4. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have to all the saints,
5. For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
6. Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and brings forth fruit, as it does also in you, since the day you heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
7. As you also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
8. Who 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 you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10. That you might walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11. Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
12. Giving thanks unto the Father, who has made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13. Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15. Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation:
16. For 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:
17. And he is before all things, and by him all things are held together.
18. And 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.
19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;
20. And, 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.
21. And you, that were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has he reconciled
22. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight:
23. If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature who is under heaven; of which I Paul am made a minister;