What God Has Done through Christ

13 God has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of his Son, whom he loves. 14 His Son paid the price to free us, which means that our sins are forgiven. 

15  He is the image of the invisible God, 

the firstborn of all creation. 

16  He created all things in heaven and on earth, 

visible and invisible. 

Whether they are kings or lords, 

rulers or powers— 

everything has been created through him and for him. 

17  He existed before everything 

and holds everything together. 

18  He is also the head of the church, which is his body. 

He is the beginning, 

the first to come back to life 

so that he would have first place in everything. 

19 God was pleased to have all of himself live in Christ. 20 God was also pleased to bring everything on earth and in heaven back to himself through Christ. He did this by making peace through Christ’s blood sacrificed on the cross. 

21 Once you were separated from God. The evil things you did showed your hostile attitude. 22 But now Christ has brought you back to God by dying in his physical body. He did this so that you could come into God’s presence without sin, fault, or blame.