The Deity of Christ

1 In the beginning awas the Word, and the bWord was cwith God, and the Word was dGod. 2 eHe was in the beginning with God.

The Preincarnate Work of Christ

3 fAll things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 gIn Him was life, and hthe life was the light of men. 5 And ithe light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not 1comprehend it.

The Forerunner of Christ

6 There was a jman sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a kwitness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might lbelieve. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that mLight.

The Rejection of Christ

9 nThat 2was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and othe world did not know Him. 11 pHe came to His 3own, and His 4own did not receive Him.

The Acceptance of Christ

12 But qas many as received Him, to them He gave the 5right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 rwho were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Incarnation of Christ

14 sAnd the Word tbecame uflesh and dwelt among us, and vwe beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, wfull of grace and truth.

15 xJohn bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, y‘He who comes after me 6is preferred before me, zfor He was before me.’ ”

16 7And of His afullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For bthe law was given through Moses, but cgrace and dtruth came through Jesus Christ. 18 eNo one has seen God at any time. fThe only begotten 8Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

John’s Witness to the Priests and Levites

Matt. 3:1–12; Mark 1:2–8; Luke 3:3–16

19 Now this is gthe testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 hHe confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you ithe Prophet?”

And he answered, “No.”

22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

23 He said: j“I am

k‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

“Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’

as the prophet Isaiah said.”

24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 John answered them, saying, l“I baptize with water, mbut there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 nIt is He who, coming after me, 9is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

28 These things were done oin 1Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

John’s Witness at Christ’s Baptism

Matt. 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21, 22

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! pThe Lamb of God qwho takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who 2is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, rtherefore I came baptizing with water.”

32 sAnd John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like

Greeting

1 Paul, aan apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints band faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse:

cGrace to you and peace from God our Father 1and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Their Faith in Christ

3 dWe give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 esince we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of fyour love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope gwhich is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, has it has also in all the world, and iis bringing forth 2fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew jthe grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from kEpaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is la faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your mlove in the Spirit.

Preeminence of Christ

9 nFor this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask othat you may be filled with pthe knowledge of His will qin all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 rthat you may walk worthy of the Lord, sfully pleasing Him, tbeing fruitful in every good work and increasing in the uknowledge of God; 11 vstrengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, wfor all patience and longsuffering xwith joy; 12 ygiving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of zthe inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from athe power of darkness band 3conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 cin whom we have redemption 4through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

15 He is dthe image of the invisible God, ethe firstborn over all creation. 16 For fby Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or gdominions or 5principalities or 6powers. All things were created hthrough Him and for Him. 17 iAnd He is before all things, and in Him jall things consist. 18 And kHe is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, lthe firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Reconciled in Christ

19 For it pleased the Father that min Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and nby Him to reconcile oall things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, phaving made peace through the blood of His cross.

21 And you, qwho once were alienated and enemies in your mind rby wicked works, yet now He has sreconciled 22 tin the body of His flesh through death, uto present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—23 if indeed you continue vin the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are wnot moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, xwhich was preached to every creature under heaven, yof which I, Paul, became a minister.

Sacrificial Service for Christ

24 zI now rejoice in my sufferings afor you, and fill up in my flesh bwhat is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for cthe sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to dthe 7stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 ethe 8mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, fbut now has been revealed to His saints. 27 gTo them God willed to make known …

God’s Supreme Revelation

1 God, who 1at various times and ain various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the 2worlds; 3 bwho being the brightness of His glory and the express cimage of His person, and dupholding all things by the word of His power, ewhen He had 3by Himself 4purged 5our sins, fsat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as gHe has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

The Son Exalted Above Angels

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say:

h“You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You”?

And again:

i“I will be to Him a Father,

And He shall be to Me a Son”?

6 But when He again brings jthe firstborn into the world, He says:

k“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”

7 And of the angels He says:

l“Who makes His angels spirits

And His ministers a flame of fire.”

8 But to the Son He says:

m“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;

A 6scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;

Therefore God, Your God, nhas anointed You

With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

10 And:

o“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,

And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

11 pThey will perish, but You remain;

And qthey will all grow old like a garment;

12 Like a cloak You will fold them up,

And they will be changed.

But You are the rsame,

And Your years will not fail.”

13 But to which of the angels has He ever said:

s“Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?

14 tAre they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will uinherit salvation?