1Paolo, apostolo di Cristo Gesù per volontà di Dio, e il fratello Timoteo2ai santi[1] e fedeli fratelli in Cristo che sono in Colosse: grazia a voi e pace da Dio, nostro Padre.
Rendimento di grazie e preghiera di Paolo
3Noiringraziamo Dio, Padre del nostro Signore Gesù Cristo, pregando sempre per voi,4perché abbiamo sentito parlare della vostra fede in Cristo Gesù e dell’amore che avete per tutti i santi,5a causa della speranza che vi è riservata nei cieli, della quale avete già sentito parlare mediante la predicazione della verità del vangelo.6Esso è in mezzo a voi, e nel mondo intero porta frutto e cresce, come avviene anche tra di voi dal giorno che ascoltaste e conosceste la grazia di Dio in verità,7secondo quello che avete imparato da Epafra, il nostro caro compagno di servizio, che è fedele ministro di Cristo per voi.8Egli ci ha anche fatto conoscere il vostro amore nello Spirito.9Perciò anche noi, dal giorno che abbiamo saputo questo, non cessiamo di pregare per voi e di domandare che siate ricolmi della profonda conoscenza della volontà di Dio con ogni sapienza e intelligenza spirituale,10perché camminiate in modo degno del Signore per piacergli in ogni cosa, portando frutto in ogni opera buona e crescendo nella conoscenza di Dio;11fortificati in ogni cosa dalla sua gloriosa potenza, per essere sempre pazienti e perseveranti;12ringraziando con gioia il Padre che vi ha messi in grado di partecipare alla sorte dei santi nella luce.
Il primato di Cristo
13Dio ci ha liberati dal potere delle tenebre e ci ha trasportati nel regno del suo amato Figlio.14In lui abbiamo la redenzione, il perdono dei peccati.15Egli è l’immagine del Dio invisibile, il primogenito di ogni creatura;16poiché in lui sono state create tutte le cose che sono nei cieli e sulla terra, le visibili e le invisibili: troni, signorie, principati, potestà; tutte le cose sono state create per mezzo di lui e in vista di lui.17Egli è prima di ogni cosa e tutte le cose sussistono in lui.18Egli è il capo del corpo, cioè della chiesa; egli che è il principio, il primogenito dai morti, affinché in ogni cosa abbia il primato.19Poiché al Padre piacque di far abitare in lui tutta la pienezza20e di riconciliare con sé tutte le cose per mezzo di lui, avendo fatto la pace mediante il sangue della sua croce; {per mezzo di lui, dico,} tanto le cose che sono sulla terra, quanto quelle che sono nei cieli.21Anche voi, che un tempo eravate estranei[2] e nemici a causa dei vostri pensieri e delle vostre opere malvagie,22ora egli vi ha riconciliati nel corpo della sua carne, per mezzo della sua morte, per farvi comparire davanti a sé santi, senza difetto e irreprensibili,23se appunto perseverate nella fede, fondati e saldi e senza lasciarvi smuovere dalla speranza del vangelo che avete ascoltato, il quale è stato predicato a ogni creatura sotto il cielo e di cui io, Paolo, sono diventato servitore.
Il combattimento dell’apostolo
24Ora sono lieto di soffrire per voi; e quel che manca alle afflizioni di Cristo[3] lo compio nella mia carne a favore del suo corpo che è la chiesa.25Di questa io sono diventato servitore, secondo l’incarico che Dio mi ha dato per voi di annunciare nella sua totalità la parola di Dio,26cioè, il mistero che è stato nascosto per tutti i secoli e per tutte le generazioni, ma che ora è stato manifestato ai suoi santi.27Dio ha voluto far loro conoscere quale sia la ricchezza della gloria di questo mistero fra gli stranieri, cioè Cristo in voi, la speranza della gloria,28che noi proclamiamo, esortando ciascun uomo e ciascun uomo istruendo in ogni sapienza, affinché presentiamo ogni uomo perfetto in Cristo.29A questo fine mi affatico, combattendo con la sua forza, che agisce in me con potenza.
