17 He is before all things,ab

and by him all thingsac hold together.

18 He is also the head of the body, the church;

he is the beginning,ad

the firstborn from the dead,ae

so that he might come to have

first place in everything.

19 For God was pleased to have

all his fullnessaf dwell in him,ag

20 and through him to reconcile

everything to himself,

whether things on earth or things in heaven,

by making peaceah

through his blood,ai shed on the cross.G,aj