9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you,q we have not stopped praying for you.r We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his wills through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,e t 10 so that you may live a life worthyu of the Lord and please himv in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,w 11 being strengthened with all powerx according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,y 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father,z who has qualified youf to share in the inheritancea of his holy people in the kingdom of light.b 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darknessc and brought us into the kingdomd of the Son he loves,e 14 in whom we have redemption,f the forgiveness of sins.g

The Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the imageh of the invisible God,i the firstbornj over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created:k things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;l all things have been created through him and for him.m 17 He is before all things,n and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the heado of the body, the church;p he is the beginning and the firstbornq from among the dead,r so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleaseds to have all his fullnesst dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcileu to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,v by making peacew through his blood,x shed on the cross.

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemiesy in your mindsz because ofg your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconcileda you by Christ’s physical bodyb through death to present youc holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusationd—