by Christ’s physical body [in the body of his flesh] through death [physical and spiritual separation] to present you holy [set apart, dedicated to God], unblemished [without spot or defect], and blameless [without fault or reproach] in His presence [before Him, in His sight]— word study 23 if indeed [otherwise, if it is so] you continue [remain, keep on] in your faith [trust, confidence in God], established [founded, grounded] and firm [steadfast, immovable], not moved [shifted, removed] from the hope [expectation, confidence] of the gospel [good news, message of salvation] you heard [listened to, understood], which has been proclaimed [preached, heralded] to every creature [living being, all creation] under heaven [the sky, God’s domain], and of which I, Paul [the apostle, a servant of Christ], have become a servant [minister, attendant]. word study 24 Now [at this present time] I rejoice [am glad, feel happy] in my sufferings [hardships, afflictions] for you, and I fill up [supplement, complete] in my flesh [physical body, human nature] what is lacking [deficient, incomplete] in regard to Christ’s [the Anointed One’s] afflictions [tribulations, pressures] for the sake of His body [the church, the assembly], which is [exists as] the church [assembly, community of believers]. word study 25 I became its servant [a minister, someone who attends to others] by the commission [direction, purpose] God [the one true deity] gave me to fully proclaim [to present fully, to make known] to you [toward you, for your benefit] the word [Logos, the divine Expression] of God [the supreme Creator], word study 26 the mystery [a hidden truth, secret] that was hidden [concealed, kept secret] for ages [long periods of time, eternity] and generations [groups of people living at the same time] but is now [at this present time] revealed [made visible, manifested] to His saints [holy ones, set apart]. word study 27 To them God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] has chosen [purposed, willed] to make known [reveal, disclose] among the Gentiles [non-Jewish nations, ethnic groups] the glorious [resplendent, magnificent] riches [abundant treasures, wealth] of this mystery [hidden truth, divine secret], which is Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] in you [within, among], the hope [confident expectation, assurance] of glory [heavenly honor, divine praise]. word study 28 We proclaim Him [telling everyone about], admonishing [guiding, warning] and teaching [instructing, guiding] everyone [every human being, all people] with all [complete, perfect] wisdom [spiritual understanding, discernment], so that we may present [stand by, recommend] everyone [every person, all humanity] perfect [complete, mature] in Christ [the Anointed One, Jesus]. word study 29 To this end [toward this purpose, for this reason] I also labor [work hard, strive], striving [fighting, contending] with all His energy [power, active strength] working [being active, operating] powerfully [mightily, in power] within [in, among] me [I, myself]. word study