1Paulus, Apostel[1] Christi Jesu durch Gottes Willen, und Timotheus, der Bruder, (At 16,1; 2Co 1,1; File 1,1)2den heiligen und gläubigen[2] Brüdern in Christus zu Kolossä: Gnade euch und Friede von Gott, unserem Vater! (Ro 1,7; 1Co 1,2)
Dank und Fürbitte im Blick auf die Gemeinde
3Wir danken Gott, dem Vater unseres Herrn Jesus Christus, allezeit, wenn wir für euch beten, (Ro 1,8)4da wir von eurem Glauben in[3] Christus Jesus gehört haben und von der Liebe, die ihr zu allen Heiligen habt, (Ef 1,15; 2Te 1,3)5wegen der Hoffnung, die für euch in den Himmeln aufbewahrt ist. Von ihr habt ihr vorher ⟨schon⟩ gehört im Wort der Wahrheit des Evangeliums, (Ef 1,13; Tit 2,13; 1P 1,3)6das zu euch gekommen ist, wie es auch in der ganzen Welt ist und Frucht bringt und wächst, wie auch unter[4] euch von dem Tag an, da ihr es gehört und die Gnade Gottes in Wahrheit erkannt[5] habt. (Is 55,11; Mar 4,8; At 6,7; Ro 10,18; Col 1,23; 1Te 2,13; 1Ti 3,16)7So habt ihr es gelernt von Epaphras, unserem geliebten Mitknecht[6], der ein treuer Diener[7] des Christus für euch ist (Col 4,12; File 1,23)8und uns auch eure Liebe im Geist kundgetan hat.9Deshalb hören auch wir nicht auf, von dem Tag an, da wir es gehört haben, für euch zu beten und zu bitten, dass ihr mit der Erkenntnis seines Willens erfüllt werdet in aller Weisheit und geistlichem Verständnis, (Sal 119,73; Ro 12,2; Fili 1,9; Col 2,2; 1Te 4,3; 2Te 1,11; 2Ti 2,7)10um des Herrn würdig zu wandeln zu allem Wohlgefallen, fruchtbringend in jedem guten Werk und wachsend durch die[8] Erkenntnis Gottes, (Giov 15,16; Ef 1,16; Ef 2,10; Ef 4,1; 1Te 4,1; 2Ti 3,17; Eb 13,21; 2P 3,18)11gekräftigt mit aller Kraft nach der Macht seiner Herrlichkeit, zu allem Ausharren und ⟨aller⟩ Langmut, mit Freuden (Ef 3,16; Giac 1,4)12dem Vater danksagend[9], der euch fähig[10] gemacht hat zum Anteil am Erbe der Heiligen im Licht; (At 20,32)13er hat uns gerettet[11] aus der Macht[12] der Finsternis und versetzt in das Reich[13] des Sohnes seiner Liebe. (At 26,18; Ef 1,6; Ef 6,12)14In ihm haben wir die Erlösung[14], die Vergebung der Sünden. (Ro 3,24; 1Co 1,30; Ef 1,7; Col 2,13)
Jesu Größe und Werk
15Er ist das Bild des unsichtbaren Gottes, der Erstgeborene aller Schöpfung. (Giov 12,45; 2Co 4,4; Col 1,18; Eb 1,6)16Denn in ihm[15] ist alles in den Himmeln und auf der Erde geschaffen worden, das Sichtbare und das Unsichtbare, es seien Throne oder Herrschaften oder Gewalten oder Mächte: Alles ist durch ihn und zu ihm hin geschaffen; (Giov 1,3; Ro 11,36)17und er ist vor allem, und alles besteht durch ihn. (Prov 8,25; Mi 5,1; Giov 8,58; Giov 17,5; Eb 1,3; Ap 3,14)18Und er ist das Haupt des Leibes, der Gemeinde[16]. Er ist der Anfang, der Erstgeborene aus den Toten, damit er in allem den Vorrang hat; (At 26,23; Ro 8,29; 1Co 15,20; Ef 1,22; Col 2,19; Ap 1,5)19denn es gefiel der ganzen Fülle[17], in ihm zu wohnen (Col 2,9)20und durch ihn alles mit sich[18] zu versöhnen – indem[19] er Frieden gemacht hat durch das Blut seines Kreuzes – durch ihn, sei es, was auf der Erde oder was in den Himmeln ist. (Ro 5,1; Ef 1,10; Ef 2,16; 1G 2,2)21Und euch, die ihr einst entfremdet und Feinde wart nach der Gesinnung in den bösen Werken, (Ro 8,7; Ef 2,1; Ef 2,13)22hat er[20] aber nun versöhnt in dem Leib seines Fleisches durch den Tod, um euch heilig und tadellos und unsträflich vor sich hinzustellen, (Ro 5,10; Ef 1,4; Ef 2,15; 1P 3,18)23sofern ihr im Glauben gegründet und fest bleibt und euch nicht abbringen lasst von der Hoffnung des Evangeliums, das ihr gehört habt, das in der ganzen Schöpfung unter dem Himmel gepredigt worden ist, dessen Diener ich, Paulus, geworden bin. (Mar 16,15; 1Co 15,2; Col 1,6; 1Te 1,3)
Des Apostels Leiden und Dienst
