Study Desk

which has come to you, just as ^[h](o)in all the world also it is constantly bearing ^(p)fruit and ^[i]increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you ^(q)heard of it and ^[j]understood the grace of God in truth;

just as you learned it from ^(r)Epaphras, our ^(s)beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,

and he also informed us of your ^(t)love in the Spirit.

For this reason also, ^(u)since the day we heard of it, ^(v)we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the ^[k](w)knowledge of His will in all spiritual ^(x)wisdom and understanding,

so that you will ^(y)walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, ^[l](z)to please Him in all respects, ^(aa)bearing fruit in every good work and ^[m]increasing in the ^[n]knowledge of God;

^(ab)strengthened with all power, according to ^[o]His glorious might, ^[p]for the attaining of all steadfastness and ^[q]patience; ^(ac)joyously

giving thanks to ^(ad)the Father, who has qualified us ^[r]to share in ^(ae)the inheritance of the ^[s]saints in ^(af)Light.

^[t]For He rescued us from the ^[u](ag)domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of ^[v](ah)His beloved Son,

^(ai)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

^[w]He is the ^(aj)image of the ^(ak)invisible God, the ^(al)firstborn of all creation.

For ^[x](am)by Him all things were created, ^(an)both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(ao)thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—^(ap)all things have been created through Him and for Him.

He ^[y](aq)is before all things, and in Him all things ^[z]hold together.

He is also ^(ar)head of ^(as)the body, the church; and He is ^(at)the beginning, ^(au)the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

For ^[aa]it was ^(av)the Father's good pleasure for all ^(aw)the ^[ab]fullness to dwell in Him,

and through Him to ^(ax)reconcile all things to Himself, having made ^(ay)peace through ^(az)the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, ^(ba)whether things on earth or things in ^[ac]heaven.

And although you were ^(bb)formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,

yet He has now ^(bc)reconciled you in His fleshly ^(bd)body through death, in order to ^(be)present you before Him ^(bf)holy and blameless and beyond reproach—

if indeed you continue in ^[ad]the faith firmly ^(bg)established and steadfast, and not moved away from the ^(bh)hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed ^(bi)in all creation under heaven, ^(bj)and of which I, Paul, ^[ae]was made a ^[af](bk)minister.