Colossians 1

King James Version

Full text for Colossians Chapter 1

1¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus [our] brother,

2To 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,

4Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love [which ye have] to all the saints,

5For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

6Which 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:

7As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

8Who 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;

10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11Strengthened 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:

13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins:

15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16For 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:

17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18And 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.

19For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell;

20And, 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.

21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

23If 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;

24Who 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:

25Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil 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:

27To 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:

28Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

29Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Paul and Timothy greet the Colossian saints, expressing gratitude for their faith, love, and hope in the gospel. Paul prays for their spiritual growth and knowledge, then profoundly exalts Christ as the image of the invisible God, the creator and sustainer of all things, and the head of the church. He emphasizes that through Christ's death, reconciliation and redemption are achieved, and concludes by explaining his ministry to preach this mystery to all.

Medium Summary

Paul and Timothy open by greeting the saints in Colosse, giving thanks to God for their faith in Christ, their love for all saints, and the hope laid up in heaven, which they learned through Epaphras. Paul then offers a fervent prayer for the Colossians, desiring they be filled with the knowledge of God's will, walk worthy, bear fruit, and increase in divine knowledge, strengthened with power. He gives thanks for their deliverance from darkness and translation into the kingdom of God's Son, in whom they have redemption and forgiveness of sins. The chapter then powerfully declares Christ's supremacy as the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, and the creator of all things visible and invisible. Christ is also presented as the head of the church, the firstborn from the dead, in whom all fullness dwells, and through whom all things are reconciled by the blood of His cross. Paul reminds the Colossians that they, once alienated, are now reconciled through Christ's death, provided they continue steadfast in the gospel hope. He concludes by describing his own ministry and sufferings for the church, to make known the mystery of Christ among the Gentiles, which is Christ in them, the hope of glory.

Long Summary

The epistle opens with a salutation from Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, and Timotheus, addressing the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colosse, wishing them grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul expresses heartfelt thanksgiving to God for the Colossians, having heard of their faith in Christ Jesus, their love for all the saints, and the hope reserved for them in heaven. This gospel truth, which is bearing fruit globally, was faithfully taught to them by Epaphras, a dear fellowservant and minister of Christ. Consequently, Paul and his companions continually pray for the Colossians, desiring that they be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. This spiritual enlightenment is purposed that they might walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in all things, being fruitful in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God. They are also prayed for to be strengthened with divine might, enabling patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. Paul then leads into a doxology, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified believers to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He emphasizes God's deliverance of believers from the power of darkness and their translation into the kingdom of His dear Son, in whom redemption and the forgiveness of sins are found through His blood. The chapter then presents a profound Christological declaration, asserting Christ's identity as the image of the invisible God and the firstborn of every creature. It states that by Him all things were created, both visible and invisible, heavenly and earthly, and that He is before all things and by Him all things consist. Furthermore, Christ is identified as the head of the body, the church, being the beginning and the firstborn from the dead, ensuring His preeminence in all things. It pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell in Him, and through the blood of His cross, He has reconciled all things to Himself, whether on earth or in heaven. Paul reminds the Colossians that they, who were once alienated and enemies in their minds by wicked works, have now been reconciled through Christ's physical body and death. This reconciliation aims to present them holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in God's sight, contingent upon their continued steadfastness in the faith and the hope of the gospel. Paul then speaks of his own rejoicing in sufferings for the church, fulfilling a part of Christ's afflictions for His body. He explains his ministry is according to God's dispensation to reveal the mystery, hidden for ages but now manifest to the saints, which is Christ in them, the hope of glory. Paul's labor and striving are to preach Christ, warning and teaching every man in all wisdom, so that he may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Core Concepts

  • Christ's SupremacyChrist is presented as the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, through whom all things were created and by whom they consist, holding preeminence over all creation and the church.
  • Reconciliation through ChristHumanity, once alienated and enemies by wicked works, is reconciled to God through the death of Christ's physical body, making peace through the blood of His cross for all things in heaven and earth.
  • Redemption and ForgivenessBelievers experience redemption through Christ's blood, which results in the forgiveness of sins, delivering them from the power of darkness and translating them into the kingdom of God's dear Son.
  • The Gospel and HopeThe gospel, a message of truth, brings forth fruit and offers a hope laid up in heaven, which the Colossians heard and are encouraged to continue steadfastly in, grounded and settled in faith.
  • Paul's Ministry and SufferingPaul views his ministry as a divine dispensation to fulfill God's word, making known the mystery of Christ to the Gentiles, and he rejoices in his sufferings for the church, which is Christ's body.
  • Spiritual Knowledge and WalkPaul prays for the Colossians to be filled with the knowledge of God's will and spiritual understanding, enabling them to walk worthy of the Lord, being fruitful in good works and increasing in divine knowledge.
  • Christ in You, the Hope of GloryThis profound mystery, once hidden from ages and generations, is now revealed to the saints, signifying Christ's indwelling presence within believers as the foundation of their future glory among the Gentiles.