24Jetzt freue ich mich in den Leiden für euch und ergänze in meinem Fleisch, was noch aussteht von den Bedrängnissen des Christus für seinen Leib, das ist die Gemeinde[21]. (Ef 3,1; Fili 2,17; Col 1,18)25Ihr Diener bin ich geworden nach der Verwaltung[22] Gottes, die mir im Blick auf euch gegeben ist, um das Wort Gottes zu vollenden[23], (1Co 4,1; Ef 3,7; 1Ti 2,7)26das Geheimnis, das von den Zeitaltern[24] und von den Geschlechtern her verborgen war, jetzt aber seinen Heiligen offenbart worden ist. (Ro 16,25; Ef 3,5; Col 4,3)27Ihnen wollte Gott zu erkennen geben, was der Reichtum der Herrlichkeit dieses Geheimnisses unter den Nationen sei, und das ist: Christus in euch, die Hoffnung der Herrlichkeit. (Giov 17,23; Ro 9,23; 1Ti 1,1)28Ihn verkündigen wir, indem wir jeden Menschen ermahnen und jeden Menschen in aller Weisheit lehren, um jeden Menschen vollkommen in Christus darzustellen[25]; (1Co 2,6; Ef 4,13)29worum ich mich auch bemühe und kämpfend ringe gemäß seiner Wirksamkeit, die in mir wirkt in Kraft. (Lu 22,44)
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, (1Co 1,1; 2Co 1,1; 1Te 3,2)2To the saints and faithful brothers[1] in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. (Ro 1,7; Ef 1,1; Fili 1,1)
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, (Ef 1,15; Ef 1,16; File 1,4)4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, (1Te 1,3)5because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, (At 23,6; Ef 1,13; Col 1,23; 2Ti 4,8; Tit 1,2; Eb 3,6; 1P 1,4)6which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, (Sal 98,3; Giov 15,5; Giov 15,16; At 11,23; Ro 16,26; Ef 4,21; Fili 1,11)7just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant.[2] He is a faithful minister of Christ on your[3] behalf (Col 4,7; Col 4,12; File 1,23)8and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. (Ro 15,30)9And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, (1Co 12,8; Ef 1,8; Ef 1,17; Col 1,4; Col 4,5; 2Te 1,11)10so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Sal 1,1; Sal 1,3; 2Co 5,9; Ef 5,10; Col 1,6; 1Te 4,1)11being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; (Mat 5,12; Ef 3,16; Ef 4,2)12giving thanks[4] to the Father, who has qualified you[5] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (At 26,18; Ef 5,20; Col 3,15)13He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, (Lu 22,53; Ef 1,6; Ef 6,12; 1Te 1,10; 2P 1,11)14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Ef 1,7)
The Preeminence of Christ
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Sal 89,27; 2Co 4,4; 1Ti 1,17)16For by[6] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. (Ez 10,1; Ro 11,36; 1Co 8,6; Ef 1,10; Ef 1,21)17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Giov 8,58; Eb 1,3)18And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. (At 26,23; 1Co 15,20; Ef 1,22; Ef 1,23; Ap 1,5; Ap 3,14)19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, (Giov 1,16; Col 2,9)20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (2Co 5,18; Ef 1,10; Ef 2,13; Ef 2,14)21And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, (Ef 2,1; Ef 2,2; Ef 2,12; Tit 1,16)22he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, (Ro 7,4; 1Co 1,8; Ef 1,4; Ef 5,27; Giuda 1,24)23if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation[7] under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. (Mar 16,15; Giov 15,4; At 2,5; 2Co 3,6; Ef 3,17; Col 1,5; Col 2,7)
Paul’s Ministry to the Church
24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, (2Co 1,5; 2Co 7,4; Ef 4,12; 2Ti 1,8; 2Ti 2,10)25of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, (Ef 3,2; Col 1,23)26the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. (Ro 16,25; Ro 16,26; Ef 3,9)27To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Ef 1,18; Ef 3,16; Col 1,26; Col 2,2; 1Ti 1,1)28Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. (Mat 5,48; Col 1,22)29For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (1Co 15,10; Ef 1,19; Col 2,1; Col 4,12; 1Ti 4,10)
Colossesi 1
King James Version
1Paul, 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.3We 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.9For 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;12Giving 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 reconciled22In 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;26Even 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.