Colossians · Bible in Basic English
Colossians 1 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
BBE Bible in Basic English
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, by the purpose of God, and Timothy our brother,
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
1 Παῦλος, ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ, καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφός,
2 To the saints and true brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
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.
2 τοῖς ἐν Κολασσαῖς ἁγίοις καὶ πιστοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ· χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
3 We give praise to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, making prayer for you at all times,
3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
3 Εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι,
4 After hearing of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have for all the saints,
4 having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have toward all the saints,
4 ἀκούσαντες τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην τὴν εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους,
5 Through the hope which is in store for you in heaven; knowledge of which was given to you before in the true word of the good news,
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
5 διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τὴν ἀποκειμένην ὑμῖν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἣν προηκούσατε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας τοῦ εὐαγγελίου
6 Which has come to you; and which in all the world is giving fruit and increase, as it has done in you from the day when it came to your ears and you had true knowledge of the grace of God;
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,
6 τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς, καθὼς καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ ἔστι καρποφορούμενον καὶ αὐξανόμενον καθὼς καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσατε καὶ ἐπέγνωτε τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ,
7 As it was given to you by Epaphras, our well-loved helper, who is a true servant of Christ for us,
7 even as you learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf,
7 καθὼς καὶ ἐμάθετε ἀπὸ Ἐπαφρᾶ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ συνδούλου ἡμῶν, ὅς ἐστι πιστὸς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν διάκονος τοῦ Χριστοῦ,
8 And who, himself, made clear to us your love in the Spirit.
8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
8 ὁ καὶ δηλώσας ἡμῖν τὴν ὑμῶν ἀγάπην ἐν Πνεύματι.
9 For this reason, we, from the day when we had word of it, keep on in prayer for you, that you may be full of the knowledge of his purpose, with all wisdom and experience of 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,
9 Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσαμεν, οὐ παυόμεθα ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι καὶ αἰτούμενοι ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει πνευματικῇ,
10 Living uprightly in the approval of the Lord, giving fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
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,
10 περιπατῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἀξίως τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρέσκειαν, ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ καρποφοροῦντες καὶ αὐξανόμενοι εἰς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ,
11 Full of strength in the measure of the great power of his glory, so that you may undergo all troubles with joy;
11 strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy,
11 ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν,
12 Giving praise to the Father who has given us a part in the heritage of the saints in light;
12 giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light,
12 μετὰ χαρᾶς εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ [Θεῷ καὶ] πατρὶ τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί,
13 Who has made us free from the power of evil and given us a place in the kingdom of the Son of his love;
13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love,
13 ὃς ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους καὶ μετέστησεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ,
14 In whom we have our salvation, the forgiveness of sins:
14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.
14 ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν·
15 Who is the image of the unseen God coming into existence before all living things;
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
15 ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως,
16 For by him all things were made, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, authorities, lords, rulers, and powers; all things were made by him and for him;
16 For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him.
16 ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα, τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα δι᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται·
17 He is before all things, and in him all things have being.
17 He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.
17 καὶ αὐτός ἐστι πρὸ πάντων, καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκε,
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: the starting point of all things, the first to come again from the dead; so that in all things he might have the chief place.
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.
18 καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος, τῆς ἐκκλησίας· ὅς ἐστιν ἀρχή, πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων,
19 For God in full measure was pleased to be in him;
19 For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him,
19 ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησε πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι
20 Through him uniting all things with himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, uniting all things which are on earth or in heaven.
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.
20 καὶ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν, εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ, δι᾽ αὐτοῦ εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
21 And you, who in the past were cut off and at war with God in your minds through evil works, he has now made one
21 You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil deeds,
21 καὶ ὑμᾶς ποτε ὄντας ἀπηλλοτριωμένους καὶ ἐχθροὺς τῇ διανοίᾳ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς,
22 In the body of his flesh through death, so that you might be holy and without sin and free from all evil before him:
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,
22 νυνὶ δὲ ἀποκατήλλαξεν ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου, παραστῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους καὶ ἀνεγκλήτους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ,
23 If you keep yourselves safely based in the faith, not moved from the hope of the good news which came to you, and which was given to every living being under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant.
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 was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, was made a servant.
23 εἴ γε ἐπιμένετε τῇ πίστει τεθεμελιωμένοι καὶ ἑδραῖοι καὶ μὴ μετακινούμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ εὐαγγελίου οὗ ἠκούσατε, τοῦ κηρυχθέντος ἐν πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει τῇ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν, οὗ ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ Παῦλος διάκονος.
24 Now I have joy in my pain because of you, and in my flesh I undergo whatever is still needed to make the sorrows of Christ complete, for the salvation of his body, the church;
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,
24 Νῦν χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασί [μου] ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνταναπληρῶ τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ὑπὲρ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία,
25 Of which I became a servant by the purpose of God which was given to me for you, to give effect to the word of God,
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,
25 ἧς ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ διάκονος κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς, πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ,
26 The secret which has been kept from all times and generations, but has now been made clear to his saints,
26 the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints,
26 τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν, νυνὶ δὲ ἐφανερώθη τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ,
27 To whom God was pleased to give knowledge of the wealth of the glory of this secret among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
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.
