1Gk. the brother,
1: 2 2to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ that are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father3.
2Or, to those that are at Colossae, holy and faithful brethren in Christ:
3So B 1739 33 81 1175 copsa vg. ℵCA I and a majority of lesser Gk. mss., (copbo) add and the Lord Jesus Christ (Compare Ro 1:7, 1Co 1:3, etc.)
1: 3 We give thanks to 4God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4So p61vidBC* 1739 copsa,bo. ℵA I 33 81 and the majority of lesser Gk. mss., arm vg read the God and Father of
1: 4 having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints,
1: 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the 5gospel,
5Gk. good tidings, And similarly everywhere; see marginal note on Mt 4:23.
1: 6 which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
1: 7 even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on 6your behalf,
6So C 1739 33 81 and the majority of lesser Gk. mss., cop arm vg. But p46ℵBA D* read our
1: 8 who also declared unto us your love in spirit.
1: 9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
1: 10 to walk worthily of the Lord 7unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing 8in the knowledge of God;
7Or, unto all pleasing, in every good work, bearing fruit and increasing etc.
8Or, by
1: 11 9strengthened 10with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all 11patience and longsuffering with joy;
9Gk. made powerful
10Or, in
11Or, stedfastness
1: 12 giving thanks unto the Father, who made 12you meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;
12So ℵB 1739 1175 copsa arm. CA 33 81vid and a majority of lesser Gk. mss., copbo vg read us
1: 13 who delivered us out of the 13power of darkness, and 14removed us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;
13Gk. authority
14Or, translated
1: 14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins:
1: 15 who is an image of the invisible God, a firstborn of all creation;
1: 16 for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him;
1: 17 and he is before all things, and in him all things 15consist.
15That is, hold together
1: 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, a firstborn from the dead; 16that in all things he might have the preeminence.
16Or, that among all he might have etc.
1: 19 17For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fullness dwell;
17Or, For the whole fullness of God was pleased to dwell in him
1: 20 and through him to reconcile all things 18unto 19himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; 20through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.
18Or, into him,
19Or, him,
20So p46ℵCA 048 33 and a majority of lesser Gk. mss., copbo. But B I 1739 81 1175 copsa arm vg omit through him,
1: 21 And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind 21in your evil works,
21Or possibly, in the works of the Evil One.
1: 22 yet now 22hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreprovable before him:
22(p46)B almost alone read ye have been reconciled
1: 23 if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.
1: 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of 23Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church;
23Or, the Christ or, the Anointed
1: 25 whereof I became a minister, according to the 24stewardship of God which was given me towards you, to fulfil the word of God,
24Or, dispensation But see 1Co 9:17.
1: 26 even the mystery which hath been hid 25from all ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints,
25Or, for ages etc. Gk. from the ages and from the generations:
1: 27 to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
1: 28 whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;
1: 29 whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me 26mightily.
26Or, in power.
