Passage

Colossians 1

Book: Colossians · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ that are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 3. We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4. having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints, 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 gospel, 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; 7. even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8. who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. 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, 10. to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11. strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12. giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 13. who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 14. in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: 15. who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 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; 17. and he is before all things, and in him all things consist. 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. 19. For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell; 20. and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens. 21. And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, 22. yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: 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. 24. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church; 25. whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God, 26. even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints, 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: 28. whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ; 29. whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." (Colossians 1:1-29, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2. to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4. having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have toward all the saints, 5. because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News, 6. which has come to you; even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7. even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8. who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. 9. For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10. that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11. strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy; 12. giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 13. who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love; 14. in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins; 15. who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16. For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him. 17. He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. 18. He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19. For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him; 20. and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross. 21. You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil deeds, 22. yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him, 23. if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant. 24. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly; 25. of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God, 26. the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints, 27. to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; 28. whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; 29. for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily." (Colossians 1:1-29, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus 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. 3. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 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; 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: 7. As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 8. Who also declared unto us 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; 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; 11. Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: ^{his: Gr. the Son of his love} 14. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15. Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 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: 17. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 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. ^{in: or, among all} 19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness 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. ^{having: or, making} 21. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled ^{in: or, by your mind in} 22. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 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; 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: 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; ^{to fulfil: or, fully to preach the word} 26. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 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: ^{in: or, among} 28. Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29. Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." (Colossians 1:1-29, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Timotheus the brother, 2. to the saints in Colossae, and to the faithful brethren in Christ: Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ! 3. We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, always praying for you, 4. having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love that [is] to all the saints, 5. because of the hope that is laid up for you in the heavens, which ye heard of before in the word of the truth of the good news, 6. which is present to you, as also in all the world, and is bearing fruit, as also in you, from the day in which ye heard, and knew the grace of God in truth; 7. as ye also learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful ministrant of the Christ, 8. who also did declare to us your love in the Spirit. 9. Because of this, we also, from the day in which we heard, do not cease praying for you, and asking that ye may be filled with the full knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, 10. to your walking worthily of the Lord to all pleasing, in every good work being fruitful, and increasing to the knowledge of God, 11. in all might being made mighty according to the power of His glory, to all endurance and long-suffering with joy. 12. Giving thanks to the Father who did make us meet for the participation of the inheritance of the saints in the light, 13. who did rescue us out of the authority of the darkness, and did translate [us] into the reign of the Son of His love, 14. in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of the sins, 15. who is the image of the invisible God, first-born of all creation, 16. because in him were the all things created, those in the heavens, and those upon the earth, those visible, and those invisible, whether thrones, whether lordships, whether principalities, whether authorities; all things through him, and for him, have been created, 17. and himself is before all, and the all things in him have consisted. 18. And himself is the head of the body, the assembly, who is a beginning, a first-born out of the dead, that he might become in all [things], himself, first, 19. because in him it did please all the fulness to tabernacle, 20. and through him to reconcile the all things to himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross, through him, whether the things upon the earth, whether the things in the heavens. 21. And you, once being alienated, and enemies in the mind, in the evil works, yet now did he reconcile, 22. in the body of his flesh through the death, to present you holy, and unblemished, and unblameable before himself, 23. if also ye remain in the faith, being founded and settled, and not moved away from the hope of the good news, which ye heard, which was preached in all the creation that [is] under the heaven, of which I became, I Paul, a ministrant. 24. I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and do fill up the things lacking of the tribulations of the Christ in my flesh for his body, which is the assembly, 25. of which I, I did become a ministrant according to the dispensation of God, that was given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God, 26. the secret that hath been hid from the ages and from the generations, but now was manifested to his saints, 27. to whom God did will to make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this secret among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory, 28. whom we proclaim, warning every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, 29. for which also I labour, striving according to his working that is working in me in power." (Colossians 1:1-29, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.