歌羅西書 1

問候

1 奉上帝旨意，作基督耶穌使徒的保羅和兄弟提摩太 2 寫信給歌羅西的聖徒，在基督裏有忠心的弟兄。願恩惠、平安從上帝我們的父歸與你們！

為信徒感謝上帝

3 我們感謝上帝我們主耶穌基督的父，常常為你們禱告； 4 因聽見你們在基督耶穌裏的信心，並向眾聖徒的愛心， 5 是為那給你們存在天上的盼望；這盼望就是你們從前在福音真理的道上所聽見的。 6 這福音傳到你們那裏，也傳到普天之下，並且結果，增長，如同在你們中間，自從你們聽見福音，真知道上帝恩惠的日子一樣。 7 正如你們從我們所親愛、一同作僕人的以巴弗所學的。他為我們t作了基督忠心的執事， 8 也把你們因聖靈所存的愛心告訴了我們。

基督的位格和工作

9 因此，我們自從聽見的日子，也就為你們不住地禱告祈求，願你們在一切屬靈的智慧悟性上，滿心知道上帝的旨意； 10 好叫你們行事為人對得起主，凡事蒙他喜悅，在一切善事上結果子，漸漸地多知道上帝； 11 照他榮耀的權能，得以在各樣的力上加力，好叫你們凡事歡歡喜喜地忍耐寬容； 12 又感謝父，叫我們能與眾聖徒在光明中同得基業。 13 他救了我們脫離黑暗的權勢，把我們遷到他愛子的國裏； 14 我們在愛子裏得蒙救贖，罪過得以赦免。 15 愛子是那不能看見之上帝的像，是首生的，在一切被造的以先。 16 因為萬有都是靠他造的，無論是天上的，地上的；能看見的，不能看見的；或是有位的，主治的，執政的，掌權的；一概都是藉著他造的，又是為他造的。 17 他在萬有之先；萬有也靠他而立。 18 他也是教會全體之首。他是元始，是從死裏首先復生的，使他可以在凡事上居首位。 19 因為父喜歡叫一切的豐盛在他裏面居住。 20 既然藉著他在十字架上所流的血成就了和平，便藉著他叫萬有－無論是地上的、天上的－都與自己和好了。

21 你們從前與上帝隔絕，因著惡行，心裏與他為敵。 22 但如今他藉著基督的肉身受死，叫你們與自己和好，都成了聖潔，沒有瑕疵，無可責備，把你們引到自己面前。 23 只要你們在所信的道上恆心，根基穩固，堅定不移，不致被引動失去t福音的盼望。這福音就是你們所聽過的，也是傳與普天下萬人聽的t，我－保羅也作了這福音的執事。

保羅為教會的工作

24 現在我為你們受苦，倒覺歡樂；並且為基督的身體，就是為教會，要在我肉身上補滿基督患難的缺欠。 25 我照上帝為你們所賜我的職分作了教會的執事，要把上帝的道理傳得全備， 26 這道理就是歷世歷代所隱藏的奧祕；但如今向他的聖徒顯明了。 27 上帝願意叫他們知道，這奧祕在外邦人中有何等豐盛的榮耀，就是基督在你們心裏成了有榮耀的盼望。 28 我們傳揚他，是用諸般的智慧，勸戒各人，教導各人，要把各人在基督裏完完全全地引到上帝面前。 29 我也為此勞苦，照著他在我裏面運用的大能盡心竭力。

Colossians 1

Salutation

1 From Paul,t an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 to the saints, the faithfult brothers and sisterst in Christ, at Colossae. Grace and peace to yout from God our Father!s

Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Church

3 We alwayst give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,4 sincet we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints.5 Your faith and love have arisent from the hope laid upt for you in heaven, which you have heard about in the message of truth, the gospelt6 that has come to you. Just as in the entire world this gospelt is bearing fruit and growing, so it has also been bearing fruit and growingt among you from the first day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.7 You learned the gospelt from Epaphras, our dear fellow slavet – at faithful minister of Christ on ours behalf –

8 who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

Paul’s Prayer for the Growth of the Church

9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you,t have not ceased praying for you and asking Godt to fillt you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,10 so that you may livet worthily of the Lord and please him in all respectst – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God,11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display oft all patience and steadfastness, joyfully12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to sharet in the saints’t inheritance in the light.13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves,t

14 in whom we have redemption,s the forgiveness of sins.

The Supremacy of Christ

15 s He is the image of the invisible God, the firstbornt over all creation,t

16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him – all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions,t whether principalities or powers – all things were created through him and for him.

17 He himself is before all things and all things are held togethert in him.

18 He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstbornt from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things.t

19 For Godt was pleased to have all hist fullness dwellt in the Sont

20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross – through him,s whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Paul’s Goal in Ministry

21 And you were at one time strangers and enemies in yourt mindst as expressed throught your evil deeds,22 but now he has reconciled youst by his physical body through death to present you holy, without blemish, and blameless before him –

23 if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm,t without shiftingt from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my physical body – for the sake of his body, the church – what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.25 I became a servant of the church according to the stewardshipt from God – given to me for you – in order to completet the word of God,26 that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints.27 God wanted to make known to them the glorioust riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.28 We proclaim him by instructingt and teachingt all peoplet with all wisdom so that we may present every person maturet in Christ.

29 Toward this goalt I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfullyt works in me.