歌羅西書 1
問安
1 奉 神旨意作基督耶穌使徒的保羅，和提摩太弟兄，
2 寫信給在歌羅西的聖徒，和在基督裡忠心的弟兄。願恩惠平安從我們的父 神臨到你們。
為歌羅西信徒感謝 神
3 我們為你們祈禱的時候，常常感謝 神我們主耶穌基督的父，4 因為聽見你們在基督耶穌裡的信心，和對眾聖徒的愛心。5 這都是由於那給你們存在天上的盼望，這盼望是你們從前在福音真理的道上聽過的。6 這福音傳到你們那裡，也傳到全世界；你們聽了福音，因著真理確實認識了 神的恩典之後，這福音就在你們中間不斷地結果和增長，在全世界也是一樣。7 這福音也就是你們從我們親愛的、一同作僕人的以巴弗那裡學到的。他為你們作了基督忠心的僕役，
8 也把你們在聖靈裡的愛心告訴了我們。
保羅的祈禱
9 因此，我們從聽見的那天起，就不停地為你們禱告祈求，願你們藉著一切屬靈的智慧和悟性，可以充分明白 神的旨意，10 使你們行事為人對得起主，凡事蒙他喜悅；在一切善事上多結果子，更加認識 神；11 依照他榮耀的大能得著一切能力，帶著喜樂的心，凡事忍耐寬容；12 並且感謝父，他使你們有資格分享聖徒在光明中的基業。13 他救我們脫離了黑暗的權勢，把我們遷入他愛子的國裡。
14 我們在愛子裡蒙了救贖，罪得赦免。
基督在萬有之上
15 這愛子是那看不見的 神的形象，是首先的，在一切被造的之上。16 因為天上地上的萬有：看得見的和看不見的，無論是坐王位的，或是作主的，或是執政的，或是掌權的，都是本著他造的；萬有都是藉著他，又是為著他而造的。17 他在萬有之先；萬有也一同靠著他而存在。18 他是身體的頭，這身體就是教會。他是元始，是死人中首先復生的，好讓他在凡事上居首位；19 因為 神樂意使所有的豐盛都住在愛子裡面，
20 並且藉著他在十字架上所流的血成就了和平，使萬有，無論是地上天上的，都藉著他與 神和好了。
21 雖然你們從前也是和 神隔絕，心思上與他為敵，行為邪惡，22 但現今 神在愛子的肉身上，藉著他的死，使你們與 神和好了，為了要把你們這些聖潔、無瑕疵、無可指摘的人，呈獻在他面前。
23 只是你們要常存信心，根基穩固，不受動搖偏離福音的盼望。這福音你們聽過了，也傳給了天下萬民；我保羅也作了這福音的僕役。
竭力傳揚 神的奧祕
24 現在我為你們受苦，我覺得喜樂；為了基督的身體，就是為了教會，我要在自己的肉身上，補滿基督苦難的不足。25 -26 我照著 神為你們而賜給我的管家職分，作了教會的僕役，要把 神的道，就是歷世歷代隱藏的奧祕，傳得完備。現在這奧祕已經向他的眾聖徒顯明了。27 神願意使他們知道這奧祕在外族人中有多麼榮耀的豐盛，這奧祕就是基督在你們裡面成了榮耀的盼望。28 我們傳揚他，是用各樣的智慧，勸戒各人，教導各人，為了要使各人在基督裡得到完全。
29 我也為了這事勞苦，按著他用大能在我心中運行的動力，竭力奮鬥。
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.