27 οἷς ἠθέλησεν ὁ Θεὸς γνωρίσαι τίς ὁ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὅς ἐστι Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης·
28 Whom we are preaching; guiding and teaching every man in all wisdom, so that every man may be complete in Christ;
28 We proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;
28 ὃν ἡμεῖς καταγγέλλομεν νουθετοῦντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον καὶ διδάσκοντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ, ἵνα παραστήσωμεν πάντα ἄνθρωπον τέλειον ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ·
29 And for this purpose I am working, using all my strength by the help of his power which is working in me strongly.
29 for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.
29 εἰς ὃ καὶ κοπιῶ ἀγωνιζόμενος κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐν δυνάμει.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Epaphras
A faithful minister of Christ who taught the Colossians, wrestled for them in prayer, and was Paul's fellow prisoner.
Cited in the guide: Colossians 1:7; Colossians 4:12; Philemon 23
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Corinthians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1; Philemon 1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; Romans 1:1
- 2 2 Peter 1:2; Ephesians 1:1; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Revelation 1:4
- 3 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:3; Colossians 1:9; Romans 1:8–9; 1 Corinthians 1:4
- 4 Ephesians 1:15; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; Hebrews 6:10; Philemon 5
- 5 1 Peter 1:3–4; Ephesians 1:13; 2 Timothy 4:8; Titus 1:2; Colossians 1:27
- 6 John 15:16; Philippians 1:11; Colossians 1:23; 1 Peter 5:12; Romans 10:17–18
- 7 Colossians 4:12; Philemon 23; Hebrews 2:17; Colossians 4:7; Hebrews 3:2
- 8 Romans 15:30; 2 Timothy 1:7; Galatians 5:22; Romans 5:5; Colossians 1:4
- 9 James 3:17; Philippians 1:9–11; James 1:5; Ephesians 1:15–20; Colossians 4:5
- 10 Ephesians 4:1; Hebrews 13:21; 2 Peter 1:2–3; John 15:16; 1 John 3:22
- 11 Ephesians 3:16; Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 6:10; Ephesians 4:2; Romans 5:3–5
- 12 Acts 20:32; Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 1:18; Acts 26:18; Romans 8:17
- 13 Ephesians 5:8; Acts 26:18; 1 Peter 2:9; Titus 3:3–6; 1 Thessalonians 2:12
- 14 Ephesians 1:7; Romans 3:24–25; 1 Peter 1:19–20; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 9:22
- 15 Hebrews 1:3; John 14:9; John 1:1; 2 Corinthians 4:4; John 1:18
- 16 Romans 11:36; John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 2:10; 1 Chronicles 29:11
- 17 Hebrews 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; John 17:5; John 8:58; John 1:1–3
- 18 Ephesians 1:22–23; Revelation 1:5; Ephesians 4:15–16; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23; Matthew 28:18
- 19 Colossians 2:9; John 1:16; Ephesians 1:23; Colossians 2:3; Colossians 3:11
- 20 2 Corinthians 5:18–21; Ephesians 1:10; 1 John 4:9–10; Ephesians 2:13–17; Colossians 1:21–22
- 21 Ephesians 2:12; Titus 3:3–7; Ephesians 2:1–3; Romans 5:9–10; Ephesians 4:18
- 22 Ephesians 5:27; Ephesians 1:4; Jude 24; Hebrews 10:10; Titus 2:14
- 23 Hebrews 3:14; Hebrews 3:6; Matthew 24:13–14; Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 10:38
- 24 Romans 5:3; 2 Timothy 1:8; 2 Corinthians 1:5–8; 2 Timothy 2:9–10; Philippians 3:10
- 25 Ephesians 3:2; Colossians 1:23; Galatians 2:7–8; 2 Timothy 4:2–5; 1 Thessalonians 3:2
- 26 Luke 8:10; Romans 16:25–26; Ephesians 3:3–10; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Matthew 13:11
- 27 John 14:20; Romans 8:10; Ephesians 3:16–17; 1 John 4:4; Galatians 2:20
- 28 Ephesians 5:27; Jeremiah 3:15; Ephesians 4:11–13; Matthew 5:48; Colossians 3:16
- 29 1 Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 1:19; 1 Corinthians 9:25–27; Ephesians 3:7; Philippians 2:13
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Holy indeed are all the Epistles of Paul: but some advantage have those which he sent after he was in bonds: those, for instance, to the Ephesians and Philemon: that to Timothy, that to the Philippians, and the one before us: for this also was sent when he was a prisoner, since he writes in it thus: "for which I …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
This being was endowed with all power by the Father, who placed everything under his authority, the Æons doing so likewise, so that "by him were all things, visible and invisible, created, thrones, divinities, dominions." He then was sent to her along with his contemporary angels.
But yet the Scripture hath not declared that God made this formlessness, any more than it hath declared many other things; as the Cherubim,' and Seraphim,' and those of which the apostle distinctly speaks, Thrones,' Dominions,' Principalities,' Powers,' all of which it is manifest God made.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
For in proof that He meant this, and that before the taking of Jerusalem the gospel was preached, hear what Paul saith, "Their sound went into all the earth;" and again, "The gospel which was preached to every creature which is under Heaven." And seest thou him running from Jerusalem unto Spain?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… bodies: One the Creator of heaven and earth, the Maker of Angels and Archangels: of many the Creator, but of One only the Father before all ages,--of One only, His Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom He made all things visible and invisible.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)